Cereal Cultivation Research Articles

Multifunctional fluorescent Pseudomonas: effects on maize development and tools for their selection

Maize is one of the most cultivated cereals worldwide. Despite the low nutrient availability in the soil, high amounts of fertilizers are applied causing economic and environmental impacts. Then, Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) as Fluorescent Pseudomonas can be utilized as an alternative. The present work aims to analyze the effect of Pseudomonas isolates on maize development and production and verify the relationship between growth mechanisms and IAA production. Sixteen Pseudomonas isolates were tested in vitro to produce IAA, ACC deaminase, siderophores, and solubilize Fe and Al phosphates. Three isolates (CBSAL02, CBSAL05, and CBSAL06) were selected for the field experiment, in which an A. brasilense inoculant was the control, generating five treatments with four replications. More than 50% of the isolates demonstrated the tested mechanisms. Only CBSAL05 did not produce siderophore or could fix N. Inoculations with A. brasilense and Pseudomonas isolates increased leaf N content among the selected isolates. The CBSAL06 isolate increased productivity, thus demonstrating the potential use as an inoculant.

Evaluation of the Maize - False basil Cultural Association in the Fight against the Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

In Ivory Coast, maize (Zea mays L.) is the second most cultivated cereal after rice. Despite this, maize cultivation is limited by pest pressures. Apart from the usual pests, a new enemy has arrived on the continent, the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. To control this pest, farmers use pesticides, which are not only expensive, but also pose risks to human health and the environment. The objective of this study is to find an alternative solution to chemical control through the cultivation of maize-Ocimum gratissimum (False basil) in two ways. The first consisted in planting False basil around the maize plot as a barrier plant (P1). The second consisted of alternating maize plants with False basil plants (P2). The experimental design used was a one-factor randomized FISHER block with three treatments. The efficacy of the two association modalities was compared to that of control which was maize crop only. The results showed better control of fall armyworm in the combination than control. Of the two combination treatments, it was the P1 treatment that was effective against S. frugiperda compared to the P2 treatment and the control. Thus the infestation rate of treatment P1 (33 %) was lower than that of treatment P2 (50 %) followed by the control (70 %). In addition, it was the P1 treatment that harbored fewer armyworms (8 larvae) compared to the P2 treatment (22 larvae) and the control (35 larvae). The maize-False basil crop combination therefore appears to be beneficial than pure crops as it significantly reduces the infestation rate, damage level and harbors less fall armyworm population.

When Barley and Wheat Meet Millet: Cereal Cultivation Patterns in the Forest and Forest-Steppe of Eastern Europe from the Early Iron Age to the Early Middle Ages

When Barley and Wheat Meet Millet: Cereal Cultivation Patterns in the Forest and Forest-Steppe of Eastern Europe from the Early Iron Age to the Early Middle Ages

Влияние регуляторов роста нового поколения на урожайность озимой пшеницы

In the formation of grain crops, an important place is given not only to the problem of nutrition, but also to the ability to manage the processes of growth and development in order to fully realize the vital potential of plants. Therefore, the introduction of new progressive technologies with the use of growth regulators is highly relevant, as it will allow to obtain stable yields of grain crops of good quality even under adverse weather conditions. The purpose of the research was to identify the effectiveness of using new generation growth regulators in the cultivation of winter wheat with different seeding rates, as one of the elements of agricultural technology in the conditions of the Central region of the Non-Chernozem zone of the Russian Federation. The research was carried out in 2021-2024 at the experimental field of the laboratory of technology for the cultivation of winter cereals and fertilizer application systems of the Technological Center for Agriculture of the Nemchinovka Agricultural Center (Moscow region, Marushkinskoye settlement of Moscow, Sokolovo village). The maximum photosynthetic potential was set in the variant with the combined use of Moddus with Anti-leaching at a seeding rate of 550 pcs/m2 and was equal to 2784 thousand m2 day/ha, that is, 538 thousand m2 day/ha more than the minimum value, in the control variant without the use of growth regulators with a seeding rate of 500 pcs/m2. The maximum amount of dry biomass was set on the variant with the combined use of a Moddus with an Anti-leaching agent at a seeding rate of 550 pcs/m2 and was 10.35 t/ha, that is, 2.79 t/ha more than the minimum value. The maximum net photosynthesis productivity was set for the Moddus variant with a seeding rate of 550 pcs/m2 and was equal to 1.56 g/m2 per day. The maximum economic yield of winter wheat on average for 2022-2024 was set on the option of joint application of Moddus with Anti-leaching at a seeding rate of 550 pcs/m2 and was equal to 7.47 t/ha, that is, 1.36 t/ha more than the minimum value.

Determination of sowing dates for hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and rye (Secale cereale) cultivation in Korea north region

Determination of sowing dates for hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and rye (Secale cereale) cultivation in Korea north region

Increasing germination and antioxidant activity of aged wheat and triticale grains by priming with gamma-aminobutyric acid

During storage, elevated temperature and humidity cause accelerated aging and deterioration of seeds of various plant species, including important cultivated cereals, such as wheat and triticale. Germination of old seeds can be facilitated by seed priming with physiologically active substances that correct the pro/antioxidant balance and reduce the development of oxidative stress. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a regulatory compound with direct and indirect antioxidant effects. However, its effect on the germination of grains of cereals with low germination has not been extensively studied. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of GABA priming on the germination of aged grains of winter bread wheat (Triticum aestivum ‘Scorpion’) and winter triticale (×Triticosecale ‘Raritet’). the extent of oxidative stress and the state of the antioxidant system in seedlings. The results indicated that a three-hour treatment of grains with GABA at the optimal concentration (1 mM) resulted in a significant (18–21%) increase in germination energy and seed germination rate, as well as an increase in the biomass of shoots and roots of seedlings of both species. Concomitantly, the influence of GABA resulted in a reduction in oxidative stress markers, including the generation of superoxide anion radicals, hydrogen peroxide content, and the product of lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde. In wheat seedlings, the total content of phenolic compounds increased, while in triticale seedlings, the content of anthocyanins increased almost twofold. In seedlings derived from GABA-primed grains, catalase activity was also significantly elevated in the absence of notable alterations in superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity. It was postulated that GABA priming is a promising approach for enhancing the germination of cereal seeds with diminished sowing quality.

Breeding in bread-making wheat varieties for Mediterranean climate: the need to get resilient varieties.

Being one of the "big three" most cultivated cereals in the world, wheat plays a crucial role in ensuring global food/nutrition security, supplying close to 20% of the global needs for calories and proteins. However, the increasingly large fluctuations between years in temperatures and precipitation due to climate change cause important variations in wheat production worldwide. This fact makes wheat breeding programs a tool that, far from going out of fashion, is becoming the most important solution to develop varieties that can provide humanity with the sufficient amount of food it demands without forgetting the objective of quality. The National Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Research in Portugal has carried out a long-term experiment (9 years) in different locations to test four different bread-making wheat cultivars, each representing important variations in germplasm. Wheat yield and quality traits obtained by official methods were recorded in 18 different environments regarding temperature and precipitation. According to the ANOVA and PCA, protein content, wet gluten, dough tenacity, and extensibility were found to be highly affected by the environment. Paiva cultivar presented a higher yield in almost all the tested environments, but its quality traits varied enormously. Contrary behavior was recorded for Valbona cultivar. Antequera cultivar, with a production ranging between 4.7 and 9.3 tons/ha and a protein content between 11 and 16.8%, seems to be the most resilient cultivar regarding both productivity and quality of the flour with reference to changes in the main climate traits. The most ancient cultivar, Roxo, released in 1996, showed the worst results in this experiment, supporting the need to continue working in wheat breeding to meet the unavoidable changes in the environment.

Interpretation of yield and quality traits of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties by heatmap technique

BackgroundBarley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is the most cultivated cool-season cereal after wheat in Türkiye. This can be attributed to its uses in the malt industry, human consumption, and animal nutrition etc. This study investigated yield, physiological, and quality traits of different barley varieties using heatmap and principal component analysis (PCA) technique to identify the varieties with better yield and superior quality. MethodsA total of 12 barley varieties (8 two-row and 4 six-row) were used in the study. The varieties were sown under natural conditions and data relating to yield, phenology and quality traits (grain yield, heading time, plant height, number of spikes m−2, 1000-grain weight, and starch ratio) were recorded. The recorded data were analyzed by PCA and heatmap techniques to determine the better-performing varieties. ResultsSignificant variations were observed among the tested varieties for all evaluated traits (p < 0.01). Heatmap categorized the recorded traits into two clusters, and traits within the same cluster exhibiting interconnectedness. The primary cluster comprised of plant height, heading time, and 1000-grain weight. Similarly, the second significant cluster contained the varieties with similar grain yield, starch ratio, and the number of spikes m−2. The varieties ‘Bozlak’ and ‘Mert’, ‘Aydanhanim’ and ‘Tosunpaşa’, ‘Erciyes’ and ‘Çatalhüyük’, and ‘Sabribey’ and ‘Asutay’, exhibited significant resemblance for the recorded traits. The PCA revealed that 1000-grain weight was associated with the heading time, whereas starch ratio was associated with the grain yield. ‘Erciyes’ (3.58 tons ha−1), ‘Çatalhüyük 2001′ (2.95 tons ha−1), and ‘Bozlak’ (2.72 tons ha−1) recorded the highest yield, whereas ‘Erciyes’ variety resulted in the delayed heading. Similarly, ‘Çatalhüyük’, and ‘Erciyes’ produced the highest number of spikes m−2. Likewise, ‘Çatalhüyük 2001′, and ‘Tosunpaşa’ resulted in the heaviest 1000-grains, while ‘Asutay’ resulted in the highest starch ratio. ConclusionIt is concluded that ‘Çatalhüyük’, ‘Erciyes’, and ‘Tosunpaşa’ are superior varieties in terms of yield-related traits, whereas ‘Asutay’ proved better for starch ratio. Therefore, these varieties could be used in future breeding programs to improve these traits.

Development and Application of Reverse Transcription Nanoplate-Based Digital PCR Assay for Sensitive and Accurate Detection of Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus in Cereal Crops.

The emergence of rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) poses a significant threat to global cereal crop cultivation, necessitating the urgent development of reliable detection and quantification techniques. This study introduces a reliable approach for the precise and sensitive quantification of the RBSDV in cereal crop samples, employing a reverse transcription digital polymerase chain reaction (RT-dPCR) assay. We assessed the specificity and sensitivity of the RT-dPCR assay proposed for precise RBSDV detection and quantification. Our findings demonstrate that RT-dPCR was specific for detection of RBSDV, with no cross-reactivity observed with other viruses infecting cereal crops. The RT-dPCR sensitivity was over 10 times that of RT-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The detection limit of RT-dPCR was 0.096 copies/μl. In addition, evaluation of RT-dPCR assay with field samples was conducted on 60 different cereal crop samples revealed that RT-dPCR (45/60) exhibited superior accuracy compared with RT-qPCR (23/60). In this study, we present a specific and accurate RT-dPCR assay for the detection and quantification of RBSDV.

Crop Water Use and a Gravity Model Exploration of Virtual Water Trade in Ghana’s Cereal Agriculture

Agricultural water productivity is crucial for sustainability amidst the escalating demand for food. Cereals are pivotal in providing nutritious food at affordable prices. This study was based on Ghanaian data spanning from 1992 to 2021 to evaluate water usage in the cultivation of major cereals. It also examined the virtual water losses or gains in cereal trade alongside influencing factors. The analysis utilized secondary data encompassing the virtual water content, production quantity, export and import quantities, distance, GDP per capita, population, and land per capita of Ghana and its 75 trade partners. In the last 5 years, crop water use (CWU) reached an average of 7.08 billion m3/yr for maize, 3.48 billion m3/yr for rice, 1.08 billion m3/yr for sorghum, and 0.63 billion m3/yr for millet production. Ghana’s major partners for exported virtual water (EVW) were Niger, Burkina Faso, South Africa, and Togo. Major partners for imported virtual water (IVW) were Argentina, South Africa, Ukraine, Togo, Russia, Burkina Faso, Canada, Senegal, Nigeria, Portugal, UK, Niger, and the USA. The Panel Least Squares Method of regression was used to apply the Gravity Model principle in assessing influencing factors. The findings indicate that Ghana is a net importer of virtual water in the cereal trade, with significant influences from geographical distance, GDP per capita, population, land per capita, and cereal water use.

Pesticide contamination pattern of surface water in an urban–agricultural mediterranean watershed (Wadi Guenniche, Bizerte Lagoon, Northern Tunisia)

Two years of monthly sampling and hydrological monitoring were performed at the outlet of a Mediterranean watershed in northern Tunisia to determine the contents of 469 pesticide active ingredients and metabolites in water and evaluate their behavior. Wadi Guenniche is a tributary of the Bizerte coastal lagoon, with a watershed area of 86 km2, which exhibits pluvial cereal, legume, and orchid cultivation and irrigated market gardening. Twenty-nine pesticide active ingredients and 2 metabolites were detected in water. Twenty-four pesticide active ingredients were authorized for use in Tunisia. Among them, 14 had never been mentioned in previous farmer surveys. Five herbicides and their metabolites were the most frequently detected: aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) (100%), glyphosate (94%), simazine (94%), 2,4-D (70%), and deisopropylatrazine (DIA) (47%). The detection frequency and concentration range suggested that the phytosanitary pressure and resulting water contamination are close to those on the northern Mediterranean shore. These results, in addition to characterizing the pollution state, emphasized the need for additional studies on the use and fate of pesticides on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, particularly in Tunisia.

Adaptive significance and origin of flavonoid biosynthesis genes in the grain of cultivated cereals

The majority of cultivated cereals including maize, rice, wheat, barley, oat and rye are consisted of numerous varieties lacking anthocyanin pigmentation or having weak coloration of vegetative organs and/or caryopses. Only rare local races and wild related species have intense coloration of plants and/or grains. The coloration of caryopses is associated with the biosynthesis of colored flavonoids in maternal (pericarp and testa) and hybrid (aleuron) caryopsis tissues. The trait is controlled by dominant alleles of regulatory genes encoding conserved transcription factors of the MYB, bHLH-MYC, and WD40 families forming the MBW protein complex. Recent studies have proven the participation of uncolored and colored flavonoids in the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses, and significance of their presence in the whole grain foods has been determined. However, many questions about the adaptive effects and health benefits of anthocyanins remain unanswered. In particular, the reasons why the dominant alleles of regulatory genes controlling pericarp coloration did not become widespread in the course of domestication and breeding of cereals are not clear, although these genes receive special attention in association with health-improving effects of grain nutrition. This article discusses the similarity and specificity of the genetic control of the biosynthesis of flavonoids in the caryopsis in three related cultivated cereals – wheat, barley and rye, and their biological role in the development of the caryopsis and seed germination.

Stable isotope analysis in soil prospection reveals the type of historic land-use under contemporary temperate forests in Europe

The determination of δ13C and δ15N values is a common method in archaeological isotope analysis—in studying botanical and human remains, dietary practices, and less typically soils (to understand methods of agricultural cultivation, including fertilization). Stable isotope measurements are also commonly used in ecological studies to distinguish different ecosystems and to trace diachronic processes and biogeochemical mechanisms, however, the application of this method in geochemical prospection, for determining historic land-use impact, remains unexplored. The study at hand focuses on a deserted site of a Cistercian manor, dating from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries. Isotopic measurements of anthropogenically influenced soils have been compared to approximately 400 archaeobotanical, soil, and sediment samples collected globally. The results reveal the potential of isotope measurements in soil to study the impact of past land use as isotope measurements identify specific types of agricultural activities, distinguishing crop production or grazing. δ13C and δ15N ratios also likely reflect fertilization practices and—in this case—the results indicate the presence of cereal cultivation (C3 cycle plants) and fertilization and that the site of the medieval manor was primarily used for grain production rather than animal husbandry.

Cereal cultivation and storage by the Janabib Bedouin in the Negev Highlands, southern Israel (1917–1948)

This study focuses on the traditional methods used by the Janabib Bedouin tribe in the Negev Highlands to cultivate wheat and barley during the British Mandate period from 1917 to 1948. Despite the fact that this region receives only 90 mm of precipitation per year on average, and was located at a great distance from settlements and markets, the local Bedouin cultivated cereals by exploiting the ancient agricultural terraces from the Byzantine period which prevented runoff and distributed water over the agricultural plots. This research also found that the choice of which cereals to grow in different years, were determined by local climatic conditions. Thus, the Bedouin who lived in the Negev Highlands before 1948, developed specific adaptations in order to survive in these arid conditions.

From Ponds to Pine Plantations in 9000 Years: The Environmental Archaeology of Beck Burn, Solway Moss, Cumbria

ABSTRACT This article explores the evidence for environmental change at Beck Burn, Solway Moss, on the English/Scottish border. The analysed pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP) and microscopic charcoal particles permit several palaeoenvironmental events to be interpreted, supported by radiocarbon dating. These and previously published data suggest the presence of very early Mesolithic water-edge activity, later Mesolithic woodland management, clearance and small-scale cultivation during the early Neolithic period, followed by low-level disturbance for pastoral farming in the early Bronze Age. Woodland clearance and cereal cultivation are dated to the middle Bronze Age, with significant clearance and cultivation identified during the late Iron Age or early Roman period. The medieval period is characterised by evidence for a mixed subsistence economy, with reduced activity possibly coincident with the Wars of Scottish Independence, famines and the Black Death of the fourteenth century, as well as the Little Ice Age. Renewed activity, with evidence for both arable and pastoral farming, is dated to the late medieval to early post-medieval period. Pine plantations were then created, possibly in the eighteenth century or later. The data reveal the importance of palaeoenvironmental archaeology, in the absence of significant finds or features, in creating a link with the past.

