Earliest domestication of common millet ( <i>Panicum miliaceum</i> ) in East Asia extended to 10,000 years ago

TLDR

The origin of millet in Neolithic China is accepted, but it is unclear which species—common or foxtail millet—was domesticated first and when or how they dispersed. The study reports the discovery of common millet remains in Neolithic Cishan storage pits in China. Common millet was present in China from about 10,300 to 8,700 cal yr BP, predating foxtail millet, and represents the earliest dry‑farming crop in East Asia because of its drought resistance.

Abstract

The origin of millet from Neolithic China has generally been accepted, but it remains unknown whether common millet (Panicum miliaceum) or foxtail millet (Setaria italica) was the first species domesticated. Nor do we know the timing of their domestication and their routes of dispersal. Here, we report the discovery of husk phytoliths and biomolecular components identifiable solely as common millet from newly excavated storage pits at the Neolithic Cishan site, China, dated to between ca. 10,300 and ca. 8,700 calibrated years before present (cal yr BP). After ca. 8,700 cal yr BP, the grain crops began to contain a small quantity of foxtail millet. Our research reveals that the common millet was the earliest dry farming crop in East Asia, which is probably attributed to its excellent resistance to drought.