Articles tagged with Crop Domestication
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A new study finds that domestication of plants fostered cooperation among people, but also saw the rise of organized intergroup violence. As farming developed, groups aggregated and lived cooperatively in high-quality locations, but this led to a spike in trophy-taking violence.
A new manuscript by Dr. Robert Spengler suggests that all earliest traits of plant domestication are linked to a mutualistic relationship in which plants recruited humans for seed dispersal. This concept, known as seed-dispersal-based evolution, explains why the first traits of domestication in crops were similar across different species.
Research reveals that domesticated wheat originated from the interbreeding of wild emmer wheat with cultivated varieties in southeast Turkey. This process occurred around 9,500 years ago, contradicting earlier theories of a single origin point.
A new study has confirmed the history of tomatoes from South America, from blueberry-sized wild tomatoes to large-fruited common tomatoes. Scientists have reconstructed a putative domestication history of tomato groups, focusing on the intermediate stage represented by SLC, which originated in Ecuador around 78 KYA.
New research from Washington University in St. Louis reveals that two annual plants, goosefoot and erect knotweed, can produce yields comparable to those of maize when grown together with other lost crops. The study's findings challenge the assumption that maize was adopted as a staple crop due to its high productivity.
Researchers found that key changes during rice domestication reflect selection on traits determined by a portion of the genome that does not transcribe proteins. Non-coding RNAs, suspected to play important roles in regulating growth and development, were also implicated.
A recent study on sorghum explores the complex relationship between humans, crops, and the environment during domestication. Researchers found that birds with a taste for sorghum seeds may have driven farmers to select varieties with condensed tannins, which provide a defense mechanism against bird damage.
Researchers have sequenced and assembled the red pineapple genome, revealing how natural and artificial selection shaped key traits. The study supports the hypothesis that some plants can be domesticated in a single step through clonal propagation.
Researchers found that ancient plants coevolved with megafaunal grazers to disperse their seeds, making them easy to harvest. The discovery sheds light on the early domestication of small-seeded grain crops like quinoa and amaranth.
A new study using genome re-sequencing analyzed 167 yam species and found that cultivated yam was domesticated from a forest species in the Niger River basin. This challenges previous hypotheses on African plant domestication, suggesting West Africa as a major cradle of crop domestication.
A new study published in Genome Biology identified key genomic features that may have enabled the domestication of corn and soybeans. The research found that these crops occupy a middle ground in their willingness to mutate, with higher mutation rates in modern varieties compared to their wild relatives.
Researchers at the University of Warwick found that sorghum's gene diversity has decreased over time due to agricultural practices. The crop's ancestors hold the key to its future survival and potential adaptation to climate change.
A recent study by Elic Weitzel found that humans transitioned from hunting and gathering to agriculture in response to changes in their environment, including declining food sources and shifting climates. The research analyzed animal bones and pollen data from Eastern United States sites, revealing a link between population growth and ...
A new study reveals southwestern Amazonia as a secondary improvement center for early maize, contradicting previous understanding of its history. The analysis of ancient grains' genetic heritage provides insight into human-mediated evolutionary processes that led to one of the world's most important staple crops.
Researchers found a predecessor of today's corn plants, still bearing wild ancestor features, was brought to South America from Mexico over 6,500 years ago. Farmers improved the crop in Mexico and the Amazon until it was fully domesticated, challenging previous single-origin theories.
Groundcherries, a wild fruit native to Central and South America, may be domesticated for large-scale production through genome editing. The groundcherry's drought tolerance and enticing flavor make it an appealing candidate for the next major berry crop.
A study published in PLOS ONE suggests that southwest Amazonia was a key region for early crop cultivation, with evidence of manioc, squash, and other crops dating back over 8,000 years. The findings indicate that people in the region transitioned to agriculture before 6,000 years ago, leading to landscape modification.
A new study reveals the ancient migration routes of barley cultivation across Eurasia, with distinct routes for different types of barley populations. The research uses genetic analysis of living crops to track the spread of barley, which was domesticated around 10,500 years ago in the Near East.
New research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests ancient barley took a southern route to China, adapting to seasonal challenges along the way. The study, published in PLOS One, analyzed radiocarbon data and DNA evidence from ancient grains in China, India, Kyrgyzstan, and Pakistan.
A UC-led genomic study suggests that humans gathered wild grapes for centuries before cultivating them as a crop. The research found evidence of human consumption of grapes dating back approximately 22,000 years, prior to the traditional domestication period of around 7,000-10,000 years ago.