Co-pyrolysis of Baltic wheat straw and low-density polyethylene bags and its kinetic and thermodynamic behaviour

Wheat cultivation represents about 42 % of the total cereal cultivation area in the Baltic Sea region, generating huge amounts of wheat straw (WS) that needs to be optimally managed. In this context, this research aims to investigate the extent of using pyrolysis process in WS valorization. The experiments were performed using a thermogravimetric (TG) analyzer on WS and its mixtures with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags at different mixing ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4). The released TG vapours were monitored using TG-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) and chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The thermochemical activation energy (Ea) were studied by Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, Friedman, and Vyazovkin models. The pyrolysis results showed that WS and LDPE could be completely decomposed as a single reaction up to 600 °C and 520 °C, respectively. Aromatic-carbonyl and CO2 were the main FTIR functional group for WS vapour versus -CH2- for LEDP vapour. The GC/MS analysis of WS showed various compounds such as sec-Butylamine (11.88 %), acetic acid (10.68 %), etc., while LDPE showed many compounds without specific trend even when the heating rate was changed. While the co-pyrolysis results showed that WS/LDPE could be decomposed individually in two successive reactions at 335 °C (WS) and 495 °C (LDPE). These results were confirmed by FTIR and GC/MS which showed that the functional groups and chemical compounds of vapour generated at these decomposition zones have similar characteristics to those obtained from pyrolysis of WS and LDPE. Finally, kinetic analysis showed that WS-Baltic (227–250 kJ/mol) is more complex compared to WS-Asian (163–217 kJ/mol) due to its higher ash content. While Ea of WS/LDPE was increases upto 274–291 kJ/mol (1:1), 266–297 kJ/mol (2:1), 268–289 kJ/mol (3:1), and 278–299 kJ/mol (1:4). Also, the enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy coefficients of WS were increased by mixing (1:1) up to 272 J/mol K, while its entropy does not change much by mixing (367 J/mol K). Accordingly, the co-pyrolysis process is a key technology in valorization of WS and convert into value-added chemicals and a sustainable energy source.

ВПЛИВ ПЕРЕДПОСІВНОЇ ОБРОБКИ НАСІННЯ ЕКСТРАКТОМ ВІВСА ПОСІВНОГО НА ПРОДУКТИВНІСТЬ ПШЕНИЦІ ОЗИМОЇ

The article provides a comparative analysis of the effects of different concentrations of oat extract on the yield structure of the winter wheat variety "Dunyasha". The variability of crop structure is determined by several plant characteristics, such as tillering (both total and productive), spike length, number of spikes, number of grains per spike, and their weight. These indicators can fluctuate depending on growing conditions, leading to variations in yield. Antioxidants, phytohormones, and other substances in oat extract play a crucial role in protecting cells from oxidative stress and the harmful effects of free radicals, which directly impact crop structure. Pre-sowing treatment of "Dunyasha" winter wheat seeds with oat extract solutions of 30 % and 15 % concentration effectively stimulated the formation of quantitative plant structures, including spikes and stems per unit area. The highest number of plants with spikes in "Dunyasha" wheat was observed with pre-sowing treatment using a 6 % concentration of oat extract. Significant indicators of productive tillering in winter wheat were recorded with pre-sowing seed treatments of 15 % and 30 % oat extract. The weight of 1000 grains was highest with pre-sowing treatments using 30 % and 6 % oat extract solutions, while the number of seeds per spike was highest with a 6 % oat extract solution. Pre-sowing seed treatment of winter wheat with oat extract solutions of 6 %, 15 %, and 30 % concentration can be utilized as a component of agricultural technology in cereal crop cultivation. The highest biological yield values of the winter wheat variety "Dunyasha" were achieved after pre-sowing seed treatment with oat seed extract solutions at concentrations of 30 % and 15 %, reaching 65 and 51 centners per hectare respectively, compared to control values of 31 centners per hectare. Even lower concentrations of oat seed extract led to statistically significant increases in biological yield indicators. Thus, our research confirms that pre-sowing seed treatment with oat seed extract at concentrations of 15 % and 30 % maximizes the productivity of the winter wheat variety "Dunyasha". Therefore, pre-sowing seed treatment of winter wheat with oat seed extract can be effectively used as a technological element in grain crop cultivation.

