Ethnobotanical Studies on Origin and Dispersal of Domesticated Plants and Weeds of Genus Panicum, Gramineae

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(1) Domesticated and weedy species of Panicum, Gramineae, P. miliaceum L., P. smatrense Roth., P. miliaceum ssp. ruderale (Kitag.) Tzvelev and P. bisulcatum Thunberg were used in the present study in order to illuminate the origin and dispersal of proso millet in Eurasia.(2) Strains collected from India through the Central Asian Plain show ancestral and primitive characteristics based on morphological and ecological comparison. The two possible introduction routes via Siberia and the south foot of the Himalayas were suggested concerning the dispersal of proso millet into Japan.(3) Cross experiments have been conducted between 6 tester strains (China, Japan, Central Asia, India, France and P. miliaceum ssp. ruderale) and 70 strains of proso millet collected throughout Eurasia. The results support the suggestion of dispersal routes as mentioned above.(4) Strains with a waxy endosperm were distributed only throughout East Asia. The component of fatty acids was clearly different between waxy and non-waxy strains. The young gluma of most strains in East and Central Asia gave a negative reaction (non-stained) to phenol solution. The zymogram variation of esterase isozyme in the seed was widely diverse through Eurasia, but it was similar among the strains collected from East Asia through Nepal.(5) Through the effects of the parboil method, the dehusk efficiency in rice and foxtail millet was raised. Also the content of some free amino acids in the endosperm of rice and proso millet clearly increased.(6) The database of genus Panicum in preparation will be used for statistical analyses.