Gideon Ladizinsky Libri

Focusing on the unique aspects of evolution under domestication, this book addresses a gap in existing literature by exploring how agriculture, which began over 10,000 years ago, has shaped crop evolution. It highlights the role of human influence and the ongoing presence of wild progenitors in natural habitats. The text examines evolutionary forces such as hybridization and selection, emphasizing how agricultural practices have led to new selection criteria and increased diversity in crop characteristics, distinct from their wild ancestors.

This work is a result of 40 years of research, mainly by the authors, on wild relatives of seven important cool season legumes. The primary aim of this research was to identifying the potential of wild relatives of these legumes for breeding purposes. Studying the wild relatives of cool season legumes includes evaluation of their taxonomic status, their morphological variation, ecological requirements, exploration of their distribution, and seed collection in their natural habitats. These seeds were used for examining their protein profile as preliminary hints of their affinity to the cultigens. Plants grown from these seeds were used for establishing their karyotype, producing intra- and interspecific hybrids and analyses of their chromosome pairing at meiosis and fertility. The aim of these investigations was the identification of the potential wild gene pool of the domesticated forms. Assessment of genetic variation among accessions, particularly in the genus Lens, was made by isozymes and chloroplast DNA studies

The book is based on the author's life time experience in exploring and researching the genus Avena. It describes some great events in oat research and minor stories along the way. It will be of interest and value to all those working with oats and to students and scientists of crop evolution, including those dealing with collecting and conserving wild genetic resources. A first part deals with the morphology and taxonomy of the genus and a classification based on the biological species concept is presented. A further part is devoted to the author’s research accomplishments in this genus. It describes morphological characters distinguishing between diploids and tetraploids of series Eubarbatae, the genetic relationships between them, and the mode of origin of the tetraploid form. The section Denticulatae, to which the common oat belongs, is extensively treated. Further, oat domestication and the newly domesticated protein rich A. magna are described. A third part dealswith wild genetic resources of oat.