Patterns in the conservation and use of traditional vegetables from the New Guinean biodiversity hotspot

In this paper, we survey traditional leafy vegetables linked to the New Guinea biodiversity hotspot. More than 30 species were identified, and data on occurrences and global genebank holdings were retrieved. The result revealed that traditional vegetables from this hotspot are highly under-represented in the global conservation system for plant genetic resources. Among targeted perennial tree or shrub species, no single accessions were reported as conserved in genebanks. We argue for the importance of safeguarding crop diversity for future generations and for promoting the traditional knowledge linked to cultivation and use of such nutritional plants.