Societal Impact Statement The coconut palm is an extremely popular and economically important crop, with around 65 million tonnes produced in 2023. Although Africa's coconut sector is growing rapidly, it—and the livelihoods that depend on it—is threatened by climate change, particularly increased drought. Although developing stress‐resilient crops remains challenging, here we aimed to first understand the variation in drought response and then to dissect the genomic basis of this complex trait, leveraging an experimental system in Côte d'Ivoire. Despite identifying a trade‐off between drought tolerance and yield, we propose that genomic selection, after validation, could help expand production onto marginal land.
Societal Impact Statement It remains unclear how many plant species are not yet recorded by science. We illustrated the process by which species of the pineapple family in tropical America have been newly described to science to date, and we estimated how many species may still await scientific discovery in this group. We found that almost half of the species remain scientifically undiscovered and that the scientific discovery of new species is increasingly done by regional scientists. Our results stress the gap in the scientific account of tropical plant diversity and point towards the work of regional scientists from the Global South as a major contribution to overcoming this limitation. Summary In many taxa, the expected number of species is still uncertain, hampering conservation, especially in the diverse tropical regions of Earth. Here, we use the plant family Bromeliaceae as a model to explore the history and future of species scientific discovery from the Neotropics global biodiversity hotspot. We use a newly curated complete list of described species together with species geographic distributions and information on taxonomic authors to explore patterns of past species description. Furthermore, we use logistic models to estimate the expected number of species in the family, the subfamilies, the largest genera and the relationship with geographic range. In the past, species scientific discovery was dominated by researchers from Europe (mid‐18th to mid‐20th century), then researchers from the United States (middle to end of 20th century) and finally researchers from Latin America (21st century). The average number of species described per year increased from 0.6 between 1750 and 1800 to 33.8 between 2001 and 2025. Furthermore, description shifted from widespread species to species with smaller ranges, mostly from Brazil and the Andes from Bolivia to Mexico. We project the expected number of Bromeliaceae species at 6600 to 7500, leaving the current number of species described only at 56% to 49%. Our results illustrate changes in the history of species description in the last centuries, confirm the progression from broad range to smaller range species as the taxonomic treatment of the groups progressed and illustrate Brazil, Mexico and the Andean region as hotspots for future species description.
Societal Impact Statement The Mediterranean Basin, a major biodiversity hotspot, is highly vulnerable to climate and global changes. Wild olive trees form an essential part of this landscape and hold strong ecological, cultural and socio‐economic significance. By examining how these trees responded to past climatic conditions, this study shows adaptation of olive trees to local conditions of temperature and precipitation. Gene flow from cultivated olive into wild populations does not appear to reduce this adaptive potential. These findings provide valuable guidance for conservation planning and restoration efforts, supporting the protection of resilient olive populations and Mediterranean ecosystems under ongoing climate change. Le bassin méditerranéen, une zone de forte biodiversité, est particulièrement vulnérable aux changements globaux. Les oliviers sauvages constituent une partie essentielle de ce paysage et possèdent une grande importance écologique, culturelle et socio‐économique. En examinant comment ces arbres ont réagi aux conditions climatiques passées, cette étude met en évidence l'adaptation des oliviers aux conditions locales de température et de précipitations. Le flux de gènes provenant des oliviers cultivés vers les populations sauvages ne semble pas réduire ce potentiel d'adaptation. Ces résultats fournissent des orientations précieuses pour la planification de la conservation et les efforts de restauration, en soutenant la protection des populations d'oliviers résilientes et des écosystèmes méditerranéens face au changement climatique en cours. Summary Rapid environmental changes threaten global biodiversity, with the Mediterranean Basin (MB) being highly vulnerable due to faster warming rates. In the western MB, spontaneously occurring populations of Olea europaea var. sylvestris comprise both genuinely wild individuals and admixed forms resulting from crop‐to‐wild gene flow. The genuinely wild ones likely maintain genetic variation shaped by local environmental pressures. We analysed genome sequencing data from spontaneously occurring populations and cultivated olives. Selective sweep detection and genotype–environment association (GEA) approaches were applied to wild populations to detect genomic regions associated with climate variations. Our results revealed genomic signatures of adaptation in wild olives, mainly related to temperature and precipitation during the coldest quarter. Notably, numerous polymorphic candidate SNPs detected in the wild compartment were also found polymorphic in admixed individuals but were invariant in cultivated individuals, suggesting that introgression might conserve much of the wild adaptive potential. The broadening of standing genetic variation resulting from hybridization could further accelerate adaptation to novel or shifting environments. In conclusion, we provide evidence that western genuine wild olives are locally adapted and that admixed populations maintain key adaptive variants. It also highlights the risk of future (mal)adaptation of natural populations and reinforces the need for spontaneously occurring olives conservation.
