Ancient Chinese Literature Reveals Pathways of Eggplant Domestication
Ancient Chinese Literature Reveals Pathways of Eggplant Domestication
复制标题
中国古代文献揭示了茄子驯化的途径
DOI：
10.1093/aob/mcn179
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发表时间：
2008-12-01
期刊：
影响因子：
4.2
通讯作者：
Knapp, Sandra
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Wang, Jin-Xiu;Gao, Tian-Gang;Knapp, Sandra
在植物驯化过程中发生的关键性状变化一直是争论的主题。只有在基因分析的情况下或在大量的植物遗骸中，才能记录特定的变化集。植物驯化过程的历史细节是罕见的，其他形态变化的证据很难获得，特别是那些缺乏大量考古数据的蔬菜。在已建立的古文明中，如中国的古代文献中记载的植物记录，是研究和了解植物驯化过程的宝贵资源。在这里，大量的中国古代文献被用来探索茄子（Solanum melongena）的驯化过程，茄子是旧大陆的一种重要蔬菜。通过多种方法检索了中国古代文献中关于茄子驯化的信息。然后对所获得的信息进行分类、检验和分类鉴定。人们发现，中国古代文献中关于茄子的最早记录是在公元前59年的一部作品中。据目前所知，这是茄子栽培最早、可靠、准确的记录。分析表明，茄子在中国的驯化过程涉及果实品质的三个主要方面：大小、形状和味道。这些性状是主动、渐进地选择出来的；水果的大小从小变大，味道从不好吃变成了当时被称为甜的，随着时间的推移，越来越多的水果形状被培育出来。结果表明，除了考古学和遗传学数据外，植物驯化过程中发生的关键性状变化以及导致这些变化的选择性力量的证据可以通过一些文明的古代文献找到。
Changes in key traits occurring during the processes of plant domestication have long been subjects of debate. Only in the case of genetic analysis or with extensive plant remains can specific sets of changes be documented. Historical details of the plant domestication processes are rare and other evidence of morphological change can be difficult to obtain, especially for those vegetables that lack a substantial body of archaeological data. Botanical records chronicled in the ancient literature of established ancient civilizations, such as that of China, are invaluable resources for the study and understanding of the process of plant domestication. Here, the considerable body of ancient Chinese literature is used to explore the domestication process that has occurred with the eggplant (Solanum melongena), an important vegetable in Old World.Information about eggplant domestication in the ancient Chinese literature was retrieved using a variety of methods. The information obtained was then sorted by taxon, examined and taxonomic identifications verified.It was found that the earliest record of the eggplant documented in ancient Chinese literature was in a work from 59 bc. As far as is known, this is the earliest reliable and accurately dated record of eggplant in cultivation. The analysis reveals that the process of domestication of the eggplant in China involved three principal aspects of fruit quality: size, shape and taste. These traits were actively and gradually selected; fruit size changed from small to large, taste changed from not palatable to what was termed at the time sweetish, and that over time, a wider variety of fruit shapes was cultivated.The results indicate that, in addition to data gleaned from archaeology and genetics, evidence as to changes in key traits occurring during the process of plant domestication and selective forces responsible for these changes can be traced through the ancient literature in some civilizations.