Review Article

Plant Domestication and Resistance to Herbivory

Table 1

Some centers of origin of crop domestication and the trait under selection.

CropArea of originTraits influenced under domesticationSource

Cereals
 RiceChinaReduction in grain shattering and seed dormancy; synchronization of seed maturation; reduction in tiller number; increase in tiller erectness; increase in panicle branches; Number of spikelets per panicle; reduction in hull and pericarp coloration and awn length[10, 22, 23]
 BarleyFertile crescent, and
Israel-Jordan area
Reduction in grain shattering; separation of seeds from hulls[9]
 WheatSouthwest Asia (fertile crescent)
Reduction in shattering of grains (nonbrittle rachis); free-threshing trait[2729]
 MaizeMesoamericaIncreased apical dominance; production of seeds in relatively large numbers[7, 8]

Brassicas
 CabbageLarge number of leaves surrounding the terminal bud[30]
 CauliflowerFormation of inflorescence meristems[31]

Legumes
 LentilMesoamericaSeed dormancy[32]
 VignaSoutheast AsiaIncrease in seed and pod size,
nontwining growth habit, loss of seed dormancy, and seed dispersal ability
[24]
 PeaSouthwest Asia (fertile crescent)Indehiscent pods; lack of dormancy
dwarfness; less basal branches; large seeds; good seed quality
day neutral flowering
[33]

Fibers
 CottonMexico and PeruFiber length and quality[16, 25]

Vegetables
 TomatoMesoamericaFruits’ size, shape, and structure[4, 26]
 PotatoAndes and AmazoniaShorter stolons, larger tubers, (often) colored and variously shaped tubers, and reduction of bitter tuber glycoalkaloids[34]
 SquashMesoamericaincreased seed length and peduncle diameter,
change in fruit shape and color
[35]