Njengoba ukuguquka kwesimo sezulu kuba kubi kakhulu futhi kwanda emhlabeni wonke, kubalulekile ukubheka nokuqonda ukusabela kwezitshalo ezinkulu lapho ungaphansi kwengcindezi ye-abiotic (ezemvelo). Izimo ezimbili zemvelo ezibhekene nezitshalo zase-UK isomiso nezikhukhula. Ngokuhambisana namazinga okushisa aphezulu, lokhu kungaba yinhlekelele esivunweni futhi kube nomthelela omubi kwikhwalithi yokudla, amanani okudla, ukutholakala kwembewu, kanye nekhwalithi. Muva nje ngo-2020, ubusika obumanzi kakhulu obulandelwa yintwasahlobo eyome kakhulu bube nomthelela omubi kuzo zonke izitshalo zase-UK.
Ukukhula kwezitshalo ezinempilo kanye nesivuno sezitshalo kunqunywa izici eziningi: amanzi, imisoco, izinga lokushisa, ukwakheka kwenhlabathi kanye namakhemikhali, nokukhanya. Njengoba isimo sezulu samanje sishintsha ngokushesha kunezitshalo ezikwazi ukuzivumelanisa nezimo, lokhu kudala inkinga enkulu kwezolimo, futhi ngenxa yalokho izitshalo ziphonselwa inselelo ngezindlela eziningi. Ukuze kwandiswe ukuqina kwezitshalo ku-abiotic (ezemvelo) kanye ne-biotic (pathogen - izinambuzane nezifo), kubalulekile ukukhomba izinhlobo zezitshalo ezintsha ezinamazinga aphezulu okumelana nokukodwa noma eziningi zalezi zingcindezi zesikhashana empilweni yazo yonke.
Ukuze wenze lokhu, izakhi zofuzo eziyisisekelo ezilawula lezi zici ezifiselekayo zokukhuthazela zidinga ukuhlonzwa. Ososayensi bezitshalo bangakwenza lokhu ngokwenza ucwaningo olubizwa nge-phenotyping assays, oluhlola izinhlobo eziningi zezitshalo ukuze bathole izici ezifiselekayo (ama-phenotypes) abese efaniswa nezakhi zofuzo ezithile. Leli ithuluzi eliwusizo kakhulu hhayi nje kuphela ukukhomba nokuqhathanisa izakhi zofuzo nezici ezithile (i-phenotypes), kodwa futhi nokukhomba noma yiziphi izakhi zofuzo okungenzeka ukuthi zilahlekile ezinhlobonhlobo zamanje zezitshalo ezithengiswayo eziye zakhuliswa ngokukhetha ukuthi zisebenze kahle ngaphansi kwezimo ezifanele, lapho ukucindezeleka. ziyavinjelwa ngokunisela, izibulala-zinambuzane, nokusebenzisa umanyolo.
Enye indlela ixhaswe ngabakwaDefra ngeVegetable Genetic Improvement Network (VeGIN). I-VeGIN iyakwazi ukuthola i-Vegetable Genetic Resources Unit (GRU) e-Warwick Crop Centre, lapho izinkulungwane zezinhlobo zezitshalo ezihlukene zilondolozwa khona, zibhalwe phansi futhi zicwaningwe. Izibalo ze-VeGIN azifaki nje kuphela ama-cultivar esimanje, kodwa futhi nezihlobo zabazali zasendle kanye nezinhlobo zamagugu esizidlayo namuhla, eziqoqwe emhlabeni wonke. Lezi zinhlobo zezitshalo zimelela imithombo engaba khona yokuhlukahluka kwezakhi zofuzo, ezingase zisetshenziswe abalimi ukusungula izitshalo ezinokubekezelela okuphezulu ngokumelene nezinselele ze-biotic (pathogen) kanye ne-abiotic (ezemvelo).
Funda isihloko esiphelele ku www.foodsecurity.ac.uk.