Societal Impact Statement Urban gardening offers an innovative conservation strategy by integrating native ornamental species into urban landscapes. We evaluated the ornamental potential of the Brazilian flora by comparing the representation of species from forests versus open biomes (focusing on campo rupestre grasslands) and introduced and validated the Index of Ornamental Potential (IOP). Despite high IOP values, species from open biomes were underrepresented in the ornamental market, indicating an untapped resource of novelty to fuel growing market demands. Open biomes harbor unique, unexplored phenotypes with high ornamental and conservation value, presenting opportunities for local communities to support sustainable livelihoods and reduce environmentally degrading activities. Summary In situ conservation is vital but insufficient to address the ongoing climate and biodiversity crises. Urban conservation gardening integrating native and endangered plants into public and private landscapes offers an innovative pathway to expand ex situ collections, enhance public engagement, and create sustainable incomes for local communities. To alleviate barriers of implementing urban conservation gardening, we first compiled a comprehensive list of ornamental plants in Brazil, identifying 3925 species, of which only 1091 (27.8%) are native. Second, we compared forest and open biome species and found a striking underrepresentation of endemic plants from open biomes (Pampa, Pantanal, and Cerrado), despite their high conservation value and unique phenotypes. Third, we developed and applied the Index of Ornamental Potential (IOP) to the flora of campo rupestre , a megadiverse montane grassy‐shrubland harboring 15% of the national flora in an area smaller than 0.8% of national territory. Based on a systematic review of 61 studies and 2 years of intensive fieldwork, we identified 375 campo rupestre species with high ornamental potential, 50 of which were evaluated by professional plant hunters. IOP assessments revealed that most campo rupestre species, particularly endemics, scored high IOP, indicating elevated ornamental attributes, yet remain absent from commercial production. We demonstrate that open biome floras represent an untapped reservoir of ornamental novelty. If well regulated, incorporating these species into cultivation potentially diversifies the market, strengthens urban sustainability, and provides incomes for local communities, ultimately reducing dependence on environmentally degrading activities.
Societal Impact Statement As forests are important for biodiversity and recreation and provide vital resources globally, it is essential that their health can be accurately monitored, for example, by using sap flow probes to measure tree water uptake. We investigated whether sap flow measurements might differ at various locations within the same tree due to variation in wood properties. We found high variability in sap flow measurements across one tree, meaning that accurate measurements might require a large number of probes to be used per tree. This information is critical for ensuring accurate measurements and uncertainty estimation in future research. Summary To derive the transpiration flux of a tree from the measurements of a sap flow probe several parameters, including the thermal properties of the wood, the conducting sapwood area, and radial sap flow velocity profiles, have to be determined. Uncertainties in these parameters can be reduced by repeated sampling, which conflicts with the intention of minimally invasive investigations and efficient use of limited resources. In this study, we instrumented a single tree with 23 sap flow sensors, sampled 30 wood cores from it, and finally cut the whole tree to acquire stems disks for additional measurements. We assessed the heterogeneity within the tree stem and quantified the uncertainties and their propagation into the final transpiration flux estimate. We found that estimated transpiration fluxes based on one single sap flow probe deviated from the pooled average value by more than 15% in one of three cases. The main source of this uncertainty was the spatial heterogeneity of sap flux densities, followed by the uncertainty of the conducting sapwood area, which could effectively be reduced by including additional nondestructive observations of the stem cross section. This study's unusually high number of sap flow sensor installations and wood core samples for one single tree exemplarily shows, that even four sensors installed around a tree stem may still leave a considerable amount of uncertainty for tree level transpiration flux estimates.
