Buckwheat remains from the late Neolithic site of Donghuishan, Gansu Province, China

Abstract

AbstractBackground and objectivesThe Donghuishan ruins in Minle County, Gansu Province, is a site of the late Neolithic (Siba culture) and has a long history of agriculture; thus, it is a region rich for studying early agricultural culture. Previous studies have found a large number of seeds or plant remains of wheat, barley, rye, foxtail millet, and broomcorn millet at the Donghuishan ruins.FindingsIn this study, a batch of carbonized plant remains was obtained through the flotation method at the cultural layer of this ruin. Furthermore, three complete carbonized buckwheat kernels were found and identified with modern buckwheat kernels for the first time.ConclusionsThe 14C dating result was from 3,610 to 3,458 years before present. These carbonized buckwheat kernels from the late Neolithic period are the oldest that have been found in China.Significance and noveltyThis finding provides new evidence for the argument that the origin of buckwheat is in the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau and demonstrates the significant role of natural selection and genetic breeding technology in the yield improvement of crops.