Complex personality of groundnut: Part 2 of 4 -- Links & lessons: history, genes and work done
Channel: GCProgramme
Date: 30/01/2013

Part 2 of this case study on 'Patient G' (for 'groundnut') takes our viewers on a tour of groundnut's history, as we go from 'cradle to harvest' with this important legume.

Groundnuts hail from South America, and our story truly begins in earnest in Brazil, where groundnut researchers were faced with a mighty problem: they had an enormous amount of knowledge and genetic resources, but a huge gulf separated them from the main centres of importance of the cultivated crop.

As fate would have it, the research teams were helped on their genetic roadmap by embarking on a GCP project about the utilisation of genetic resources back in 2004.

Watch this second instalment to find out the vital statistics of this ground-breaking project, how it created a bridge between research centres and universities, spanned continents, weaved together different disciplines and became the key to unlocking the genetic diversity of groundnuts.

The episode rounds off with lessons learnt throughout the project, and reflects...just as the diversity of the wild species is of paramount importance to the cultivated crop, so a diverse research team is equally important to the success of a research project.

More on our groundnut research here: http://bit.ly/162vPrZ