Determinants of spatial diversity in modern wheat: examples from Australia and China
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The spatial distribution of modern varieties, and the genes they embody, has economic value because it affects crop productivity
from year to year. Since farmers choose varieties based on observable traits rather than the genes they cannot see, a first step
in understanding the spatial distribution of genes is to better understand the determinants of the spatial distribution of varieties.
In this paper, we have constructed spatial diversity indices from area distributions of modern wheat varieties in Australia and
China. We hypothesise that factors explaining variation in these indices are related to farmers' demand for traits and the supply
of varieties, given physical features of the production environment. We test these hypotheses using reduced form equations for
three concepts of spatial diversity, richness, abundance and evenness, using Zellner's seemingly unrelated regression (SUR).
Spatial diversity indicators and analyses of this type, if more fully developed and targeted to address specific policy issues, may
assist in monitoring crop genetic diversity or 'refuge' targets associated with the diffusion of some genetically modified crops.
© 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.