So these spicy-sweet, verdant-hued tomatoes are called Aunt Ruby’s German Green.^{[1] [2] [3]} They join other heirloom varieties with names tied to their origin stories, like Cherokee Purple and Brandywine, the fruit of seeds preserved in families and communities for 50 years or more.^{[4] [5]}And with each replanting, they protect a critical element of our food supply: genetic biodiversity.^[6] 

Biodiversity Lost

According to some reports, more than 90 percent of seed varieties have vanished in the last 80 years; for tomatoes, the reported number has dwindled from 408 to 79.^[7] And the disappearance of seeds underscores a silent threat to food security—the loss of genetic biodiversity on our farms and on our plates.^{[8] [9]} It’s the same scenario that led to the Irish potato famine and the more recent near extinction of bananas.^[10] [11]

Heirloom Seeds Preserve Genetic Diversity

Heirloom tomatoes, like other heirloom foods, safeguard genetic biodiversity in critical ways. They're open-pollinated, which means the seeds of their fruit can be replanted and they will reproduce the same flavorful harvest year after year, with the help of nature’s pollinators, including bees, wildlife, and wind. Not only does this perpetuate superior flavor, but it also strengthens the gene pool, as each new generation of plants possesses new genetic profiles, and over time can develop greater resilience to threats like climate change and disease.^{[12] [13]} Without natural reproduction and the consequent evolution of the gene pool, the species may weaken, losing adaptability, and with the commercial dependence on hybrids, the genetic diversity of food is also silently shrinking.^{[14] [15] [16]}

Organic Farming Nurtures Biodiversity

Biodiversity is multi-layered, and protecting it depends not only on the genetic variation of plants but also on the microbial diversity of soil and the species richness of ecosystems. Organic farming techniques replace synthetic chemicals with practices that nurture biodiversity, including composting, crop rotation, and cover cropping. Consider the difference this makes in comparisons of biodiversity from organic to conventional farms:

• 32% to 84% higher markers of soil microbial diversity and nutrients, including microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen^[17]
• 50% greater pollinator diversity on average^[18]
• 30% more species richness with a “positive influence” on pollinators and plants^[19]

Nutritious Traditions

Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, one of the most potent antioxidants among its class of phytonutrients, the carotenoids.^{[20] [21] [22]} Here’s the fun part: Studies show that pairing tomatoes with fat helps convert the naturally occurring form of lycopene to its more bioavailable version.^{[23] [24] [25]} In more appetizing words, caprese salad with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or  tomatoes à la Provençale are recipes for culinary traditions rooted in health. 

 “Whether we consciously realize it or not…the biodiversity with which we have the most intimate historical, cultural and biological connections is that associated with food plants.” —Cary Fowler

May we eat for biodiversity, filling our plates with foods that not only preserve our stories for future generations, but also feeds them.

References

[1] “Aunt Ruby's German Green Tomato Seed - Heirloom, Open-Pollinated, Non-Hybrid Victory Seeds®.” Victory Seeds, www.victoryseeds.com/tomato_aunt-ruby.html.

[2] “Aunt Ruby's German Green.” Plants with Stories :: Aunt Ruby's German Green, plantswithstories.com/tomatoes/aunt-rubys-german-green.

[3] Hollis, et al. “Aunt Ruby's German Green Tomato.” Seed Savers Exchange, 21 May 2020, www.seedsavers.org/aunt-rubys-german-green-organic-tomato.

[4] University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Heirloom Tomatoes.” Sacramento MGs, sacmg.ucanr.edu/What_are_Heirloom_Tomatoes/.

[5] BH&G Garden Editors Updated January 13, et al. “5 Reasons to Choose Heirloom Seeds for Your Garden.” Better Homes & Gardens, www.bhg.com/gardening/design/nature-lovers/heirloom-seeds/.

