BOSTAN-TREE researchers are conducting in-field surveys to locate living relic trees whose remaining biological materials are then sent to paleogenetic laboratories for state-of-the-art analyses in an effort to learn more about their origins and the route they took to become part of past agriculture regimes.

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We are employing paleogenomic methods alongside the examination of modern DNA data to trace the evolutionary history of local fruit crops such as grapes (Vitis vinifera), palm dates (Phoenix dactylifera), and olives (Olea europaea). The integration of ancient and modern DNA allows us to assess the genetic diversity of landrace fruit crops over time, elucidate their population structure, and uncover their cultivation origins. We intend to apply this information for gaining insights into unsolved historical domestication processes, including selection and gene flow from wild-to-cultured populations.