the National Science Foundation. The report warned that the genetic pool of existing crops
might become too shallow, leaving plants vulnerable to disease or environ- mental shock. Fanners were urged to shift away from crops that need large amounts of water and soil nutrients, or that cannot survive in a broad range of temperatures and soil conditions.
Several plants native to the United States offer alternatives. The buf- falo gourd, a relative of the squash and pumpkin family, is one. Indigenous...