Date Time More diversity for our farms and forks As a contribution to increasing crop variety for improved food security in Subsaharan Africa, a leafy vegetable which is rich in vitamins and minerals shall be domesticated. At present, however, as highlighted by a research team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) together with researchers from Nigeria, the plants still contain highly toxic substances that are carcinogenic and liver-damaging. The researchers are now aiming to generate toxin-free varieties so that the plant can be safely used. Our planet is home to a rich treasury of plant species. Some 300,000 edible plants are available to feed the world’s population, although only a fraction of them is consumed. The three major crops rice, wheat and maize feed half of the world’s population.