Research reveals that humans systemically affected crop evolution up to 30,000 years ago, triggering domestication of rice, wheat, and barley. This discovery proves the existence of dense populations and challenges previous understanding of agriculture's origins.
Researchers made significant strides in transferring disease- and stress-resistance traits from wild relatives of several legumes to their domesticated varieties. This research improves the resilience of domestic legume varieties and sustains agriculture in semi-arid regions.
Researchers at Penn State have discovered that maize was sufficiently domesticated 4,300 years ago in Honduras, contrary to previous Mexico-based theories. The site's exceptional preservation and high-precision dating methods revealed larger cobs with more rows than typically found in Mexico.
Researchers used Diamond Light Source's synchrotron facility to study seed coat thinning in horsegram, a bean commonly eaten in southern India. The high-resolution X-ray computed tomography technique showed that domestication occurred between 2000 BC and 1200 BC.
A team of international researchers, including those from Kansas State University, successfully decoded the genetic code of wild emmer, a wild ancestor of wheat. This allows for comparisons with modern wheat varieties to be made, potentially leading to improvements in traits such as drought tolerance and disease resistance.
Researchers used 3-D genetic sequencing data to study the evolution of wheat from wild tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum) to domesticated wheat. They found two gene clusters that lost their function, leading to changes in spike morphology and grain development.
The study reveals genes controlling key traits in wheat domestication and identifies novel variation to improve grain quality and drought tolerance. Researchers have created a 'time tunnel' to examine wheat from its wild origins, enabling the identification of genes involved in domestication.
Researchers discovered strong evidence for a general enlargement of seeds due to domestication across seven vegetable species. Domesticated maize seeds are 15 times bigger than the wild form, while soybean seeds are seven times bigger.
Researchers have identified ancient fava beans in Northern Israel, dating back 14,000 years, to understand the evolution of the crop and improve its biodiversity. The findings provide crucial clues about the time and place where wild faba plants grew naturally.
A recent study has discovered the ancestry of Asian rice and its weedy cousins, revealing that rice has a natural tendency towards becoming weeds. The research found that both strains evolved from different crop varieties, with relatively few changes needed to turn the crop plant into a weed.
Researchers propose using CRISPR technology to domesticate sustainable and nutritious crops like wild legumes, quinoa, and amaranth. This approach aims to create 'biologically inspired organisms' by deleting existing genes instead of introducing new ones.
Researchers discovered evidence of cereal domestication at Tell Qarassa North archaeological site, revealing advanced farming communities and varying domestication rates across regions. The study provides crucial insights into the origins of agriculture and its impact on human societies.
Researchers uncover regional diversity in plant species exploited during Pre-Pottery Neolithic A, challenging previous assumptions about the importance of cereals. The study suggests that legumes played a crucial role in eastern Fertile Crescent regions and contributed to chronological dissimilarities in cereal domestication.
Researchers found evidence of domesticated rice in South Asia up to 430 years earlier than previously believed. The study reveals a network of regional farmers supplied produce to ancient cities, using complex multi-cropping strategies across both seasons.
Researchers sequenced the genome of a 5,310-year-old corn cob and found it was genetically more similar to modern maize than its wild ancestor. The study provides insights into the early stages of maize domestication and its dispersal across the Americas.
A 5,310-year-old maize cob genome provides new insights into the early stages of maize domestication, showing key genes affected by human selection. The ancient sample is genetically intermediate between teosinte and modern maize.
Scholars studied archaeological and paleoenvironmental records to understand the intensification of agriculture in northern China, revealing a significant impact on fire frequency and natural environments. The findings suggest that millet cultivation played a crucial role in the emergence of ancient Chinese civilization.
A new study reveals that leaf-cutter ants have not fully domesticated their fungal symbionts, despite having a mutually beneficial relationship. The ants adjust the nutrient content of their mulch to minimize mushroom production, but this strategy has constraints on productivity.
An international research team identified a signal peptide required for awn elongation in wild rice and found its dysfunction in cultivated Asian rice. The study suggests human selection pressure led to the loss of this peptide's function, resulting in awnlessness.
Researchers analyzed carbon-dated artifacts at archaeological sites to conclude that a population boom and scarce food led to early farming in eastern North America around 5,000 years ago. This transition enabled large numbers of people to live in one place, ultimately setting the stage for civilization.
