%0 Journal Article
%T DNA sequence diversity and the origin of cultivated safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.; Asteraceae)
%A Mark A Chapman
%A John M Burke
%J BMC Plant Biology
%D 2007
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2229-7-60
%X Single gene phylogenetic analyses indicated some reticulation or incomplete lineage sorting. However, the analysis of the combined dataset revealed a close relationship between safflower and C. palaestinus. In contrast, C. oxyacanthus and C. persicus appear to be more distantly related to safflower.Based on our results, we conclude that safflower is most likely derived from the wild species Carthamus palaestinus. As expected, safflower exhibits somewhat reduced nucleotide diversity as compared to its progenitor, consistent with the occurrence of a population genetic bottleneck during domestication. The results of this research set the stage for an investigation of the genetics of safflower domestication.Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a thistle-like, self-compatible, annual, diploid (2n = 24) herbaceous crop that thrives in hot, dry climates, and is capable of surviving on minimal surface moisture. It is believed to have been domesticated somewhere in the Fertile Crescent region over 4,000 years ago [1]. Following its initial domestication, safflower cultivation is thought to have expanded to both the east and west [2], with Knowles [3] ultimately recognizing seven "centers of similarity" (the Far East, India-Pakistan, the Middle East, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and Europe). Safflower lines native to each 'center' are remarkably similar in height, branching, spines, flower color and head size; however, consistent morphological differences are maintained between the centers.For centuries, safflower was grown on a local scale for its flowers, which served as a source of dye (carthamine) for textiles and food coloring, as well as for use in religious ceremonies [4]. Floral extracts were also used to flavor foods, and have historically been valued for their numerous medicinal properties. Cultivation of safflower in the New World commenced in 1899, and commercial production of safflower as an oilseed crop began in the 1950s [5]. More recently, there has been growing i
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/7/60