Ancient DNA analysis of Panicum miliaceum (broomcorn millet) from a Bronze Age cemetery in Xinjiang, China

Panicum miliaceum L. (broomcorn millet) was an important cereal for Eurasian populations in prehistory. It was first domesticated in China and spread westwards into Central Asia and Europe later on. However, the domestication history and dispersal routes of this cereal are still not clear. The well desiccated P. miliaceum grains recovered from Xiaohe cemetery, a Bronze Age cemetery in Xinjiang, China, provide us with an invaluable opportunity to further explore this issue, especially considering Xinjiang’s critical geographical position at the crossroads of contact between the West and East. Here we present an analysis of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS) sequences of P. miliaceum remains excavated from Xiaohe cemetery in comparison to modern landraces. The results show that the Xiaohe P. miliaceum exhibits heterogeneous characteristics in its rDNA, which are also commonly found in modern landraces. However, no exact sequence matching the Xiaohe millet was found in modern landraces so far, possibly suggesting the loss of genetic diversity through time. The most similar sequences are mainly present in landraces from India and Europe. Based on the genetic data of modern landraces and archaeological findings, we discuss the domestication of P. miliaceum and the possible prehistoric connections between northern China, Xinjiang and Europe in agricultural practices, as well as the potential routes westwards of P. miliaceum.