The Effects of Harvesting Period and Inoculant on Second-Crop Maize Silage Fermentative Quality

Southern Europe’s mutating weather conditions and the European environmental agenda have suggested the cropping of maize (Zea mays L.) after winter cereal cultivation, even if shortening the growing period could result in an immature harvesting stage, limiting its silage quality. The experimental design investigated the effects of four harvesting dry matter (DM) classes (DMvl, 23.9%; DMl, 25.3%; DMm, 26.2%; DMh, 30.4%) in two inoculant types (heterofermentative (HE) vs. homofermentative (HOM) on fermentative quality, DM losses, and aerobic stability. The early harvested DMvl and DMl classes had the lowest silage density (&lt;130 kg m−3) and resulted in an organic acids profile lowering the fermentative quality and increasing the DM losses, while no differences were detected following the use of the inoculants. The aerobic stability was more susceptible to further adverse fermentation via opportunistic microorganisms in the DMm and DMh classes, probably due to the lower moisture content, but the use of both HE and HOM lactic acid bacteria seemed to contain this silage surface damage. In summary, a shortening of the maize growing period might limit the achievement of the maturity stage ideal for high-quality silage, hampering the positive effects of both HOM and HE inoculants in the ensiling process of early harvested maize.

Plant Use and Cereal Cultivation Inferred from Integrated Archaeobotanical Analysis of an Ottoman Age Moat Sequence (Szigetvár, Hungary)

Abstract Suleiman the Magnificent died during the siege of Szigetvár in 1566, close to the battlefield in Turbék Vineyard Hill site, Hungary. On the place of his death, a memorial place was established with a tomb, a mosque, a monastery, and a deep moat system north of the building complex. After its destruction, the memorial place was covered with demolished material and soil. This significant site was re-identified and excavated during the archaeological, historical, and geoarchaeological research work that started in 2015. As a result of the correlative evaluation of previously published sedimentological and chronological data, the filling of the moat accumulated during the seventeenth century. Our goal was the natural and anthropogenic vegetation reconstruction of the adjacent region of the memorial place and the plant utilization of the community living there. During the analyses, more than 30,000 plant remains were identified belonging to 77 taxa. The results gave indications for ploughed lands, vegetable and fruit cultivation, vineyards, pasture lands, forest patches, and trampled areas related to active human activity. The lithostratigraphic and geochronological results of the moat sequence coincide well with our carpological and anthracological data.

Prehistoric subsistence strategy dynamics and their differences under a similar hyper-arid environment in the contiguous Turpan and Hami Basins of Xinjiang

Agropastoralism has prevailed in Inner Asia since the Bronze Age. It is an optimal subsistence strategy of inhabitants for adaptation to arid marginal environment. However, previous studies paid little attention to different development trajectories of this mixed economy within similar habitat. The Turpan and Hami Basins, located in eastern Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang, are two typical desert oases with extremely dry climate, providing us with an appropriate region to investigate the issue. In present study, radiocarbon dates ( n = 154) of eight typical sites in these two basins were reviewed and used to reconstruct the prehistoric chronology sequence prior to Han Dynasty (2200 cal BP). Then the data of botanical and faunal remains and stable isotope analyses ( n = 159) of human diets from these sites were also reviewed for reliably revealing the subsistence economy pattern. Combining the time scale with multiple biological proxies, results show that, from the Bronze Age to early Iron Age, inhabitant subsistence in the Turpan Basin was dominated by livestock herding and supplemented by low-investment cereal crop cultivation, while the agriculture in Turpan Basin has developed significantly by the later period of Subeixi Culture. In contrast, agriculture-based economy was continuously developed in the Hami oases. Although the climate is very dry in both basins, temperature in warm seasons is much higher in the Turpan Basin. Besides thermal condition, size, range and convenient availability of highland pasture located at the southern flank of the Tianshan Mountains, are main driving factors leading to differentiated development trajectories of agropastoralism. Apart from that, cultural factors like economy, culture and technology communication along with population migration also impact local subsistence economy pattern.