Centres of Origin and Vavilov’s Work

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What is a centre of origin?

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A geographical area where a particular group of organisms (either domesticated or wild) first originated on Earth.

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How do centres of origin relate to centres of diversity?

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Centres of origin are not always the same as centres of diversity; while centres of origin are specific locations where species originated, centres of diversity may be found in multiple places.

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What is the significance of knowing the origin of crop plants in plant breeding?

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It helps locate wild relatives, related species, and new genes, which is crucial for avoiding genetic erosion.

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Who proposed the concept of centres of origin?

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Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov, a Russian scientist.

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What did Vavilov observe about crop diversity?

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He observed that crop diversity tends to be concentrated around specific regions.

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What are primary and secondary centres of origin?

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Primary centres of origin are areas where cultivated plants evolved from wild species, while secondary centres are areas where plants show considerable diversity but did not originate there.

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What types of evidence did Vavilov use to support his theories?

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Archaeological evidence, plant remains, living plants, DNA, proteins, morphology, biochemistry, and ecology.

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List the eight main centres of diversity proposed by Vavilov.

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1. Chinese centre 2. Himalayan centre 3. Mediterranean centre 4. Abyssinian centre 5. Central Asian centre 6. Asia minor centre 7. Central American centre 8. South American centre.

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What is the significance of the Chinese centre of origin?

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It is considered one of the earliest and largest independent centres of origin of cultivated plants, including many important crops.

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What crops are associated with the Himalayan centre of origin?

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Rice, red gram, chickpea, cowpea, mung dal, brinjal, cucumber, sugarcane, black pepper, and turmeric.