Orphan crops: their importance and the urgency of improvement

Abstract

Main conclusion Due to significant contributions of orphan crops in the economy of the developing world, scientific studies need to be promoted on these little researched but vital crops of smallholder farmers and consumers.

The 21st Century Agriculture: When Rice Research Draws Attention to Climate Variability and How Weedy Rice and Underutilized Grains Come in Handy

“…Cantrell and Hettel [71] highlighted that rice research in the 21st century should emphasize how to reduce both the production and the research gaps, along with strategic research plans to develop and utilize new technologies and tools. With the constant rise in food demand and rapid changes in consumption patterns, radical research approaches are crucial to complement fundamental exploration in improving both major and underutilized (or orphan and neglected) plant species [72,73]. In fact, the past decade saw the emergence of multiple studies on the lesser known plants as one of the prime strategies in strengthening the four pillars of food security, which include the availability, access, utilization, and stability of food [1,74].…”

“…With varying diet regimes among the urban communities especially those in developed nations, the challenge of fulfilling consumer needs and demands becomes bigger than ever [90][91][92]. Many researchers today would agree that the development of underutilized crops that feed only certain communities is equally important as the improvement of common staple crops such as rice that feed the majority [72,93,94]. This perhaps explains why the research on underutilized crops gained momentum in the current era.…”

Modern tools promise to boost breeding of vital staple crops

“…Despite their vital importance for global food security, when compared with major crops such as wheat, maize, and rice, RTB crops lag tremendously in terms of resources for breeding programs (Tadele, 2019). The CGIAR Research Program on RTBs is leading efforts to apply genomics‐assisted breeding to these valuable crops (Friedmann et al , 2018), including novel approaches to germplasm characterization such as metabolomics.…”

Plant Resistance to Abiotic Stresses

“…Recently, there has been increased interest in the use of orphan crops, considered to be minor on a global scale, yet important locally for food security in the developing world [9]. Most such crops have greater inherent stress tolerance or resistance than current staple cereals (wheat, rice, and maize) in which such characteristics have been lost by conventional breeding for seed size and yield under well-watered conditions [10].…”