Archaeologica.org

A generation or two, in historical terms, is rapid. But agriculture took a while to spread around the world.

Meanwhile, the idea of ancient domestication of maize is hardly new. This study from U-Cal. is from 2005 and since then the date has been steadily pushed back,


http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?c ... &from=news

Researchers have identified corn genes that were preferentially selected by Native Americans during the course of the plant's domestication from its grassy relative, teosinte, (pronounced "tA-O-'sin-tE") to the single-stalked, large-eared plant we know today. The study revealed that of the 59,000 total genes in the corn genome, approximately 1,200 were preferentially targeted for selection during its domestication.

The study, by University of California, Irvine's Brandon Gaut and his colleagues, appears in the May 27 issue of the journal, Science.

Understandably, a primary goal of teosinte domestication was to improve the ear and its kernels. A teosinte ear is only 2 to 3 inches long with five to 12 kernels--compare that to corn's 12-inch ear that boasts 500 or more kernels!

The first fences were almost certainly built to stop the depredations of wild animals on crops.

Sam Salmon wrote:The first fences were almost certainly built to stop the depredations of wild animals on crops.

Good point. I wonder when and where the first fences show up in the new world.

Sam Salmon wrote:The first fences were almost certainly built to stop the depredations of wild animals on crops.

I would modify that to "the first fences were almost certainly built to stop the depredations of wild animals on crops and to mark claims to wannabe appropriators, a.k.a. thieves, of the human kind". After all, fences are connected markers. Markers akin to dogs' and cats' scent markers marking territory. Agriculture made man territorial!

I bet the very first writing was "NO TRESPASSING", or more coloquially: "FUCK OFF"...

Researchers have identified corn genes that were preferentially selected by Native Americans

That is different altogether Min.

Roy.

Rokcet Scientist wrote:

Sam Salmon wrote:The first fences were almost certainly built to stop the depredations of wild animals on crops.

I bet the very first writing was "NO TRESPASSING", or more coloquially: "FUCK OFF"...

Surely a picture of a skull with an arrow through it .

George

Digit wrote:

Researchers have identified corn genes that were preferentially selected by Native Americans

That is different altogether Min.

Roy.

Why?

I think he's just trying to point out the difference between purposely cross pollinating plants with favorable traits and simply selecting the biggest, most productive plants to use seed from next year.

I don't know what else they could have done, though. I am not willing to postulate a bunch of guys walking around in neolithic white coats and working in a lab.

BTW, I'm off to Las Vegas for a few days. I'll check in later.

As Johnny says Min.
Let's try a logical thought process.
Your people have been gathering this grain for generations and have noticed that one strain is visibly different from the rest. It has to a visible diffrence.
The different strain is either a) tastier, b) easier to harvest, c ) has larger seeds etc. So you selectively harvest that strain
The differance has to be genetic to breed true, the strain could be wide spread or strictly local.
If wide spread it should still be around. If local, selective harvesting could have wiped it out, alternatively if it became rarer because of harvesting people may have elected to sow it, you're now on the way to farming.
Taking the original report that genetic change has to be repeated several times before we are any where near the present plant.
Pros and cons.
If we are dealing with repeated changes towards the present crop, that would be extremely unlikely, some plants are more prone to changes/hybridization than others, but to accept the published report we have to believe that this list of fortunate events as now ceased!
If these changes occurred in the wild crop they should still be present, are they?
If they occurred only in the new strain that would take a lot of explaining.
The alternative is that the change took place in one step, as the genetic change is reported as being only a few genes this would seem reasonable and would explain the, wait for it Min, 'missing links!'
That also fits the 'punctuated equilibrium' process.

Roy.

Minimalist wrote:I don't know what else they could have done, though. I am not willing to postulate a bunch of guys walking around in neolithic white coats and working in a lab.

BTW, I'm off to Las Vegas for a few days. I'll check in later.

Hah! That's a great mental image and exactly why I think domestication of maize had to have been a majority result of the 2nd option. From experience, the purposeful cross pollination of plants isn't all that hard but it's certainly way more effort than just using seed from the best plants in my garden. Besides, to purposely cross pollinate, one kind of has to understand that the yellow powdery stuff is what allows seeds to form. That knowledge probably took many generations and some accidental x-pollination to acquire.

I suppose cloning would be another option. But it seems as unbelievable as purposeful x-pollination due to the difficulty and established sedentation required for success.

Enjoy Vegas and drive/fly safe! If you see Tom Jones...tell him I want my money.

Minimalist wrote:......BTW, I'm off to Las Vegas for a few days. I'll check in later.

Is Lewis Black in town????

Yes, ma'am. At the Mirage Saturday night.

Friday we are going to see Defending the Caveman.

Johnny wrote:

Minimalist wrote:But it seems as unbelievable as purposeful x-pollination due to the difficulty and established sedentation required for success.

Or it could be the result of some caveman's Eureka moment when he was observing bees, which led to beekeeping. First to harvest honey, and then they discovered that beehives' proximity to the newly selected, sown, and growing crops was beneficial to both.
Beekeeping was one of the oldest kinds of agriculture.

And min: enjoy the strip!
(The main Vegas boulevard/avenue of course...! )