Early Agriculture Outline of topics: I. Hunter-gathering II. Invention of agriculture - when, where, what, how, and why? III. Crop domestication IV. Important crops of the world PLS 386 Lecture 1August 26, 2005

Hunter-gatherers used food sources that they found (60-80% plant-based) Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 2

Hunter-gatherers used food sources that they found (60-80% plant-based) Wild rice, millets, oats, other grasses, root crops, nuts, wild fruits Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 2

Hunter-gatherers used food sources that they found (60-80% plant-based) Wild rice, millets, oats, other grasses, root crops, nuts, wild fruits Oils came mostly from animal sources, but also from some plants (coconut, oil palm, shea butter, olive oil) Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 2

Hunter-gatherers used food sources that they found (60-80% plant-based) Wild rice, millets, oats, other grasses, root crops, nuts, wild fruits Oils came mostly from animal sources, but also from some plants (coconut, oil palm, shea butter, olive oil) How did our ancestors avoid toxic plants? Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 2

Hunter-gatherers used food sources that they found (60-80% plant-based) Wild rice, millets, oats, other grasses, root crops, nuts, wild fruits Oils came mostly from animal sources, but also from some plants (coconut, oil palm, shea butter, olive oil) How did our ancestors avoid toxic plants? Some remnants of this lifestyle exist today Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 2

How was agriculture invented? Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 3

How was agriculture invented? Divine gift from the gods? Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 3

How was agriculture invented? Divine gift from the gods? Propinquity theory (domestication by crowding) Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 3

How was agriculture invented? Divine gift from the gods? Propinquity theory (domestication by crowding) Invention and discovery Garbage dumps Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 3

How was agriculture invented? Divine gift from the gods? Propinquity theory (domestication by crowding) Invention and discovery Garbage dumps Fishing link (Carl Sauer) Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 3

How was agriculture invented? Divine gift from the gods? Propinquity theory (domestication by crowding) Invention and discovery Garbage dumps Fishing link (Carl Sauer) When? About 10,000 years ago - after the Ice Age Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 3

How was agriculture invented? Divine gift from the gods? Propinquity theory (domestication by crowding) Invention and discovery Garbage dumps Fishing link (Carl Sauer) When? About 10,000 years ago - after the Ice Age Agriculture spread to or was invented on several continents within a short period Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 3

Where and when? Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 4

Where and when? Mesopotamia 8,000-9,000 B.C. Wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, oats, dates, grapes, olives, almonds, figs, pomegranates Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 4

Where and when? Mesopotamia 8,000-9,000 B.C. Wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, oats, dates, grapes, olives, almonds, figs, pomegranates Central Africa 4,000 B.C. Coffee, sorghum, millet, cowpeas, yams, oil palm Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 4

Where and when? Mesopotamia 8,000-9,000 B.C. Wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, oats, dates, grapes, olives, almonds, figs, pomegranates Central Africa 4,000 B.C. Coffee, sorghum, millet, cowpeas, yams, oil palm China 4,000 B.C. Millet, hazelnuts, peaches, apricots, soybeans rice, mulberries, chestnuts Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 4

When and where, con’t. Southeast Asia / Indonesia 6,000 B.C. Rice, sugarcane, coconut, banana, mango, citrus, yams, taro Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 5

When and where, con’t. Southeast Asia / Indonesia 6,000 B.C. Rice, sugarcane, coconut, banana, mango, citrus, yams, taro New World (Mex. / Cen. Am.) 5,000-7,000 B.C. Corn, sweet potato, tomato, cotton, pumpkin, peppers, squash, beans, papaya, avocado, pineapple Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 5

When and where, con’t. Southeast Asia / Indonesia 6,000 B.C. Rice, sugarcane, coconut, banana, mango, citrus, yams, taro New World (Mex. / Cen. Am.) 5,000-7,000 B.C. Corn, sweet potato, tomato, cotton, pumpkin, peppers, squash, beans, papaya, avocado, pineapple South America 6,000 B.C. and earlier Potato, peanut, cacao, pineapple, cashew, Brazil nut, tobacco, guava, manioc, yam Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 5

Few crops originate in the USA Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 6

Few crops originate in the USA American Indians grew crops from Mesoamerica. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 6

Few crops originate in the USA American Indians grew crops from Mesoamerica. Native American crops: grapes, plums, pecans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, hazelnuts, black walnuts, persimmons, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, sunflower, hops, Jersusalem artichokes Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 6

How did agriculture begin? Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 7

How did agriculture begin? -Earliest evidence is for vegetatively propagated plants such as grape, fig, olive, mulberry, pomegranate, and quince Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 7

How did agriculture begin? -Earliest evidence is for vegetatively propagated plants such as grape, fig, olive, mulberry, pomegranate, and quince ‘Best’ plants could be identified and multiplied Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 7

How did agriculture begin? -Earliest evidence is for vegetatively propagated plants such as grape, fig, olive, mulberry, pomegranate, and quince ‘Best’ plants could be identified and multiplied Other vegetative crops: sugarcane, pineapple, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, dates Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 7

How did agriculture begin? Seed propagation Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 8

How did agriculture begin? Seed propagation Keeping seed for planting the next crop could result in selection for higher yielding plants Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 8

How did agriculture begin? Seed propagation Keeping seed for planting the next crop could result in selection for higher yielding plants Non-shattering types of plants would be favored Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 8

