Even if the variety has limited success commercially, it can be used as a parent to give improved early fall fruiting types. This has worldwide implications because of the desire for fresh raspberries year round. Public-sector funding, such as that available in the development of 'Autumn Byrd', has largely disappeared. Much of the raspberry breeding is now sponsored by the private sector, which is interested in short-term gains and is unlikely to sponsor breeding that goes back to species levels. This could have dire consequences in the future.
Similar situations exist for other berry crops and for tree fruits.
Waxy wheat contains no amylose, and its starch absorbs much more water, stays gooey after heating and cooling, and does not lose water when frozen and thawed. Research is now underway to determine what food products will benefit from waxy wheat. It is encouraging that such genetic diversity still remains in a hitherto unexploited landrace of wheat. According to a study conducted in conjunction with the UN Task Force on Global Developmental Impact, consumer product diversity now exceeds biodiversity. According to the study, for the first time in history, the rich array of consumer products available in malls and supermarkets surpasses the number of living species populating the planet.