Two teosintes made modern maize

• DOI: 10.1126/science.adg8940
• Publication Date: 2023-11-30T19:01:18Z
• Authors: Ning Yang; Yuebin Wang; Xiangguo Liu; Minliang Jin; Miguel Vallebueno...; Erin Calfee; Lu Chen; Brian P. Dilkes; Songtao Gui; Xingming Fan; Thomas K. Harper; Douglas J. Kennett; Wenqiang Li; Yanli Lu; Junqiang Ding; Ziqi Chen; Jingyun Luo; Sowmya Mambakkam; Mitra Menon; Samantha Snodgrass; Carl Veller; Shenshen Wu; Siying Wu; Lin Zhuo; Yingjie Xiao; Xiaohong Yang; Michelle C. Stitzer; Daniel Runcie; Jianbing Yan; Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; Domestication; Crops, Agricultural; Phenotype; Genetic Variation; Hybridization, Genetic; 15. Life on land; Mexico; Zea mays

The origins of maize were the topic vigorous debate for nearly a century, but neither current genetic model nor earlier archaeological models account totality available data, and recent work has highlighted potential contribution wild relative, Zea mays ssp. mexicana . Our population analysis reveals that origin modern can be traced to an admixture between ancient in highlands Mexico some 4000 years after domestication began. We show variation is key component diversity, both at individual loci additive underlying agronomic traits. results clarify raise new questions about anthropogenic mechanisms dispersal throughout Americas.