The big five in the world of plants – the species that have changed the course of history
Loading...
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy w Puławach
Abstract
Description
Following the big five of plant families presented by
Hammer et al. (2015) an attempt was undertaken to select the
big five of crop plants and genes. A large number of species
(7 thousand of crops among 250 thousand of higher plants) as
well as accepted criteria cause difficulties. Three cereals (wheat,
rice, corn), potatoes (source of carbohydrates plus an influence
on a history of three states) and soybean (main source of protein
in animal feeds) were counted as plants having the greatest importance
in human nutrition. Considered were also the genes, to
a great extent influenced the productivity and use of those crops,
making easier cropping and harvesting (genes Rht and Glu in
wheat, Sd1 in rice, resistance to herbicide in soyabean), improving
grain quality (Glu and Gli in wheat and genes for beta carotene
synthesis in rice) as well as resistance to pests (Bt in corn)
and diseases (R in potatoes). Five species were also presented
which played an outstanding role in nations, states or even continents
history (cinchona, sugar cane, tee bush, cotton, cocaine
bush). According to the authors’ opinion as well as that of Hobhouse’s
(2005), Molenda’s (2011), and Laws’ (2016) these plants
changed the course of the world’s history.
Keywords
cotton, cocaine bush, cinchona, tea bush, sugar cane, soybean, wheat, rice, maize, potato
Citation
Polish Journal of Agronomy
2021, 47, 68–77