Summary Societal Impact Statement Soil contamination by toxic trace elements is a growing global challenge that threatens food safety, agricultural productivity, and ecosystem health. We combined results from many experiments worldwide to assess whether beneficial soil fungi can help plants cope with contaminated soils. Our meta‐analysis shows that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) consistently improve plant growth and nutrition while reducing the translocation of potentially toxic elements, particularly cadmium, into aboveground plant tissues. These findings highlight the potential of AMF‐assisted phytoremediation to support safer crop production and soil restoration, contributing to sustainable ecosystems and human well‐being, although its effectiveness depends on environmental and biological factors. Summary Soil contamination by elevated trace elements (TEs) increasingly threatens global food security. Although arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely recognized for mitigating TE toxicity, their effectiveness in soils characterized by the co‐occurrence of geogenic and anthropogenic TE sources remains insufficiently resolved. By integrating global experimental datasets, this meta‐analysis identifies broad patterns of AMF‐mediated stress alleviation that are often difficult to discern in individual studies. We synthesized data from 76 studies and 2206 paired observations to evaluate AMF‐mediated stress alleviation, plant performance, and TE dynamics across diverse soils contaminated with arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). Across studies, AMF significantly enhanced root and shoot growth, with Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus irregularis frequently producing the strongest responses. Phosphorus concentrations also increased significantly in both roots and shoots. AMF effects on TE accumulation, however, varied among elements. The clearest response was observed for Cd, with shoot concentrations declining significantly following AMF inoculations. However, the underlying mechanism cannot be resolved from the available data. In contrast, responses to As, Pb, Cu, and Zn were generally weak or non‐significant, highlighting the element‐specific effects of AMF on TE accumulation in contaminated soils.
Societal Impact Statement Millions of people worldwide depend on plants and fungi for their healthcare needs, yet our understanding of which species are used medicinally—and how—remains fragmented and incomplete. As part of Kew's Plants for Health service, we developed a pipeline to mine large text corpora for information on natural products, initially focusing on the medicinal properties of plants and fungi. We show that large language models can be leveraged to efficiently mine this information from the CORE dataset of open access papers, providing opportunities to vastly extend and improve existing datasets. Summary This study explores the use of large language models (LLMs) to extract structured ethnopharmacological data on medicinal plants and fungi from scientific literature. This will feed into Plants for Health (PfH), an initiative expanding upon Kew's Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS). We filtered the CORE dataset of open‐access scientific literature and selected an initial subset of 10 papers. These papers were annotated to highlight scientific plant and fungi names, including the medical conditions they are used to treat and the medicinal effects they are reported to have. Claude 3.5 Sonnet, DeepSeek V3, GPT 4o and Llama 3.1 were evaluated on this data and compared to a baseline SciBERT model. The best‐performing LLM was then fine‐tuned and re‐evaluated, before being deployed on an example subset of 5 more papers and validated using a manual verification tool. The GPT 4o model performed best, achieving an f1 score of 0.63 in the extraction of scientific name‐medical condition/medicinal effect relations, compared to the next best model, DeepSeek V3, with 0.53. When further fine‐tuned and deployed on an example subset of 5 papers, the GPT 4o model achieved a precision of 0.85 and correctly identified 284 scientific name‐medical condition pairs and 363 scientific name‐medicinal effect pairs. Our findings underscore the utility of LLMs in automating the extraction of structured data, offering a scalable approach to augment traditional databases. By improving the breadth of ethnopharmacological information, this work supports better‐informed research and policy on natural products, strengthens the evidence base for traditional medicine and enhances the potential for novel drug discovery.
Societal Impact Statement Demand for agricultural land has increased due to rising demand for food, potentially leading to expansion into previously untouched habitats, which threatens refugia of native plants. We aimed to provide insight into how variation in seeding ratio may impact soil bacterial communities in a pea-canola intercropping system, potentially altering crop efficiency. We found a high level of variation in bacterial communities across seeding ratios, demonstrating that changes to aboveground diversity can unpredictably impact belowground communities. Information on how management practices impact bacterial communities may be used by agronomists to design efficient intercropping systems, reducing the need for agricultural expansion.Summary The pea-canola (Pisum sativum-Brassica napus) intercropping system (peaola) is a high yielding mixed intercropping system that is being studied to improve agricultural sustainability and productivity. Plant-microbe interactions have been considered important to intercrop success, but it is unknown how these dynamics change based on crop seeding ratios. The goal of this study was to determine how seeding ratio and cropping system impact the diversity, structure, and predicted function of the bacterial community in peaola. We also determined how nitrogen availability in soil and pea and canola leaf nitrogen content were impacted across seeding ratios and cropping systems. We collected soil, rhizosphere, and mature leaf samples from peaola, with nine different seeding ratios, and monoculture pea and canola controls. Bacterial communities in soil and rhizosphere were characterized using 16S rRNA, and soil and leaf nitrogen content were measured. Intercropping increased the nitrogen content of mature canola leaves, suggesting changes to nitrogen availability. Plant influence on the bacterial community was determined to be the primary contributor to community structure and function. Overall, no clear patterns were observed between seeding ratios and the bacterial communities. High variability in our results highlights that changes to aboveground diversity may have unpredictable impacts on belowground diversity, making it difficult to make management decisions. Our observations may also be due to additional factors beyond the ratio of pea:canola planted, or a result of sampling variation.
