Access to African crops is important to the large African community in Minnesota, but growing these vegetables can be challenging due to poor adaptation to the climate and limited seed availability. To address this, University of Minnesota students formed the Community Plant Breeding Team and partnered with community members to develop adapted plant varieties.
The research team focused on breeding four species: amaranth, spiderwisp, jute mallow and Ethiopian mustard. These species have received minimal breeding attention and seeds are not widely commercially available in the U.S.
Their findings, recently published in Crop Science, highlight the five key takeaways from this project in community collaboration:
- Strong community relationships should be the cornerstone of the research work.
- Community voices should be integrated throughout the plant breeding decision-making process.
- The words used to communicate, describe the work and name plants should all be chosen carefully and intentionally.
- Focusing efforts on a few key species allowed for meaningful progress toward plant breeding goals.
- Knowledge, relationships and seed sources must be intentionally maintained.
The researchers hope these lessons can provide a framework for others interested in breeding culturally important crops in similar settings.
"The biggest lesson we learned is to prioritize the people the work serves, then focus on the plants," said co-author Hannah Stoll, a postdoctoral researcher in the University's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. "The richest source of knowledge is the community, and going forward, we will make sure the voices of community members are incorporated throughout the breeding process."
Hennepin County Master Gardener Chidi Chidozie, a Nigerian American and lifelong gardener, was one of the key community partners and provided some of the seeds for the project. This summer, Chidozie is one of three cultural contributors to the Transplanting Traditions garden exhibit at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, featuring several varieties of the African leafy greens, including jute mallow, fluted pumpkin and Ethiopian mustard.
"It is amazing that in less than five years, the Community Plant Breeding Team, in collaboration with community members and the University of Minnesota Plant Breeding Center, successfully grew over 25 African crops in our harsh Minnesota weather. It is fun to observe the students, the African community members and the Master Gardeners joyfully working together in the garden and learning from each other," said Chidozie.
The research involved gathering germplasm, making crosses, field-testing several plant samples, and community taste-testing. Plant breeding objectives vary depending on the species, but a common goal is to select for earlier maturing varieties to fit into Minnesota's shorter growing season. The team plans to release the first cultivar of a leafy African vegetable in the next few years. In the long term, the researchers hope to see this work expanded to plants important to the Asian and Latin American communities in Minnesota.
The research team included experts from the University of Minnesota's Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, the Department of Horticultural Science, and the University of Minnesota Extension Hennepin County Master Gardeners.
This work was supported by the Plant Breeding Center at the University of Minnesota.
About the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
The University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences strives to inspire minds, nourish people, and sustainably enhance the natural environment. CFANS has a legacy of innovation, bringing discoveries to life through science and educating the next generation of leaders. Every day, students, faculty, and researchers use science to address the grand challenges of the world today and in the future. CFANS offers an unparalleled expanse of experiential learning opportunities for students and the community, with 12 academic departments, 10 research and outreach centers across the state, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the Bell Museum, and dozens of interdisciplinary centers. Learn more at cfans.umn.edu.
