Synopsis (short abstract)Ever since hunter-gatherers realized some 12 000 years ago that they could save and plant seeds from season to season, the sum of the world’s plant genetic resources for food and agriculture has expanded. Over the millennia, farmers learned to save seeds of crops they deemed easiest to process or store, or those most likely to survive growing seasons or even those that simply tasted the best. As a result, more than 7 000 species of plants have been cultivated or collected. Many remain im portant to local communities where exploiting their potential is crucial to achieving food security.