Societal Impact Statement The global food system faces growing pressure from climate change, biodiversity loss, and rising nutritional demands. Agriculture has increased yields but reduced crop diversity, flavor, and nutritional quality, leaving societies vulnerable and dependent on a narrow set of staple species. Here, we explore how local wild plants, long dismissed as weeds or trait donors, could become climate‐resilient, nutritious crops. By synthesizing knowledge on their biology with tools that accelerate improvement, we highlight pathways to support local food production, diversify diets, and strengthen system resilience. Reimagining these overlooked species offers practical opportunities for sustainable agriculture that benefits people and the planet. Summary Wild plant species, long excluded from mainstream agriculture, hold untapped potential for building resilient and diverse food systems. Today's agrifood landscape is constrained by a narrow selection of high‐input, genetically uniform crops, perpetuating biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and vulnerability to climate change. Expanding beyond this limited genetic base is no longer optional but essential, requiring us to rethink what future crops can be and where they originate. In this viewpoint, we argue that the next generation of climate‐resilient, nutritious crops may come not from improving current staples but from directly domesticating local wild species. Emerging tools, including plant omics, artificial intelligence, gene editing, and speed breeding, now make this vision achievable. By combining these technologies with knowledge of antinutritional compounds and agronomic challenges, we outline a roadmap for transforming wild plants into viable crops. We highlight halophytes and Amaranthaceae species, especially Salicornia and Chenopodium album , as promising examples due to their nutritional value and adaptation to marginal environments. By bridging advanced technologies with neglected local biodiversity, we argue the future of sustainable agriculture lies not in incremental gains to current crops, but in reimagining the wild plants, we have long overlooked.
Societal Impact Statement Cities urgently need nature to improve public health, support biodiversity, and increase resilience to climate change. Yet not all green spaces offer the same benefits. In this study, we show that more diverse urban plantings create richer "chemical environments"; subtle, naturally scented atmospheres formed by plant emissions that can influence how people feel and recover from stress. By revealing this hidden dimension of human-plant interaction, our work suggests that planting a greater variety of species in parks and streets could enhance everyday well-being while supporting wildlife and climate goals. These insights can guide city planners, public health professionals, and community groups in designing greener, healthier cities for all.Summary Urban green spaces are known to support human well-being, yet we still lack a clear understanding of which plant characteristics and green spaces configurations create the most psychologically and physiologically beneficial urban environments. Stress reduction and restorative properties of green spaces are often emphasized, but the mechanisms underlying those benefits are still unclear. But plants also shape city air through the release of natural volatile compounds that can influence human physiology and health. We aimed to determine whether more botanically diverse parks also create richer chemical environments, revealing a hidden dimension of human-plant connection in cities. We measured plant species richness and vertical vegetation structure across public parks in Lausanne, Switzerland, and collected airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) directly in each park. We combined vegetation surveys, air sampling, and species-level phytochemistry data to test whether plant diversity predicts VOC richness and chemical richness in real and simulated plant communities. Plant communities differed strongly among parks and across vegetation layers, and parks with higher plant diversity also exhibited higher chemical diversity in the air. Phylogenetic mapping revealed lineage-level variation in chemical potential, and simulated plant assemblages confirmed a consistent positive relationship between botanical richness and chemical richness. Our findings show that biodiversity shapes an overlooked chemical dimension of urban nature, suggesting that diverse plantings may enhance the atmospheric qualities that help people reduce stress, recover, and connect with natural environments. Considering plant chemical diversity in urban greening strategies could enhance stress reduction and increase biodiversity, fostering healthier and more resilient cities.
