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The University of Arizona is working to propagate ancient varieties of beans?such as spotted lima and orange pima lima beans?historically grown by Pima Indians in the region. According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, 63 percent of native American crop varieties have disappeared from cultivation since Europeans arrived on the continent. It is natural for farmers to want to plant crop varieties that produce the greatest yields or are best suited to the current marketplace, but when all farmers work toward the same goal, varieties with other attributes are left by the wayside. These varieties are known as ?heirloom? crop varieties. While they may lag behind in yields, they often make up for it in other traits such as flavor or texture. They also are an important source of genetic diversity and are often preserved by seed banks and organizations such as Native Seeds/SEARCH. .
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Edwin Remsberg
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The University of Arizona is working to propagate ancient varieties of beans?such as spotted lima and orange pima lima beans?historically grown by Pima Indians in the region. According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, 63 percent of native American crop varieties have disappeared from cultivation since Europeans arrived on the continent. It is natural for farmers to want to plant crop varieties that produce the greatest yields or are best suited to the current marketplace, but when all farmers work toward the same goal, varieties with other attributes are left by the wayside. These varieties are known as ?heirloom? crop varieties. While they may lag behind in yields, they often make up for it in other traits such as flavor or texture. They also are an important source of genetic diversity and are often preserved by seed banks and organizations such as Native Seeds/SEARCH. .