crop domestication Flashcards
What is crop domestication?
The process of selecting plants with desirable traits for cultivation
Which of the following traits was commonly selected for during early domestication?
Shatter resistance
What is the wild ancestor of domesticated maize?
Teosinte
What were the founder crops in the Fertile Crescent?
Emmer wheat, Einkorn wheat and Chickpea
What is the primary purpose of artificial selection in agriculture?
To enhance traits that are beneficial to human use
What is the term used to describe traits that were modified during domestication?
Domestication syndrome
Which trait in wheat was selected for ease of harvesting?
Non-brittle rachis
What is a major metabolic change that occurred in domesticated cereal crops?
Higher harvest index
Which plant species was domesticated into multiple morphologies including cabbage, kale, and broccoli?
Brassica oleracea
What factor is essential for selection to be effective?
High reproductive capacity
Which of the following is a key trait of domesticated seed crops?
on-shattering seeds
What was a key factor in the domestication of potatoes?
Reduction in glycoalkaloids
Why did early Irish farmers succeed in cultivating potatoes?
Potatoes matured before frost in Ireland
What was one major consequence of plant domestication?
Increased dependence on humans for survival
How do domesticated wheat plants differ from their wild ancestors?
They have a non-brittle rachis
What was the primary advantage of selecting for non-shattering grains?
Easier harvest
What is the primary measurement of plant breeding success in cereal crops?
Harvest index
Which of the following domesticated crops originated in the Americas?
Maize
What is the role of AP1/CAL1 transcription factors in Brassica oleracea?
Development of inflorescence meristems
What effect has domestication had on plant defense mechanisms?
Reduction in chemical defenses
