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UPGMA cladogram of sub-groups identified at an arbitrary Euclidian distance of 2 (dotted line) with indication of the discrimination rate (%) calculated by LDA and typical archaeological sample 3D module of each class. Dja = Djarkutan; Spa = Sapalli; Purple line = Class 1; Green line = Class 2; Red line = Class 3; and Blue line = Class 4.
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The region of Transoxiana underwent an early agricultural-demographic transition leading to the earliest proto-urban centers in Central Asia. The agronomic details of this cultural shift are still poorly studied, especially regarding the role that long-generation perennials, such as grapes, played in the cultivation system. In this paper, we presen...
Citations
... The highest values occur in Italy and the Caucasus, while the lowest values were recorded in India, Denmark and Central Asia, despite the more recent age of the deposits. It should be noted here that Class 1 and Class 2 seeds from Late Bronze Sapalli levels (Chen et al. 2022) show clearly domesticated traits, although we have not been able to include them in the present study. Other seeds show clearly wild traits and it is even possible that they are, in Class 4, endemic Asiatic species of Vitis. ...
Characterizing plant genetic resources and understanding the domestication process are key challenges in horticulture. This study focuses on the common grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), employing molecular, ampelographic, and morphometric techniques to explore its domestication syndrome. We propose a combined domestication index for grape seeds, integrating six commonly used indices. Logistic regression and randomForest machine learning methods were employed to assess the probability of seed domestication. Analysis involved 4029 seeds from 783 samples, spanning live plants (cultivated, wild, feral), archaeological samples, and fossils. Results indicate a distinct domestication syndrome in grapevine seeds, notably characterized by a long stalk (> 1 mm), with combined index values ranging from 0.83 to 1 and domestication probabilities of 0.75 to 1. This syndrome is prevalent in modern cultivars but absent in wild grapevines, aiding in the differentiation of archaeological materials. While not exclusive to Vitis vinifera, the domestication syndrome is characteristic of it, distinguishing it from wild Vitis sylvestris and suggesting isolated domestication events in a few American and Asian Vitis species. Fossil and archaeological materials exhibit low domestication values, hinting at the beginnings of domestication. However, dating reliability remains a challenge.
... Morphometric methods have been extensively utilized in the analysis of cereals, legumes, and fruits to examine population variations, and their validity has been widely confirmed 59,60 . Jujube and sour jujube kernels present distinct morphological differences, which can be accurately assessed through simple morphometric measurements. ...
This transition from gathering to cultivation is a significant aspect of studying early agricultural practices. Fruit trees are an essential component of food resources and have played a vital role in both ancient and modern agricultural production systems. The jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), with its long history of cultivation in northern China, holds great importance in uncovering the diet of prehistoric humans and understanding the origins of Chinese agricultural civilization. This paper focuses on the domestication of jujube by analyzing the morphology of jujube stones found in three Neolithic sites in northern China's Qi River basin, Zhujia, Wangzhuang, and Dalaidian. The measurements of these jujube kernels are compared with those found in other areas of northern China, as well as modern jujube kernels that were collected. The measurements revealed that the length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio of sour jujube kernels ranged from 1.36 to 1.78, whereas the L/D ratio of cultivated jujube stones varied between 1.96 and 4.23. Furthermore, jujube stones obtained from Zhujia and Wangzhuang sites exhibit pointed ends and possess an elongated oval or narrow oval shape overall, which is indicative of clearly artificial domestication traits. Therefore, this study suggests that jujube was selected and cultivated as an important food supplement in the Qi River basin no later than around 6200 BP.