Societal Impact Statement Forest plantations play an increasingly important role in climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration, yet management strategies that enhance long-term ecosystem carbon storage remain insufficiently understood. We investigated the effects of more than a decade of close-to-nature management on community structure and ecosystem carbon storage across different developmental stages of Pinus massoniana plantations. We found that close-to-nature management increased ecosystem carbon storage by promoting tree growth, optimizing stand density, and improving understory vegetation conditions. These findings provide practical guidance for carbon-oriented plantation management and support the development of sustainable forestry policies aimed at strengthening forest-based climate solutions. Summary center dot Close-to-nature management (CTNM) is increasingly promoted as a silvicultural approach for enhancing ecological functions in plantation forests. However, its long-term effects on ecosystem carbon storage and the mechanisms linking community structure to carbon sequestration remain poorly quantified. This study evaluated the effects of long-term CTNM (>10 years) on community structure and ecosystem carbon storage in Pinus massoniana plantations across different developmental stages. center dot Comparative field investigations were conducted in young, middle-aged, and near-mature P. massoniana plantations under CTNM and control management. Community structural attributes, species diversity, and carbon storage in vegetation and soil pools were measured. Redundancy analysis and hierarchical partitioning were used to identify key structural drivers of ecosystem carbon storage. center dot CTNM significantly altered community structure by increasing tree height, DBH, and species diversity while reducing stand density. Carbon storage increased across multiple ecosystem pools, with the strongest responses observed in near-mature forests. DBH, stand density, tree height, herb coverage, and shrub coverage were identified as the principal structural indicators associated with ecosystem carbon storage. center dot Long-term CTNM enhances ecosystem carbon storage in P. massoniana plantations by regulating community structure, particularly through promoting tree growth, optimizing stand density, and improving understory vegetation conditions. These findings provide scientific support for carbon-oriented forest management and climate change mitigation strategies.
Societal Impact Statement DNA fingerprinting is becoming the standard measurement procedure in crop adoption studies in the Global South, yet the lack of systematic and intentional sampling regarding which farmer to go to the plot with may bias results from these methods. We introduce a methodological innovation, Sampling for Socially Inclusive Adoption Studies (SSAS), to offer a more inclusive sampling strategy. We find that SSAS enables research around how respondent socio-demographic differences, respondent selection approaches, and intra-household dynamics shape DNA fingerprinting-based adoption studies. SSAS can serve as a tool for more participatory, nuanced, and context-sensitive research design for these studies.Summary The lack of intentional sampling of farmers may explain the disconnect between genomic and self-reported data in DNA fingerprinting-based crop varietal adoption studies. We introduce a methodological innovation, Sampling for Socially Inclusive Adoption Studies (SSAS), that interlinks socio-demographic information, a measurement of the information endowment of a respondent, intra-household decision making, and plot level DNA fingerprinting sampling. SSAS comprises two main parts; the first is an intra-household survey, administered to two individual adult decision makers within a farming household, which generates an estimate of their knowledge of the crop studied to determine who will be engaged for leaf tissue sampling. The second part is collecting leaf tissue in the field with the chosen respondent. We piloted the SSAS method with a small set of common bean growers in Costa Rica. The pilot data showed that application of SSAS generated data that would guide breeding programs to identify respondents for DNA fingerprinting studies and relate their results to decision making dynamics and household headship within households. To our knowledge, this is the first DNA fingerprinting approach to be developed and piloted directly by a National Agricultural Research Institution. We provide practical guidance for applying SSAS in resource-constrained institutions and offer a path forward for wider adoption of DNA fingerprinting methods. SSAS is a tool for exploring broader dynamics of knowledge, networks, intrahousehold dynamics, and inequality within agricultural production, opening up entry points for more participatory, nuanced, and context-sensitive research design.
Societal Impact Statement Agricultural management and environmental conditions influence the biochemical composition of food crops; however, the specific drivers of this variation remain insufficiently understood, despite their importance for climate change adaptation and human health. This review synthesizes evidence on upstream agricultural and environmental drivers of food crop composition and analyzes subdrivers identified in the literature. The main findings indicate that most research addresses heavy metal bioaccumulation and the application of amendments in major crops such as vegetables and cereals, whereas relatively few studies examine agroecological management, atmospheric conditions, or impacts on lipids and broader phytochemical diversity. These findings highlight persistent knowledge gaps, particularly concerning the effects of less‐studied drivers on food quality. The results emphasize the need for integrative, cross‐disciplinary research, and standardized foodomics tools within global food systems. Summary The biomolecular composition of our food, a critical determinant of human health and nutrition, is shaped by complex interactions between plants, agricultural management, and the environment. Understanding the drivers of variation in food composition is essential for addressing major global challenges including malnutrition, food safety, and sustainability. Following the PRISMA‐ScR protocol, we conducted a scoping review to investigate the agricultural and environmental drivers that impact food composition across 482 included studies to map research trends and knowledge gaps. Our analysis reveals that agricultural drivers' impact on food composition were the most examined across the literature (51.7% of studies, 249 studies), followed by studies examining both environmental and agricultural drivers (31.3%, 151) and environmental drivers alone the least investigated (17.0%, 82). Among agricultural drivers, nutrient management (185 studies) was the most studied, and agroecology (23 studies) was the least examined subdriver. Among environmental drivers, ecological conditions (232 studies) were most studied, whereas atmospheric conditions (28 studies) were the least examined subdriver. Overall, the literature reflected 154 unique food crops, with vegetable and cereal crops the most represented, and underutilized crops the least represented. The literature further focused on food components with significant public health implications, including heavy metals (259 studies), micronutrient minerals (188), and broad classes of macronutrients, such as total protein (106) and total sugars (100). This scoping review disaggregates the research gaps and opportunities to further elucidate how agricultural management and environmental drivers contribute to variation in food composition, informing nutrition security interventions and the development of resilient food systems for human and planetary health.
