| Autor: |
Andel, Tinde Van, Veltman, Margaretha, Bertin, Alice, Maat, Harro, Polime, Thomas, Lambers, Derk Hille Ris, Awie, Jerry Tjoe, Boer, Hugo De, Manzanilla, Vincent |
| Jazyk: |
angličtina |
| Předmět: |
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| Popis: |
Landraces of Asian (Oryza sativa) and African (Oryza glaberrima) rice have been well studied on the continents where they were domesticated. However, their history of cultivation in northern South America is shrouded in mystery. Here we reveal the rice diversity that is maintained by Maroons, descendants of enslaved Africans who fled to the interior forests of the Guianas several centuries ago. We interviewed 24 subsistence farmers who practice shifting cultivation along the Maroni river that forms the natural border between French Guiana and Suriname. By using an interdisciplinary approach that combines ethnobotanical, morphological and population genomics methods, we identified a unique and distinct genetic rice diversity from the studied cultivars. We used 353 single copy nuclear genes from the PAFTOL project in order to analyses the origins, evolution and diversity of the different populations of Maroon rice. From the 41 samples we found 12 local varieties that were previously undescribed by to the scientific community. Seed exchange among members of the same ethnolinguistic group conserves the genetic diversity of these landraces. The observed high phenotypic diversity is the result of a gene flow rather than isolation. Although ‘modern’ US cultivars varieties were introduced in Maroon villages in the 1940s, these have not displaced the traditional landraces, which are cherished for their taste and nutritious qualities and provide a link to their ancestors and spiritual life. The unique agricultural and ritual practices of Maroons confirm their role as custodians of rice diversity, a role that is currently under threat from external pressures and encroaching globalisation. We expect that the diversity uncovered in this study represents only a fraction of the total diversity in the Guianas and may constitute a large untapped resource that holds promise for future rice improvement. Further efforts to inventory and preserve these landraces will help to protect a precious cultural heritage and enhance global food security. |
| Databáze: |
OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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