Posted on 05/27/2019 6:54:52 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Apples originally evolved in the wild to entice ancient megafauna to disperse their seeds; more recently, humans began spreading the trees along the Silk Road with other familiar crops; dispersing the apple trees led to their domestication.
Recent archaeological finds of ancient preserved apple seeds across Europe and West Asia combined with historical, paleontological, and recently published genetic data are presenting a fascinating new narrative for one of our most familiar fruits. In this study, Robert Spengler of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History traces the history of the apple from its wild origins, noting that it was originally spread by ancient megafauna and later as a process of trade along the Silk Road. These processes allowed for the development of the varieties that we know today...
The evidence suggests that large fruits are an evolutionary adaptation to attract large animals that can eat the fruits and spread the seeds. Certain large mammals, such as bears and domesticated horses, eat apples and spread the seeds today. However, prior to the end of the last Ice Age, there were many more large mammals on the European landscape, such as wild horses and large deer. Evidence suggests that seed dispersal in the large-fruiting wild relatives of the apple has been weak during the past ten thousand years, since many of these animals went extinct. The fact that wild apple populations appear to map over glacial refugial zones of the Ice Age further suggests that these plants have not been moving over long distances or colonizing new areas in the absence of their original seed-spreaders.
(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...
The wild apples in the Tien Shan Mountains represent the main ancestral population for our modern apple. These trees produce large fruits, which are often red when ripe and have a varying array of flavors. These were the ancestors of the trees that people first started to cultivate and spread along the Silk Road. Credit: Prof. Dr. Martin R. Stuchtey
Johnny Appleseed is older than I thought.
“Apples originally evolved in the wild to entice ancient megafauna to disperse their seeds”
Interesting how they state speculation/reasonable guess as confirmed fact.
Kinda undermines their commitment to or understanding of science.
Natural history of apples is interesting, don’t take the above as critical of this post.
From Wiki:
The rose family is arguably one of the six most economically important crop plant families, and includes apples, pears, quinces, medlars, loquats, almonds, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, sloes, and roses among the crop plants belonging to the family.
>>...humans began spreading the trees along the Silk Road with other familiar crops; dispersing the apple trees led to their domestication.
“umm, that’s colonialism and it’s BAD!” - A.O.C.
I planted Anna, Honeycrisp, and Fuji apple trees on my property a few years ago. Just waiting for them to get mature enough to flower and spread the love. Used to have a Granny Smith in my front yard at the old house. Every 2nd year, that thing would drop apples by the bushel. The neighbor kids would come by and shake apples loose to take home to Mama. My wife could whip up pies, cobbler, and apple pie in a jar like nobody’s business. I grew up in Appalachian apple country. Nothing like it.
*Commanches liked the bois'd arc to make their bows.
Origins and spread of Eurasian fruits traced to the ancient Silk Road
EurekAlert! | August 14, 2018 | Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
Posted on 08/21/2018 1:49:59 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3681003/posts
Struggle to save the apple’s Asian birthplace
Telegraph | August 21, 2009 | Richard Spencer in the Zailijskei Alatau Mountains
Posted on 09/04/2009 8:24:28 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2332639/posts
Science Traces Roots Of ‘Traditional English’ Apple Back To Central Asia
The Telegraph (UK) | 2-25-2007 | Richard Gray
Posted on 02/24/2007 7:38:25 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1790720/posts
Pomologists Bite Off More Than They Can Chew With 200-Year-Old Apple Mystery
The Telegraph (UK) | 1-30-2007 | Richard Savill
Posted on 01/29/2007 6:40:07 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/1775873/posts
Major corridor of Silk Road already home to high-mountain herders over 4,000 years ago
EurekAlert! | October 31, 2018 | Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
Posted on 11/02/2018 11:30:55 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3702489/posts
Tocharians
Answers.com | unknown
Posted on 07/26/2006 1:11:31 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1672757/posts
Chinese Archaeologists Probe Origin Of Domestic Horses Through DNA
Xinhuanet - China View | 4-1-2006 | Mo Hong’e
Posted on 04/01/2006 2:55:30 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1607597/posts
What you're experiencing is projection.
Medlars, oddly enough, I posted about those last week, great that this article popped up.
Ancient nomads spread earliest domestic grains along Silk Road, study finds
EurekAlert! | April 1, 2014 | Gerry Everding
Posted on 04/05/2014 8:57:03 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3141160/posts
A former neighbor had over 100 varieties planted nextdoor, and had a farm out of state (in the Appalachians, if memory serves) with almost 200 (with some overlap vs the nextdoor orchard). He had a buddy between here and there who had a farm and was growing over 350 varieties. The estimated number of varieties (some of which may very well be extinct) is over 3000 I think.
The silk became a popular product because everyone needed dental floss for all the seeds and skins stuck in there.
I’m taken this long trip on the silk road. Got some apples. Toss them along the road. Apples spread.
Wow. Just........wow. I’m only on 1.2 acres and in the South, so I just opted for those three trees which were self-pollinating but were good cross-pollinators with each other. We also have a dwarf Elberta peach, nectarine, and late red peach that are of the same aspects, and a Keiffer pear tree. The peach and nectarine trees are beginning to fruit, but between the tree rats and the occasional late frost, we’ve only gotten morsels s far. We did plant four Northland blueberry bushes between a row of roses along the side of the house. We’re keeping an eye on them because they actually produced about a pint of berries while still potted last year, and we noticed a good growth spurt from them this spring.
I've thought about getting a multi-variety grafted tree, and/or grafts of a few old varieties I miss (Spie, Transparent, maybe Fameuse) for the old fashioned delicious which came up years ago when my parents ordered a grafted something or other (bare root) and only the stock survived. :^).
Mark
Keiffer pear! Just noticed that. Yeah, that's the old frontier prairie variety because it's so darned tough. The fruit stores well. Around here it isn't really ready to pick until deep in October. There's an old Keiffer in the yard as well, not lookin' great, but it's from the 19th century.
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