Societal Impact Statement Annual cereal grains account for ~50% of human food calories, but cultivation of these crops has resulted in major environmental and social issues worldwide. For nearly three decades, researchers have been breeding intermediate wheatgrass—a perennial cool‐season grass—to serve as the world's first commercial‐scale perennial grain crop to improve agricultural sustainability. Introducing a perennial grain crop onto landscapes and into markets has significant potential to reduce environmental impacts of agriculture, improve farmer economics, and offer a healthy new food ingredient for consumers. However, transdisciplinary collaboration is required to upscale Kernza to maximize positive societal impacts. Summary Kernza is the tradename of grain harvested from advanced breeding lines of intermediate wheatgrass, a perennial grass being domesticated to serve as a perennial grain crop. Here, we present the need and justification for developing perennial grains as a contributing solution to agricultural challenges; we review the foundational science behind Kernza's development, outline the transdisciplinary efforts to scale and commercialize it, and address the unique challenges to its wider adoption and integration into the food system. Decades of plant breeding and development of genetic resources have resulted in the domestication of Kernza, which has since been studied for its food science, agronomic, and ecological properties at a research scale. Research and development have expanded to engage critical food system actors including farmers, processors, end‐users, and consumers, and these collaborations have resulted in coordinated networks ranging in scale from local communities to an international consortium to improve the social, environmental, and economic impacts of Kernza. Cross‐sector partnerships continue to develop and distribute knowledge and resources that support the adoption of Kernza by growers and end users. Examples of resources include grower business cooperatives, federal incentive programs, marketing toolkits, and educational materials for learners spanning generations. We outline key challenges to expedited progress, including the inherent time requirements to breed a crop for multi‐year grain production, and quantify certain environmental benefits like carbon sequestration. A coordinated, transdisciplinary, values‐based approach to overcoming these challenges is described and, if implemented, can accelerate the research and commercialization at a global scale.
Promoting agrobiodiversity is a promising strategy for mitigating the negative effects of climate change on global food security. We highlight the central role evolutionary processes play in harnessing the potential of local crops by integrating genomics, archaeology, ethnobotany and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Our aim is to empower Indigenous peoples and local communities as key actors in agrobiodiversity and crop innovations, fostering ethical and active collaborations. Local contributions to diversifying the global food system will enhance climate resilience and ensure that the benefits of agricultural innovation are shared more broadly and justly across peoples. Strengthening diverse agricultural systems can mitigate the effects of accelerated climate change on crop production. Unlocking local crops' potential requires understanding their origins, domestication, fundamental attributes and uses. Here, we review the role of genomics, archaeology and ethnobotany that increased our understanding of crop evolution. We highlight biases in data availability towards globally commercial crops and chart pathways to develop baseline knowledge for local crops. We propose integrating these fields with traditional knowledge to illuminate how cultivation and uses have shaped, and will continue to shape, local crops and promote ethical collaborations. The lessons learnt from the past can help us chart the future of sustainable and climate‐resilient agriculture. Supported with evidence from recent research and traditional knowledge, we propose to orient seed conservation, breeding and accelerated domestication around Indigenous peoples and local communities.
