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The wild relatives of our modern crops are of inestimable importance. Their domestication promoted the rise of civilizations and shaped cultures, and they are treasure troves for maintaining food security. However, shrinkage of their populations worldwide demands better conservation to retain their valuable biodiversity.
Although the resurrection of extinct species may seem like the stuff of science-fiction, it could have practical benefits for conservation. But first we must secure the genetic diversity that we have left.
The failure of Liberica coffee as a global crop plant by the turn of the twentieth century was due to a number of factors, including the inappropriate selection of material for global dissemination. Renewed interest in this species, particularly in the excelsa variant, is evident across the coffee supply chain. In a warming world, and in an era beset with supply chain disruption, Liberica coffee could re-emerge as a major crop plant.