Vigouroux Yves auteur aut IRD Barnaud Adeline auteur aut IRD Scarcelli Nora auteur aut IRD Thuillet Anne-Céline auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access The human diet depends on very few crops. Current diversity in these crops is the result of a long interaction between farmers and cultivated plants, and their environment. Man largely shaped crop biodiversity from the domestication period 12,000 B.P. to the development of improved varieties during the last century. We illustrate this process through a detailed analysis of the domestication and early diffusion of maize. In smallholder agricultural systems, farmers still have a major impact on crop diversity today. We review several examples of the major impact of man on current diversity. Finally, biodiversity is considered to be an asset for adaptation to current environmental changes. We describe the evolution of pearl millet in West Africa, where average rainfall has decreased over the last forty years. Diversity in cultivated varieties has certainly helped this crop to adapt to climate variation. specialized Domestication Crop biodiversity Smallholder agriculture Adaptation Environmental changes 076 334 5-6 450-457 2011 1631-0691 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053648 10.1016/j.crvi.2011.03.003 1631-0691 [F B010053648] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053648 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2011/07/010053648.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2011-08-03 2017-08-23 fdi:010053648 fre