A team of researchers has successfully sequenced the genome of 6,000-year-old Chalcolithic barley grains, revealing genetic similarities with present-day barley grown in the Southern Levant. The study provides new insights into the origins of barley domestication and suggests that it occurred in the Upper Jordan Valley.
Scientists found 25 million-year-old fossil termite nests in East Africa with evidence of fungus gardens, a form of agriculture not by humans but by insects. This discovery provides the oldest known examples of agricultural practices and sheds light on how termites evolved to cultivate fungi.
Researchers discovered evidence of the world's oldest known fungus gardens within fossil termite nests from the Great Rift Valley of Africa, dating back approximately 25 million years. This finding pushes back the beginning of the termite-fungus symbiotic relationship to at least 31 million years ago.
Scientists studied wheat evolution from wild to emmer and durum wheat, finding initial domestication reduced unsaturated fatty acids. Secondary domestication changed amino acid content, suggesting yield-related traits may have prioritized adaptation over nutrition.
Research reveals that domesticated grains were adopted late and sporadically in North Africa, with communities instead integrating them into their existing nomadic lifestyle. This challenges the conventional narrative of a gradual transition to settled agriculture.
New research shows ancient millet played a key role in the development of multi-crop agriculture, leading to the rise of settled societies. Millet was carried across Eurasia by shepherds and herders, who combined it with other crops to create 'multi-cropping' systems.
A team of scientists has discovered a gene called SWEET4 that plays a crucial role in increasing seed size and yield by importing sugars into seeds. This breakthrough discovery could lead to the development of new crop varieties with improved nutritional value and resistance to pathogens.
Researchers from Bar-Ilan University and Harvard University reconstructed ancient stone tools to produce groat meals and fine flour from wild barley. They found that the technology advanced the establishment of agricultural societies and contributed to the development of bread.
Scientists studied wild grasses in the Fertile Crescent to identify traits suitable for agriculture. They found that wild relatives of current crop plants have bigger seeds and less bushy stems, making them ideal for farming. This research could help shape the future of food production by understanding the past.
A study published in PLOS ONE suggests that domesticated peaches can be traced back to the lower Yangtze River Valley in Southern China around 7,500 years ago. The researchers analyzed ancient peach stones and found significant growth in size over time, indicating intentional breeding and selection.
Researchers found that crop domestication took much longer than expected, with cultural and historical factors playing a key role. Domesticated crops like corn showed traits such as seed resistance and shortened flowering times, but their adaptation was slower than genetic changes.
An international team of researchers, led by a plant scientist at the University of California, Davis, reports that the domesticated chili pepper originated in central-east Mexico. The region, extending from southern Puebla and northern Oaxaca to southeastern Veracruz, was previously thought to be less suitable for the crop's origins.
A recent genetic study suggests that insensitive genes, rather than complex interactions, may be responsible for the slow pace of plant domestication. This finding could help explain the lag in the archeological record and provide insights into the early stages of domestication.
Researchers found charred grains of barley, millet, and wheat in Kazakhstan campsites dating back nearly 5,000 years. This discovery pushes back the known East-West interaction along the Silk Road by 2,000 years, indicating nomadic pastoralists played a key role in spreading domesticated crops throughout Central Eurasia.
Researchers simulated conditions 10,000 years ago to discover teosinte, a wild grass believed to be corn's ancestor, exhibited characteristics similar to corn under past conditions. This finding suggests early farmers may have played less of a role in selecting for desirable traits than previously thought.
The presentation highlights the importance of cataloging and conserving crop wild relatives worldwide. Researchers have identified critical taxa in need of protection and conducted inventories of CWRs in the US, revealing nearly 4,600 species, including endangered relatives of sunflower, bean, and sweet potato.
A new research assesses conservation gaps of crop wild relatives, finding that 54% are high-priority for collection to improve yields and resilience. The study highlights the importance of collecting wild plants in countries like Australia, Bolivia, China, and Italy.
Evolutionary biologist Kenneth Olsen has examined the genetics of hull color in rice, finding that different mutations underlie the emergence of traits in both cultivated and weedy forms. The findings suggest that crops reverted to wild forms by reversing genetic changes, but with a more complex history than initially thought.
A new US inventory of crop wild relatives has identified nearly 4,600 species, including close relatives of sunflower, bean, sweet potato, and strawberry. The findings highlight the need for conservation efforts to protect these species from habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
Researchers found that ancient farmers had a stronger impact on maize evolution than modern breeders. The study analyzed genomic variation in maize, providing critical insights for increasing corn yield to meet growing global demand.