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Decline in Crop Plant Diversity at the Variety Level
| Crop | Country | Number of Varieties |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | Sri Lanka | From 2,000 varieties in 1959 to 5 major varieties today |
| Rice | India | From 30,000 varieties to 75% of production from less than 10 varieties |
| Rice | Bangladesh | 62% of varieties descended from one maternal parent |
| Rice | Indonesia | 74% of varieties descended from one maternal parent |
| Wheat | USA | 50% of crop in 9 varieties |
| Potato | USA | 75% of crop in 4 varieties |
| Cotton | USA | 50% of crop in 3 varieties |
| Soybeans | USA | 50% of crop in 6 varieties |
Source: World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1992)