Societal Impact Statement Food insecurity is a looming challenge that especially affects those least fortunate. Consumer food choices have a substantial impact on the sustainability of current food systems. Here, we use art as a lens through which to consider our contemporary and historical relationship to one of the world's most crucial crops, the potato, in the context of the perceived current disconnection between consumers and food production systems. Our analysis reveals that people's relationship with the potato has varied through history, dependent on time and place. Our study serves as proof of principle that social art history can provide a valuable historic benchmark for contemporary studies that consider society's current relationship with food and agriculture. Summary Climate change and food insecurity demand us to re-evaluate our perspectives on agriculture and our relationship with food and our planet. In a global food system, choices made by consumers have significant impacts on the sustainability of food systems. There is a widely held view that consumers in high-income countries are disconnected from the way their food is produced and food choices are commonly made without an understanding of their environmental consequences. How such a disconnection may have evolved over time is difficult to measure. Societal attitudes are often reflected in the art of the time. Thus, art provides a fascinating lens through which to evaluate society's connection to its sources of food. We have taken the potato as an example of an important global crop and examined its portrayal in a variety of historical art forms to gain an understanding of how cultural perceptions of food have changed through time. By focusing on a subset of well-known art works, we demonstrate that historical art can indeed offer a unique longitudinal perspective on changing cultural perceptions. We compare artworks ranging from first millennium Moche pottery, where the potato was heralded as sacred, to contemporary works, where it is presented as a source of comedy as often as a source of nourishment. Nineteenth-century European art depicts the potato as a representation of authentic rural living, whereas in the 20th century, it became an object of propaganda. Art therefore represents a rich source of information that can enable novel studies of food systems across time and space.
Societal Impact Statement Ex situ seed conservation is an essential tool in our efforts to conserve wild and cultivated plant diversity, as mentioned in the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and the Sustainable Development Goals. While there are established standards which seed banks follow, it is important that we continue to evaluate protocols and optimize processes. Here, we encourage seed banks to re-evaluate their seed drying protocols. There is increasing evidence that two-stage drying, an initial active drying phase followed by equilibrium drying to the target moisture content for storage, increases the subsequent longevity of seeds which will result in improved conservation outcomes. Summary Billions of seeds are stored around the world in seed banks-either conservation seed banks preserving species diversity or genebanks conserving primarily intra-species agrobiodiversity. As well as providing long-term conservation, many of these seed banks offer samples of seeds for use in restoration programs, breeding and other research activities. Most seed banks follow international standards to manage collections, with specific standards concerning each step in the conservation cycle. One of the standards describes the conditions under which seeds should be dried before packing and storage: Seeds should be dried to equilibrium in a controlled environment of 5 degrees C-20 degrees C and 10%-25% relative humidity. These conditions theoretically mean that seeds will be close to an optimum moisture content for the maintenance of viability during storage. However, considerable gains in subsequent longevity can potentially be achieved, particularly for seeds that are harvested before maturation drying is completed in planta, if a two-stage drying process is adopted. The first, brief active drying phase should be at 30 degrees C-45 degrees C and 20%-70% RH and should be followed by slower final drying towards equilibrium in a cool, dry environment (15 degrees C +/- 5 degrees C with 15% +/- 5% RH). We encourage seed banks to consider this two-stage drying approach, even before the genebank standards are revised. Conservation research is important for improving current best practices to ensure the effective safeguarding of species and agricultural biodiversity.
Societal Impact Statement Traditional knowledge about wild plants connects people to nature and sustains both cultural identity and biodiversity. This study explores how cultural exchange among Albanians, Greeks and Aromanians in southern Albania shapes the use and naming of medicinal and food plants. By revealing how linguistic and social interactions influence local ecological knowledge, the research highlights the adaptability of human-plant relationships in changing cultural landscapes. These insights support efforts to document and protect ethnobotanical heritage, promote culturally sensitive conservation and guide policies that strengthen biocultural resilience and sustainable use of natural resources in the Balkans and beyond.Summary This study explores how ecological and cultural factors shape local ecological knowledge (LEK) in the Balkans, a recognized biocultural hotspot and long-standing reservoir of wild medicinal plants. Focusing on Albanian, Greek and Aromanian communities in the Gjirokast & euml;r region of southern Albania, it investigates cross-cultural ethnobotanical dynamics, linguistic adaptation and processes of knowledge transmission. Data were collected through 84 semistructured interviews complemented by participant observation. