Center of origin

As Gene Center, also manifold center, Allelzentrum or center of origin areas are designated by a particularly large genetic diversity of a particular genus or species.

They are available as a geographical region, has in a group of organisms, either domesticated or free - living developed their different properties defined.

Often, these centers have been established in regions with very different environmental conditions, making a one-sided selection was prevented.

Even today, most still characterized by a very high diversity centers of origin.

Plant

The centers of origin of agricultural crops are very important for plant breeding. Thus, genes of the wild relatives ( crop wild relatives ) can be used but also similar crops to improve the variety characteristics. (eg: breeding for resistance against certain diseases )

However, the discussion of the origin of our plants is also important to counteract the radical reduction of biodiversity and the loss of high genetic potential, due inter alia to a reduction in the natural habitat ( deforestation, urbanization, ...).

In addition to the protection of natural habitats, genetic diversity but also secured in large seed banks.

Center of the manifold by Vavilov

The Russian botanist Nikolai Vavilov discovered on his numerous expeditions that in certain geographic regions, an extraordinary diversity of wild varieties are locate our crops. These regions he described as gene centers.

These centers of diversity were defined as starting centers for the domestication of our crops.

Vavilov developed the theory that the domestication not randomly distributed over the world, but began in very specific regions.

To date, can be found in wild relatives of cultivated varieties in these regions particularly high biodiversity.

World centers of origin of cultivated plants

  • Cereals and vegetables: corn, bean, lima bean, Teparybohne, jack bean, amaranth
  • Cucurbitaceae: fig leaf gourd, chayote
  • Fiber plants: various species of cotton, henequen ( Faseragave ), sisal agave
  • Other: sweet potato, arrowroot, peppers, papaya, guava, cashew, cherry tomato, cocoa

2) Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia:

  • Root and tuber crops: Andean potato, various potato varieties.
  • Cereals and vegetables: corn starch, lima bean, kidney bean
  • Root and tuber crops: Potato
  • Vegetables: Pepino / melon pear, tomato, Physalis / jujubes, pumpkin, peppers
  • Fiber plants: Egyptian cotton
  • Fruits and More: cocoa, passion fruit, guava, tobacco

'2 A) Chiloé ( island in southern Chile )

  • Potato, strawberry

2B) Brazil - Paraguay

  • Cassava, peanuts, rubber tree, pineapple, cashew.
  • Cereals and vegetables: durum wheat, emmer, spelled, oats various places, seed pea, pea, lupine
  • Food plant: white clover, Inkarnatsklee
  • Oil and fiber plants: flax, canola, brown mustard, olive
  • Vegetables: beets, cabbage, turnip, lettuce, asparagus, celery, chicory, parsnip, rhubarb
  • Essential oil and aromatic plants: caraway, anise, thyme, peppermint, hops, sage.
  • Cereals and vegetables: einkorn, durum wheat, wheat, wheat Oriental, Persian wheat, two-row barley, rye, lentils, lupine
  • Forage plants: alfalfa, Persianerklee, fenugreek, vetch
  • Fruits: figs, pomegranate, apple, pear, quince, cherry.
  • Cereals and vegetables: Abyssinian durum wheat, emmer, barley, pearl millet, sorghum, cowpea, flax
  • More: sesame, castor bean, garden cress, coffee, marshmallow, myrrh.
  • Cereals and vegetables: wheat, bean, lentil, horse bean, chickpea, mung bean, mustard, linseed, sesame
  • Fiber plants: hemp, cotton
  • Vegetables: onion, garlic, spinach, carrot
  • Fruits: pistachio, pear, almond, wine, apple.

7) Indo- Burma: Main Center ( Hindustan ): included Assam and Burma, but not Northwest India, Punjab, and the border areas in the northwest, 117 plants

  • Cereals and vegetables: rice, chickpea, pigeonpea, Urdbohne, mung bean, rice bean, cowpea,
  • Vegetables and tuber crops: eggplant, cucumber, radish, taro, yams
  • Fruits: mango, orange, tangerine, lemon, tamarind
  • Sugar, oil and fiber crops: sugar cane, coconut, sesame, safflower, cotton, Oriental cotton, jute, kenaf
  • Spice and dye plants and more: hemp, black pepper, rubber tree, sandalwood, Ceylon cinnamon tree, Croton, bamboo.

7A) Siam - Malaya - Java :: including Indochina and Malayischem archipelago, 55 plants

  • Cereals and vegetables: coix, Mucuna pruriens
  • Fruits: grapefruit, banana, bread fruit, mangosteen
  • OIL, sugar, spice and fiber plants: light walnut, coconut, sugarcane, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, Manila hemp.
  • Cereals and vegetables: eg millet, foxtail millet, Koaliang, buckwheat, soybean, adzuki bean, velvet bean
  • Root and tuber crops, vegetables: eg: Chinese yam, radish, Chinese cabbage, onion, cucumber
  • Fruit and nuts: eg: pear, Chinese apple, peach, apricot (apricot ), cherry, walnut, litchi
  • Sugar, medicine and fiber plants: eg sugar cane, poppy, ginseng, camphor tree, hemp.
Seedbank Phaseolus lunatus Fragaria Ficus elastica Spelt Linum Humulus Salvia Einkorn wheat European Pear Vigna umbellata Croton (plant) Malus spectabilis Papaver
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