[6] Hartwell, Roger. “What's the Difference? Open-Pollinated, Heirloom & Hybrid Seeds.” Seed Savers Exchange Blog, Seed Savers Exchange Blog, 24 July 2017, blog.seedsavers.org/blog/open-pollinated-heirloom-and-hybrid-seeds.

[7] 24, Jenna Blumenfeld | Feb. “In 80 Years, Thousands of Fruits and Vegetables Went Extinct [Infographic].” New Hope Network, 17 July 2016, www.newhope.com/food-beverage/infographic-just-80-years-thousands-fruit….

[8] Maarten van Zonneveld, Gayle M. Volk, M. Ehsan Dulloo, Roeland Kindt, Sean Mayes, Marcela Quintero, Dhrupad Choudhury, Enoch G. Achigan-Dako, Luigi Guarino. “Safeguarding and Using Fruit and Vegetable Biodiversity.” Https://Sc-fss2021.Org/, 2021, sc-fss2021.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FSS_Brief_Safeguarding_fruits_vegetables.pdf.

[9] Paula Barbeito, Madeleine Coste, Eleonora Lano, Mauro Pizzato, Raffaella Ponzio, Piero Sardo. “If Biodiversity Is Alive, so Is the Planet.” Https://Www.fondazioneslowfood.com/, 2021, www.fondazioneslowfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ENG_Biodiverisity….

[10] Erbentraut, Joseph. “The 'Extinction' Of Bananas Shows Us Why Our Food System Needs Help.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 16 Dec. 2015, www.huffpost.com/entry/banana-extinction-biodiversity-simran-sethi_n_56….

[11] By. “The Great Irish Potato Famine.” National Environmental Treasure, 6 Nov. 2019, www.oursafetynet.org/2019/09/24/great-irish-potato-famine/.

[12] “Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Saving the Past for the Future.” Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, www.southernexposure.com/heirloom-gardening-for-biodiversity/#:~:text.

[13] “Our Mission.” Seed Savers Exchange, www.seedsavers.org/mission.

[14] “Flour Power - Heirlooms - Unique Varieties Preserve History, Support Biodiversity.” Today's Dietitian, www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/062909p16.shtml.

[15] “The Problem (Disadvantage) with F1 Hybrid Seeds.” Planet Natural, 12 Jan. 2019, www.planetnatural.com/f1-hybrids/.

[16] Unsplash, et al. “The Privatisation of Seeds: Biodiversity.” RESET.to, en.reset.org/knowledge/privatisation-seeds.

[17] Lori, Martina, et al. “Organic Farming Enhances Soil Microbial Abundance and Activity-A Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression.” PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0180442.

[18] “Pollinators.” OTA, ota.com/advocacy/pollinators#:~:text.

[19] Rundlöf, Maj, et al. “Effects of Organic Farming on Biodiversity.” Wiley Online Library, American Cancer Society, 14 Dec. 2016, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9780470015902.a0026342.

[20] Berni, Roberto, et al. “Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 20 Dec. 2018, www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2018.01983/full.

[21] D. Bilalis Magdalini Krokida Ioannis Roussis Panayiota Papastylianou. “Effects of Organic and Inorganic Fertilization on Yield and Quality of Processing Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill.).” Https://Www.researchgate.net/, www.researchgate.net/publication/328597460_Effects_of_organic_and_inorg….

[22] Başaran, Nurşen, et al. “Lycopenes as Antioxidants in Gastrointestinal Diseases.” Gastrointestinal Tissue, Academic Press, 9 June 2017, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978012805377500028X.

[23] Ghadage SR, Mane KA, Agrawal RS and Pawar VN. “Tomato Lycopene: Potential Health Benefits.” Https://Www.thepharmajournal.com/, www.thepharmajournal.com/archives/2019/vol8issue6/PartV/8-6-162-673.pdf.

[24] “Lycopene in Tomatoes: Chemical and Physical Properties Affected by Food Processing.” Taylor & Francis, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408690091189275?src=recsys.

[25] “Lycopene.” Lycopene - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/lycopene.