Clarification on Crop Origins

Ronald Nigh (danamex@mail.internet.com.mx)
Sun, 03 Jan 1999 08:36:39 -0600

Dear SANET.
There seems to be some geographical confusion here. Berlan and Lewontin
(who are people who know what they are talking about) are using the terms
North America and American to refer to the confines of the continental
United States. Taken thus, their statement that the only important native
crop from "North America" is the suflower. If we include Mesoamerica,
(southern Mexico and northern Central America) then not only corn (maize),
but over 70 crop species, now accounting for about 35% of the world's food
are native American crops. These "hierloom" varieties are still being grown
by Indians in the mountains of Mexico and CA but, as the slow war to
exterminate these peoples progresses, these invaluable genetic resources
are increasingly in danger of disappearing.

At 09:36 12/29/98 -0400, Bob MacGregor wrote:
>How can Berlan and Lewontin [GE News Tue, 22 Dec 1998] make the following
statement, "American agriculture was built from these genetic resources
>freely imported from all over the world, the only important species native
to North America being the sunflower"? I always thought maize/corn could
be called a major world crop, and it is news to me that it is not of North
American orgin.

Date: Sat, 02 Jan 1999 06:15:43 -0400
From: Daniel Worley <dan.worley@mindless.com>
Subject: Re: Origin of corn--Oaxaca, Mexico

At 17:18 1/1/99 -0700, Nathan/Rachna Boone wrote:
>The center of origin for corn is believed to be in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Hmmm. I wonder how many government research dollars went into making
that determination? At any rate, it is still in North America. Certainly
not Europe as was suggested by the article by a couple of Ivy League
Scholars. It was being cultivated by Native North Americans long before
Columbus (or Ericson) set foot on this continent.

--Dan in Sunny Puerto Rico--
dan.worley@mindless.com

Ronald Nigh
Dana, A.C.
Mexico, D.F. & San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas
Tel. y FAX 525-666-73-66 (DF)
529-678-72-15 (Chiapas)
danamex@mail.internet.com.mx

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