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices were calculated and overlaps in plant reports and uses among the three cultural groups were analysed to assess shared and idiosyncratic knowledge patterns. Albanians contributed the largest proportion of recorded folk plant names, and medicinal applications primarily targeted gastrointestinal and dermatological conditions. The presence of Albanian folk names cited by other groups suggests linguistic borrowing, likely reinforced during the communist period. While idiosyncratic ethnobotanical knowledge was largely maintained among Greek and Albanian participants, it was considerably less preserved among Aromanians, indicating substantial cultural adaptation. The findings highlight the vitality and adaptability of shared LEK in southern Albania and point to long-standing historical and cultural exchange in the region. The study emphasizes the importance of documenting ethnobotanical heritage to support biocultural stewardship, revitalize the regional herbal trade and promote culturally sensitive bioconservation strategies and community-led initiatives that strengthen intergenerational knowledge transmission and socio-ecological resilience across the Balkans. Les savoirs traditionnels relatifs aux plantes sauvages relient les populations & agrave; la nature et contribuent & agrave; la pr & eacute;servation de l'identit & eacute; culturelle ainsi que de la biodiversit & eacute;. Cette & eacute;tude examine comment les & eacute;changes culturels entre Albanais, Grecs et Aroumains dans le sud de l'Albanie fa & ccedil;onnent l'usage et la d & eacute;nomination des plantes m & eacute;dicinales et alimentaires. En mettant en & eacute;vidence l'influence des interactions linguistiques et sociales sur les connaissances & eacute;cologiques locales, cette recherche souligne l'adaptabilit & eacute; des relations entre les soci & eacute;t & eacute;s humaines et les plantes dans des contextes culturels en mutation. Ces r & eacute;sultats soutiennent les efforts visant & agrave; documenter et prot & eacute;ger le patrimoine ethnobotanique, & agrave; promouvoir une conservation culturellement sensible et & agrave; orienter des politiques renfor & ccedil;ant la r & eacute;silience bioculturelle et l'utilisation durable des ressources naturelles dans les Balkans et au-del & agrave;. Le conoscenze tradizionali sulle piante spontanee collegano le persone alla natura e sostengono sia l'identit & agrave; culturale sia la biodiversit & agrave;. Questo studio analizza come gli scambi culturali tra Albanesi, Greci e Aromeni nel sud dell'Albania influenzino l'uso e la denominazione delle piante medicinali e alimentari. Evidenziando come le interazioni linguistiche e sociali plasmino le conoscenze ecologiche locali, la ricerca mette in luce l'adattabilit & agrave; delle relazioni tra esseri umani e piante in paesaggi culturali in trasformazione. Questi risultati sostengono gli sforzi per documentare e tutelare il patrimonio etnobotanico, promuovere strategie di conservazione sensibili al contesto culturale e orientare politiche che rafforzino la resilienza bioculturale e l'uso sostenibile delle risorse naturali nei Balcani e oltre.
Societal Impact Statement Grassland plant communities contribute significantly to global biodiversity but face numerous man-made pressures which may interfere with their ecological functions. One such pressure receiving increasing scientific, political, and public attention is microplastic pollution. Despite multifaceted effects on individual plants, plant-community responses are rarely assessed. We show that, over two growing seasons, microplastics differentially affect the productivity and structure of experimental grassland communities, with various effects depending on initial community composition, microplastic characteristics, and plant-mycorrhiza interactions. As grasslands facilitate ecological processes (e.g., carbon storage) and provide ecosystem services (e.g., food and water supply), our findings highlight the need for actions to preserve those important functions.Summary Terrestrial microplastic pollution is receiving increasing public and scientific attention. While diverse microplastic effects on individual plants' physiology, morphology, and productivity are known, how such effects transmit to the community level remains poorly understood. However, as grassland plant communities are central agents for ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services, assessing how microplastics may interfere with such functions is indispensable. To reduce this gap, we tested how six types of artificial particles and their interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affect the productivity and composition of plant communities representing dry and mesic grasslands over 17 months. Effects were strongest in the mesic, less diverse community type. Without artificial particles, community biomass was higher with AMF but lower without AMF, while AMF did not affect community biomass if artificial particles were present. Compared with glass, microplastics increased diversity with AMF but decreased it without AMF. Importantly, most effects depended on AMF inoculation and material type and concentration, revealing no universal pattern of microplastic pollution on grassland communities. Next to providing first evidence that microplastic effects on plant communities might change over time, our results highlight that such effects likely depend on particle and community characteristics and that responses differ between community traits such as productivity and diversity. Advancing the knowledge about ecological effects of microplastic pollution in terrestrial systems will require a stronger emphasis on community-level experiments as well as incorporating temporal dynamics and the diversity of plastic pollution. Such work is essential to anticipate how accumulating plastic waste may alter grassland ecosystem functioning.
