Origins and insights into the historic Judean date palm based on genetic analysis of germinated ancient seeds and morphometric studies.

ABSTRACT: Germination of 2000-year-old seeds of Phoenix dactylifera from Judean desert archaeological sites provides a unique opportunity to study the Judean date palm, described in antiquity for the quality, size, and medicinal properties of its fruit, but lost for centuries. Microsatellite genotyping of germinated seeds indicates that exchanges of genetic material occurred between the Middle East (eastern) and North Africa (western) date palm gene pools, with older seeds exhibiting a more eastern nuclear genome on a gradient from east to west of genetic contributions. Ancient seeds were significantly longer and wider than modern varieties, supporting historical records of the large size of the Judean date. These findings, in accord with the region's location between east and west date palm gene po

SUBMITTER: Sallon S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7002127 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature