What Are The Potential Genomic Signatures Of Selection That Differentiate The Triploid Progenitors Of Modern Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum) From Their Diploid Ancestors, Particularly In Regions Associated With Key Agronomic Traits Such As Seed Size And Flowering Time, And How Might These Findings Inform Our Understanding Of The Timing And Geography Of Wheat Domestication In The Fertile Crescent?

The genomic signatures of selection in triploid progenitors of modern bread wheat, compared to their diploid ancestors, highlight regions associated with key agronomic traits such as seed size and flowering time. These signatures, identified through methods like GWAS and FST, reveal strong selection for genes like TaGW2 (seed size) and VRN1, PPD1 (flowering time). Such selection suggests that larger seeds and adaptive flowering times were crucial for domestication. Archaeogenetic data and archaeological evidence indicate that these traits emerged in the Fertile Crescent around 10,000 years ago, pinpointing this region as the cradle of wheat domestication during the Neolithic period. Thus, these findings underscore the significance of the Fertile Crescent in the early selection and development of wheat, shaping its suitability for agriculture.