Hi ECHO Community! As you may know, ECHO North America will be hosting the IV International Symposium on Underutilized Plant Species in October, 2025 under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science! In preparation for this event, we would like to undertake a few research trials that not only add to the scientific knowledge around underutilized plant species, but also address some of the challenges you, our network, face in the field.
Some ideas we have brainstormed so far include:
- Propagation techniques for improved rooting of asexually-propagated underutilized crops such as chaya and Haitian basket vine
- Comparison of edible biomass production of various leafy tropical greens (Lagos spinach, vegetable amaranth, spider flower, edible nightshade, etc.) seeded at the same time.
- Identifying best horticultural practices (e.g., fertility inputs, pruning methods, spacing) for increased productivity of underutilized crops.
If you like one of these ideas, or would like us to look into a specific species in one of these, please tell us here! If you have another idea for what we could research, please share it here!