Taking the toxins out of a climate change hero crop

Grasspea is a tough plant. Farmers in South Asia and East Africa plant it because they know it can withstand drought and flooding when little else can - and they're increasingly having to rely on it as climate change worsens. But there's a catch - grasspea produces a toxin, and eating too much of it when you're malnourished can leave you permanently paralysed.
Dr Peter Emmrich and his team at the John Innes Centre are trying to understand how grasspea makes the the toxin. They're using this knowledge to create varieties that are tough against climate change but easier on the human body. They're also researching the socio-economic role of grasspea and how communities use it, so they can ensure the new varieties still have all the features that people value.
Bringing together social science and biology like this is a valuable approach that makes the most of local knowledge and maximises the chances of the project's success.