| The Rivet wheat in north-western China : A comment of Dr. Hosono's hypothesis on the route of introduction of wheat to China Ching-jang Yu National Taiwan University, Taiwan, China Following the successful synthesis of Triticum vulgare by H. Kihara and F. A. Lilienfeld (1948) by crossing Triticum persicum with Aegilops squarrosa, they assumed that the place of origin of T. vulgare may be the whole area where Ae. squarrosa grew wild, e.g. the border region between Iran and Afghanistan. In 1951. O. Sinoda discussed the time and route of introduction of T. vulgare into China, suggesting that T. vulgare was not introduced into China until the time of Han Wa Ti (ca. 200 B.C.). Since he correlated the introduction of T. vulgare with the expedition of Chang Ch'ien to Sinkiang, he seemed to hint strongly that wheat was introduced into north-western China through the so-called " silk route ". It is regrettable that there seems to be no Chinese report on the species and varieties of wheat in the Chinese Mainland. According to Hosono (1935), there are papers dealing with this subject by Flaksberger (1911, '15, '29). Percival (1921), Vavilov (1923) and Orlov (1923). Hosono's survey is the most detailed, and he stated that there were nineteen varieties of T. vulgare, five varieties of T. compactum and one variety of T. turgidum in the Chinese Mainland. The variety of T. turgidum was found in Yunnan Province. Based on the number and resemblance of varieties of T. vulgare in Yunnan and the neigboring provinces of Kwangsi, Kweichow, Szechwang, and on the presence of T. turgidum in Yunnan, Hosono (1954) reasoned that wheat was introduced into Yunnan from India. His hypothesis is sound from the plant geographical viewpoint of Vavilov. But since there is no confirmation in the Chinese literature, there is no way of determining whether wheat was actually introduced into China through such a route or what portion of the present day wheat varieties in China are descendents of those first introduced into Yunnan from India. After careful reading of Hosono's report (1935), I noticed that he did not have any specimens from Kansu and Shensi, the two important provinces along the silk route. Therefore he could not possibly obtain any material evidence in favor of the silk route, which is the most likely route of wheat introduction into China. Indeed this is a big drawback of Hosono's report. As I have never been in Kansu and Shensi, I have no knowledge of the wheat in those two provinces. However in 1939, while I was in Liuchow, Kwangsi, a friend coming from Shensi presented me with some specimens of T. turgidum var. lusitanicum which he said was cultivated to a considerable extent in or near Paocheng Shensi, and had the native name of " Lan-Mei " or blue wheat. Again in 1941, while I was in Chengtu, Szechwang, another friend sent me from Lanchow, Kansu, some specimens of T. turgidum var. columbianum, which he said was cultivated there to some extent and had the native name of " Fu-Shu- Shao-Mei ", or wheat with an ear resembling the fruit of the horned orange tree (Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingly). On the basis of these facts, it is quite certain that T. turgidum has been introduced into Kansu and Shensi. In conclusion, I think that the silk route is more important as a route by which wheat was introduced into China. I regret that I did not have the opportunity to witness the common wheat in Kansu and Shensi. I am therefore unable to contribute anything to Hosono's report concerning T. vulgare and T. compactum. This short report, or rather a recollection has been written upon the encouragement of Dr. K. Yamashita. And I wish to express my best thank to Dr. Ketellapper for his kindness to read the manuscript. Literature cited Hosono, S. 1935: Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Chinesischen Land Weizen. Mem. Coll. Agr., Kyoto Imp. Univ. 34: 1-11. Hosono, S. 1954 : On the classification and distribution of wheat (in " Studies on the Wheat ", Kihara ed., Second edition: 5-132, in Japanese). Kihara, H. and Lilienfeld, F. A. 1948: A new synthesized 6x-wheat. Proc., Eighth Internat'l Cong. Genet. (Hereditas Suppl. Vol.) 307-319. Sinoda, N. 1951: Origin of the five cereal crops, Wu-ku, in the far east. Natura and Kultura II : 37-69 (in Japanese with English abstract). |