Modern Exploration and Re-Discovery
Because the 1980s, concurrent with archaeological explorations, Desert Botanical Garden research staff continue to document and study agaves throughout Arizona and the Southwest and northern Mexico. Their work resulted in the rediscovery and naming of five of the six recognized agave types that represent remnant populations of plants domesticated and farmed by pre-contact individuals in todays Arizona landscape: Agave murpheyi, Agave delamateri, Agave phillipsiana, Agave sanpedroensis, Agave verdensis, and Agave yavapaiensis. Although once grown on a big scale, some clones of these agaves have actually continued to persist through the centuries still within ancient, constructed fields in todays modern landscape from southern Arizona north to the Grand Canyon.
These pre-contact domesticated agaves are morphologically unique from Southwest U.S. and northern Mexico wild agaves and Mesoamerican wild and domesticated species. The remnant clones present a rare opportunity to analyze plant types that are virtually the same because they were last cultivated prehistorically.
Significance and Conservation of These Agave Species
The scientists here believe that supplying protection to these freshly uncovered agave types is especially appropriate today due to the fact that of increased interest and research study in the enduring wild family members of contemporary crops. This is particularly true of plants that occupy hot, dry environments, where climate modification has rendered such plants more appealing for agricultural development.
” It is hoped that our work, made more fruitful as a result of input from archaeologists and Indigenous Peoples, will foster our understanding these dayss landscapes as traditions of past human activities, instead of beautiful environments,” said the papers lead author, Wendy Hodgson. “Pre-contact individuals were excellent agriculturists, picking, domesticating, and cultivating crops in the arid Southwest. We have the unusual opportunity to study how and what kinds of agaves ancient farmers grew, especially significant today when there is a need to explore the benefits of growing drought-adapted crops utilizing sustainable agroecological methods.”
Referral: “Pre-contact agave domesticates– living legacy plants in Arizonas landscape” by Wendy C Hodgson, E Jane Rosenthal and Andrew M Salywon, 10 October 2023, Annals of Botany.DOI: 10.1093/ aob/mcad113.
Agave plants have actually been of terrific economic and social importance in the Americas for at least 9,000 years. Before individuals cultivated corn, agave plants were one of their primary carbohydrate sources. Once grown on a large scale, some clones of these agaves have continued to continue through the centuries still within ancient, constructed fields in todays modern landscape from southern Arizona north to the Grand Canyon.
We have the unusual opportunity to study how and what kinds of agaves ancient farmers grew, especially significant today when there is a need to explore the advantages of growing drought-adapted crops using sustainable agroecological methods.”
Researchers have actually determined ancient unmodified agave species cultivated by early cultures, stressing their significance for sustainable agriculture in todays altering climate. Above is a photo of Agave phillipsiana. Credit: Wendy Hodgson/Annals of Botany
New findings just recently released in the journal Annals of Botany reveal that researchers have actually discovered unaltered agave plant types cultivated by several early cultures consisting of the Hohokam people, a large Native American group in the Southwest that existed in between 300 and 1500 CE.
Agave plants have actually been of terrific financial and social importance in the Americas for at least 9,000 years. Before individuals cultivated corn, agave plants were one of their main carbohydrate sources.
While crops belonging to the Americas (corn/maize, peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, and so on) are common around the world today, essentially all these plants have actually been customized extensively by European colonists and their descendants.
