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<blockquote data-quote="viviennem" data-source="post: 322750" data-attributes="member: 31282"><p>Going back to the basics - the three useful seed-bearing grasses that were "domesticated" in the Middle East when we settled down and developed agriculture were emma, einkorn, and 6-row barley. The first two are "wheat". They are simply a form of seed-bearing grass, which used to be gathered seasonally, but which could be preserved by drying and which would then germinate the following year. Our clever ancestors discovered this, settled near the best-producing natural patches, and finally went on to plant the patches where and how they wanted. Meantime they hunted out the areas surrounding their settlements and became more and more reliant on crops and domesticated animals. ie, farming.</p><p></p><p>If you imagine a modern ear of barley (the whiskery one), and then try to imagine an underdeveloped example of the same thing with only 6 rows of small seeds, you begin to realise just how much we have modified these crops. Also modified them to make them grow happily in our climate when they are in fact native to the Middle East (just like sheep!). By the 1960s (or that's when I was taught about it) plant breeding had managed to produce a variety of wheat (I think a triticale) that will produce a crop in some areas of Australia on less than 10 inches of rain a year! </p><p></p><p>We've made the ears bigger, the stalks shorter, the nutrition balance different, just by selective breeding, which is in itself a form of genetic manipulation. This has been for our own convenience, to increase the yields and make it easier to mechanise the harvest. Now cereal products have become the basis of most humans diets, and we need to produce more to keep pace with the expanding population. Many people are fine with this, and I accept this; I am not trying to start an argument, just widen the discussion.</p><p></p><p>From the point of view of the low-carbers amongst us, there are too many of us for everyone to eat (eg) my diet; the only way we could promote this across the planet is by reducing our population. Since I doubt this will happen, short of disease or disaster - what can we do? In other words - how can we lower carbohydrate consumption and increase protein and fat consumption across the globe? Can we do this by further altering the nutritional composition of foods such as grains? We are already doing this in some areas, eg adding vitamins to rice to fight against deficiency diseases in parts of Asia. Should it be taken further? Can we improve the diet for the populations across the globe by manipulating cereals? Should we?</p><p></p><p>I'm not against all GM crops in principle, though there are aspects that I don't approve of. GM is quicker than the old ways of plant breeding. If we want to feed our present population, can we afford to ignore it? I'd rather regulate it better.</p><p></p><p>Any ideas?</p><p></p><p>Viv 8)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="viviennem, post: 322750, member: 31282"] Going back to the basics - the three useful seed-bearing grasses that were "domesticated" in the Middle East when we settled down and developed agriculture were emma, einkorn, and 6-row barley. The first two are "wheat". They are simply a form of seed-bearing grass, which used to be gathered seasonally, but which could be preserved by drying and which would then germinate the following year. Our clever ancestors discovered this, settled near the best-producing natural patches, and finally went on to plant the patches where and how they wanted. Meantime they hunted out the areas surrounding their settlements and became more and more reliant on crops and domesticated animals. ie, farming. If you imagine a modern ear of barley (the whiskery one), and then try to imagine an underdeveloped example of the same thing with only 6 rows of small seeds, you begin to realise just how much we have modified these crops. Also modified them to make them grow happily in our climate when they are in fact native to the Middle East (just like sheep!). By the 1960s (or that's when I was taught about it) plant breeding had managed to produce a variety of wheat (I think a triticale) that will produce a crop in some areas of Australia on less than 10 inches of rain a year! We've made the ears bigger, the stalks shorter, the nutrition balance different, just by selective breeding, which is in itself a form of genetic manipulation. This has been for our own convenience, to increase the yields and make it easier to mechanise the harvest. Now cereal products have become the basis of most humans diets, and we need to produce more to keep pace with the expanding population. Many people are fine with this, and I accept this; I am not trying to start an argument, just widen the discussion. From the point of view of the low-carbers amongst us, there are too many of us for everyone to eat (eg) my diet; the only way we could promote this across the planet is by reducing our population. Since I doubt this will happen, short of disease or disaster - what can we do? In other words - how can we lower carbohydrate consumption and increase protein and fat consumption across the globe? Can we do this by further altering the nutritional composition of foods such as grains? We are already doing this in some areas, eg adding vitamins to rice to fight against deficiency diseases in parts of Asia. Should it be taken further? Can we improve the diet for the populations across the globe by manipulating cereals? Should we? I'm not against all GM crops in principle, though there are aspects that I don't approve of. GM is quicker than the old ways of plant breeding. If we want to feed our present population, can we afford to ignore it? I'd rather regulate it better. Any ideas? Viv 8) [/QUOTE]
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