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Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open
Journal article
But does it taste good? A plea to consider the importance of flavor in managing plant genetic resources
Plants, people, planet, Vol.7(6), pp.1585-1595
11/2025
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Source: InCites
Abstract
Societal Impact Statement: Crop genetic resources, particularly seeds held in ex situ germplasm collections, have enormous value in breeding climate-resilient crops. Much of this value accrues from information associated with germplasm accessions. Here, we argue that flavor, culinary attributes, and other traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) are important characteristics alongside genomic information and high-throughput phenotypes. We explore both the value of this information and the potential risks of exploitation of sensitive TEK. We also examine the potential of in situ conservation to preserve not just the genetic diversity of crops, but the TEK associated with them.
Summary: Crop genetic diversity is essential for meeting the challenges posed to agriculture by a rapidly changing climate. Harnessing that diversity requires well-organized information, often held by ex situ gene banks and associated databases. However, the characterization of crop germplasm often lacks information on its cultural and culinary background, specifically its flavor or taste. For most crops, characterization data is lacking, but when it is present it is more likely to include whole genome information, high-throughput estimation of growth characteristics, and chemical profiles indicating flavor rather than details on the dishes for which particular varieties are favored or how smallholder farms have grown particular accessions. This loss of cultural and culinary information, and the broader loss of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), is more than just missing information. It is a loss of legacy when landraces are no longer grown by the communities that developed them. In the face of climate change, TEK has great value for developing more sustainable or resilient practices. And with increasingly global palettes, we must balance consumers enjoying dishes from new crops with the appropriation of culturally meaningful foods. Our aim here is to explore this flavor gap, to understand the risks in sharing data and the benefits of honoring long-established uses. We emphasize the importance of ensuring the fair representation of diverse peoples in genebanks and consider both ex situ and in situ conservation approaches. Finally, we analyze the impact of modern breeding choices on culinary diversity, emphasizing the preservation of ancestral knowledge and flavor profiles.
Details
- Title
- But does it taste good? A plea to consider the importance of flavor in managing plant genetic resources
- Creators
- Eric J. B. von Wettberg - University of VermontChanda Robinson Banks - Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance (USA)Debarati Chakraborty - ASDC Naturophilia Agrotech Pvt. LtdTsegaye Getahun - Addis Ababa UniversityMelike Bakir - University of VermontGiovanna Sassi - University of VermontJasmine A. Hart - University of VermontBailey Kretzler - University of VermontNiloofar Layegh-Nikravesh - University of VermontMichael B. Kantar - University of VermontYolanda H. Chen - University of VermontDaniel Tobin - Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance (USA)Jana Kraft - San Diego Botanic Garden (USA)Colin K. Khoury - Recombics (Australia, Lismore)Graham J. King - Recombics (Australia, Lismore)
- Publication Details
- Plants, people, planet, Vol.7(6), pp.1585-1595
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd
- Number of pages
- 11
- Grant note
- Development of this work was supported by a DivSeek Thematic Hub, entitled “Does it Taste Good?” Further support comes from the UVM FSRC: GEMS and student fellowships (EvW, MB, BK, JH, DT, and JK), USDA Multistate Hatch NE2210, Northeast SARE Awards LNE21-428 (EvW, MB, GS, and BK) and LNE22-456R (DR, CRB, and EvW).
- Identifiers
- 991013285532002368
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s).
- Academic Unit
- Office of the Vice Chancellor; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article