Ancient crop discovered in the Canary Islands thanks to archaeological DNA
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-Sep-2025 02:11 ET (17-Sep-2025 06:11 GMT/UTC)
The lentils now grown in the Canary Islands have a history that stretches back almost 2,000 years on the site. This is shown in the very first genetic study of archaeological lentils, carried out by researchers at Linköping University and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain. Since these lentils have been adapted for cultivation in hot and dry climates for a very long time, they may become valuable for plant breeding in the light of ongoing climate change.
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