Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) DNA studies support the hypothesis of an ancient Austronesian migration from Southeast Asia to America

Baudouin Luc, Lebrun Patricia. 2009. Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) DNA studies support the hypothesis of an ancient Austronesian migration from Southeast Asia to America. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 56 (2) : 257-262.

Quartile : Q2, Sujet : AGRONOMY / Quartile : Q2, Sujet : PLANT SCIENCES

Résumé : The centre of origin of coconut extends from Southwest Asia to Melanesia. Nevertheless, its pre-Columbian existence on the Pacific coast of America is attested. This raises questions about how, when and from where coconut reached America. Our molecular marker study relates the pre-Columbian coconuts to coconuts from the Philippines rather than to those of any other Pacific region, especially Polynesia. Such an origin rules out the possibility of natural dissemination by the sea currents. Our findings corroborate the interpretation of a complex of artefacts found in the Bahía de Caraquez (Ecuador) as related to South-East Asian cultures. Coconut thus appears to have been brought by Austronesian seafarers from the Philippines to Ecuador about 2,250 years BP. We discuss the implications of molecular evidence for assessing the possible contribution of early trans-pacific travels to and from America to the dissemination of domesticated plants and animals.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : Cocos nucifera

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Asie du Sud-Est, Amérique centrale, Équateur, océan Pacifique, Océanie, Indonésie, Philippines

Classification Agris : F70 - Taxonomie végétale et phytogéographie
F30 - Génétique et amélioration des plantes
B50 - Histoire

Champ stratégique Cirad : Axe 6 (2005-2013) - Agriculture, environnement, nature et sociétés

Auteurs et affiliations

• Baudouin Luc, CIRAD-BIOS-UPR Etiologie dépérissements (FRA)
• Lebrun Patricia, CIRAD-BIOS-UMR DAP (FRA)

Source : Cirad - Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/549869/)

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