BACKGROUND Vegetatively propagated crops are globally significant in terms of current agricultural production, as well as for understanding the long-term history of early agriculture and plant domestication. Today, significant field crops include sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), potato (Solanum tuberosum), manioc (Manihot esculenta), bananas and plantains (Musa cvs.), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), yams (Dioscorea spp.) and taro (Colocasia esculenta). In comparison to sexually-reproduced crops, especially cereals and legumes, the domestication syndrome in vegetatively-propagated field crops is poorly defined. AIMS AND SCOPE Here, a range of phenotypic traits potentially comprising a syndrome associated with early domestication of vegetatively-propagated field crops is proposed, including: mode of reproduction, yield of edible portion, ease of harvesting, defensive adaptations, timing of production and plant architecture. The archaeobotanical visibility of these syndrome traits is considered with a view to the reconstruction of the geographical and historical pathways of domestication for vegetatively-propagated field crops in the past. CONCLUSIONS Although convergent phenotypic traits are identified, none are ubiquitous and some are divergent. In contrast to cereals and legumes, several traits seem to represent varying degrees of plastic response to growth environment and practices of cultivation, as opposed to solely morphogenetic 'fixation'.

中文翻译：

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无性繁殖大田作物的驯化综合征

背景技术无性繁殖作物在当前农业生产以及了解早期农业和植物驯化的长期历史方面具有全球意义。今天，重要的大田作物包括甘蔗 (Saccharum officinarum)、马铃薯 (Solanum tuberosum)、木薯 (Manihot esculenta)、香蕉和大蕉 (Musa cvs.)、甘薯 (Ipomoea batatas)、山药 (Dioscorea spp.) 和芋头 (Colocasia)埃斯库伦塔）。与有性繁殖作物，特别是谷物和豆类相比，无性繁殖大田作物的驯化综合征定义不明确。目标和范围 在此，提出了一系列可能包含与无性繁殖大田作物的早期驯化相关的综合征的表型性状，包括：繁殖方式、可食用部分的产量、易于收获、防御性适应、生产时间和植物结构。这些综合征特征的古植物学可见性被认为是为了重建过去无性繁殖大田作物驯化的地理和历史途径。结论 尽管确定了趋同的表型特征，但没有一个是普遍存在的，有些是不同的。与谷物和豆类相比，几个特征似乎代表了对生长环境和栽培实践的不同程度的塑性反应，而不是单纯的形态发生“固定”。这些综合征特征的古植物学可见性被认为是为了重建过去无性繁殖大田作物驯化的地理和历史途径。结论 尽管确定了趋同的表型特征，但没有一个是普遍存在的，有些是不同的。与谷物和豆类相比，几个特征似乎代表了对生长环境和栽培实践的不同程度的塑性反应，而不是单纯的形态发生“固定”。这些综合征特征的古植物学可见性被认为是为了重建过去无性繁殖大田作物驯化的地理和历史途径。结论 尽管确定了趋同的表型特征，但没有一个是普遍存在的，有些是不同的。与谷物和豆类相比，几个特征似乎代表了对生长环境和栽培实践的不同程度的塑性反应，而不是单纯的形态发生“固定”。