Ancient people relied on genetic variation already present in wild plants to domesticate crops like rice and corn
New genomic tools let scientists dig into the family trees of crops like rice, corn and adzuki beans to learn more about how they transitioned from wild plants to domesticated crops.
Ancient humans relied on the genetic variation already present in wild plants to domesticate crops like rice and corn. Oryza rufipogon, a wild grass found in parts of China, India, and Southeast Asia, was cultivated by people living in the Lower Yangtze Valley over 8,000 years ago. Initially, people selected plants that had traits making it easier to harvest their seeds, inadvertently shaping the cultivated grasses over time.
This genetic modification through selective breeding resulted in Oryza sativa subspecies japonica, or domesticated Asian rice. This process of domestication occurred independently around the world, leading to the establishment of large, stationary populations and supporting the emergence of modern societies. Crop domestication is considered one of the most pivotal technological advances in human history.
Evolutionary biologists use genomics to study the rapid adaptation of domesticated crops, with known domestication-linked mutations providing insight into the timeline and tempo of domestication and geographic spread of rice.
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