title: CanTriticum urartu(Poaceae) be identified by pollen analysis? Implications for detecting the ancestor of the extinct two-grained einkorn-like wheat.
abstract: The domestication of the one-grained einkorn (Triticum monococcum) in the Near East is relatively well known. However, an independent two-grained einkorn-like domestication has been archaeobotanically detected and scarce information is available.Triticum urartu, a wild wheat, was not fully described until the 1970s because the phenology does not allow it to be distinguished easily from wild einkorn (Triticum boeoticumsubsp.thaoudar), although a genetic separation exists. Both species are mostly two grained and could potentially be the relatives of the extinct two-grained form. Pollen grains of several genetically well-identified wheat species, includingT. urartuandT. boeoticumsubsp.thaoudar, were studied by measuring the grain diameter and examining the exine sculpturing with phase-contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to gain an insight into differences enabling taxonomic identification. This work showed that, althoughT. urartupollen is smaller on average, grain diameter is not sufficient because of the size overlap between the species, butT. urartupresents a different exine sculpturing (scabrate) from otherTriticumspp. (aerolate). This outcome is useful for taxonomists and archaeobotanists. First, it will allow a simple re-classification of herbarium materials. Second, further research could establish whetherT. urartuwas cultivated.
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Environment, Brunel University London Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: López-Merino
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Environment, Brunel University London Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK.
authors.forename: Suzanne A G
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences (IMV), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) NO-1432, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Sylvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haldorsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management (INA), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) NO-1432, Ås, Norway.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heun
authors.affiliation: Experimental Techniques Centre, Brunel University London Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reynolds
keywords: Fertile Crescent; cultivation; exine pattern; palynology; phase-contrast microscopy; scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
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