Geometric Morphometry and Archaeobotany: Characterisation of Grape Seeds (Vitis vinifera L.) by Analysis of Form

Abstract

The external profile of seeds is a good phenotypic descriptor, indicative of the origin and diffusion of grape vines (Vitis vinifera L.) over the centuries. Archaeological seeds conserved in an anaerobic environment after discovery were compared with modern seeds, belonging to eleven autochthonous cultivars, sampled in Tuscan vineyards. To study seed profiles we used geometric morphometric analysis (elliptical Fourier analysis) combined with multivariate statistical methods. When the values obtained were entered in a database, they produced a cladogram based on Euclidean distances between varieties of archaeological and modern vines, showing that seeds belonging to the same group had phenotypic affinities.

Share and Cite:

Milanesi, C. , Costantini, L. , Firmati, M. , Antonucci, F. , Faleri, C. , Buracchi, A. , Cresti, M. and Cresti, M. (2014) Geometric Morphometry and Archaeobotany: Characterisation of Grape Seeds (Vitis vinifera L.) by Analysis of Form. Open Access Library Journal, 1, 1-6. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1100634.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Terral, J.F., Alonso, N., Buxò, R., Capdevila, I., Chatti, N., Fabre, L., Fiorentino, G., Marinval, P., Pérez-Jorda, G., Pradat, B., Rovira, N. and Alibert, P. (2004) Historical Biogeography of Olive Domestication (Oleaeuropaea L.) as Revealed by Geometrical Morphometry Applied to Biological and Archaeological Material. Journal of Biogeography, 31, 63-77.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.0305-0270.2003.01019.x
[2] Terral, J.F., Tabard, E., Bouby, L., Ivorra, S., Pastor, T., Figueiral, I., Picq, S., Chevance, J.B., Jung, C., Fabre, L., Tardy, C., Compan, M., Bacilieri, R., Lacombe, T. and This, P. (2010) Evolution and History of Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) under Domestication: New Morphometric Perspective to Understand Seed Domestication Syndrome and Reveal Origins and Ancient European Cultivars. Annals of Botany London, 105, 443-455.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp298
[3] Antonucci, F., Costa, C., Pallottino, F., Paglia, G., Rimatori, V., De Giorgio, D. and Menesatti, P. (2012) Quantitative Method for Shape Description of Almond Cultivars (Prunus amygdalus Batsch). Food and Bioprocess Technology, 5, 768-785.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11947-010-0389-2
[4] Milanesi, C., Sorbi, A., Paolucci, E., Antonucci, F., Menesatti, P., Costa, C., Pallottino, F., Vignani, R., Cimato, A., Ciacci, A. and Cresti, M. (2011) Pomology Observations, Morphometric Analysis, Ultrastructural Study and Allelic Profiles of “Olivastra Seggianese” Endocarps from Ancient Olive Trees (Olea europaea L.). Comptes Rendus Biologies, 334, 39-49.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crvi.2010.11.006
[5] Milanesi, C., Antonucci, F., Menesatti, P., Costa, C., Faleri, C. and Cresti, M. (2011) Morphology and Molecular Analysis of Ancient Grape Seeds. Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica, 2, 95-100.
[6] McGovern, P., Luley, P.B., Rovira, N., Mirzoian, A., Callahan, M.P., Smith, K.E., Hall, G.R., Davidson, T. and Henkin, J.M. (2012) Beginning of Viticulture in France. Pnas, 110-25, 10147-10152.
[7] Zohary, D. and Hopf, M. (2000) Domestication of Plants in the Old World. Oxford University Press, New York, 151-159.
[8] McGovern, P.E. (2004) Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viticulture. Princeton University Press, Princeton.
[9] This, P., Lacombe, T. and Thomas, M.R. (2006) Historical Origins and genetic Diversity of wine Grapes. Trends in Genetics, 22, 511-519.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2006.07.008
[10] Pieraccini, L.C. (2011) The Wonder of Wine in Etruria. In: De Grummond, N.T. and Edlund-Berry, I., Eds., The Archaeology of Sanctuaries and Ritual in Etruria, Rhode Island, Portsmouth, 127-138.

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.