How did agriculture begin? Seed propagation Keeping seed for planting the next crop could result in selection for higher yielding plants Non-shattering types of plants would be favored Close planting selects for vigorous plants Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 8

How did agriculture begin? Seed propagation Keeping seed for planting the next crop could result in selection for higher yielding plants Non-shattering types of plants would be favored Close planting selects for vigorous plants Larger seeds often produce more vigorous seedlings Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 8

How did agriculture begin? Seed propagation Keeping seed for planting the next crop could result in selection for higher yielding plants Non-shattering types of plants would be favored Close planting selects for vigorous plants Larger seeds often produce more vigorous seedlings Truly domesticated plants can’t survive without humans to grow them. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 8

Results of the invention of agriculture Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 9

Results of the invention of agriculture -Better health, longer lifespan, an easier life all resulted from the shift to an agricultural lifestyle. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 9

Results of the invention of agriculture -Better health, longer lifespan, an easier life all resulted from the shift to an agricultural lifestyle. More cultural developments were possible, because some people could specialize in skills other than getting food. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 9

Results of the invention of agriculture -Better health, longer lifespan, an easier life all resulted from the shift to an agricultural lifestyle. More cultural developments were possible, because some people could specialize in skills other than getting food. For perspective, our ancestors were hunter-gatherers for ~30,000 years. We have been ‘farming’ for roughly 10,000 years, or 400 generations. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 9

Crop consequences of domestication: Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 10

Crop consequences of domestication: More ‘yield’ of desirable part Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 10

Crop consequences of domestication: More ‘yield’ of desirable part. Non-shattering - seed are easier to harvest. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 10

Crop consequences of domestication: More ‘yield’ of desirable part. Non-shattering - seed are easier to harvest. Big seeds - domesticated bean seed are 5-8 times as large as their wild relatives. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 10

Crop consequences of domestication: More ‘yield’ of desirable part. Non-shattering - seed are easier to harvest. Big seeds - domesticated bean seed are 5-8 times as large as their wild relatives. Improved quality - remove or lower toxic substances. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 10

Crop consequences of domestication: More ‘yield’ of desirable part. Non-shattering - seed are easier to harvest. Big seeds - domesticated bean seed are 5-8 times as large as their wild relatives. Improved quality - remove or lower toxic substances. Increased protein, oil, sugar concentration, which means improved flavor, storage ability. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 10

Geography of crop domestication Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 11

Geography of crop domestication Vavilov’s eight centers of origin where crops were first tamed. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 11

Geography of crop domestication Vavilov’s eight centers of origin where crops were first tamed. Turns out that centers of diversity do not coincide with Vavilov’s centers of origin. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 11

Geography of crop domestication Vavilov’s eight centers of origin where crops were first tamed. Turns out that centers of diversity do not coincide with Vavilov’s centers of origin. Areas with lots of wild relatives and primitive versions of modern crops can be invaluable sources of genes for plant breeders and geneticists. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 11

Thirty Major Food Crops of the World (Table 1-2) 1. Wheat11. Sorghum21. Apples 2. Rice12. Sugarcane22. Yam 3. Corn13. Millets23. Peanut 4. Potato14. Banana24. Watermelon 5. Barley15. Tomato25. Cabbage 6. Sweet potato16. Sugar beet26. Onion 7. Cassava17. Rye27. Beans 8. Grapes18. Oranges28. Peas 9. Soybeans19. Coconut29. Sunflower 10. Oats20. Cottonseed oil30. Mango Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 12

Types of crops: Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 13

Types of crops: Grain crops - wheat, rice, corn, sorghum, barley, oats. Early Agriculture PS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 13

Types of crops: Grain crops - wheat, rice, corn, sorghum, barley, oats. Oil crops - olive, linseed, sesame, sunflower, soybean, coconut, palm, corn, peanut, canola. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 13

Types of crops: Grain crops - wheat, rice, corn, sorghum, barley, oats. Oil crops - olive, linseed, sesame, sunflower, soybean, coconut, palm, corn, peanut, canola. Fiber crops - cotton, flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, sisal. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 13

Types of crops: Grain crops - wheat, rice, corn, sorghum, barley, oats. Oil crops - olive, linseed, sesame, sunflower, soybean, coconut, palm, corn, peanut, canola. Fiber crops - cotton, flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, sisal. Forage crops - alfalfa, clovers, other legumes, many grasses, including tall fescue. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 13

Types of crops: Grain crops - wheat, rice, corn, sorghum, barley, oats. Oil crops - olive, linseed, sesame, sunflower, soybean, coconut, palm, corn, peanut, canola. Fiber crops - cotton, flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, sisal. Forage crops - alfalfa, clovers, other legumes, many grasses, including tall fescue. Spice / drug crops - tobacco, black pepper, cinnamon. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 13

Types of crops: Grain crops - wheat, rice, corn, sorghum, barley, oats. Oil crops - olive, linseed, sesame, sunflower, soybean, coconut, palm, corn, peanut, canola. Fiber crops - cotton, flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, sisal. Forage crops - alfalfa, clovers, other legumes, many grasses, including tall fescue. Spice / drug crops - tobacco, black pepper, cinnamon. Fruit crops, vegetable crops, ornamentals, forest trees, etc. Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, pg. 13

Next time: Plant Diseases Early Agriculture PLS 386 Aug. 26, 2005, p. 14