@heritage_wheat Genetic diversity of the modern wheat dropped until the 1970s and has steadily risen since then. See eg https://t.co/8HPHRB1LH9 The positive trend has continued since the end of this study https://t.co/Z2iJMR71WH
@martynsteiner @Botanygeek 2/3 here are a couple relevant refs https://t.co/bWPMPNoyJ9 & https://t.co/D8Wpez7j4D. I surveyed seed catalogues before/after the first biotech improved soybeans were introduced in the 90s and they showed soybean variety av
"Indications are that after the 1960s and 1970s breeders have been able to again increase the diversity in released varieties. Thus, a gradual narrowing of the genetic base of the varieties released by breeders could not be observed."
See here graph of 20thC wheat genetic diversity from Wouw et al 2010 https://t.co/8HPHRAKaPB A major trend that increases genetic diversity is use of wild wheat relatives in breeding. I'm confident that since the 1990s, when this graph ends, diversity has