Understanding how Neolithic communities balanced plant consumption with agricultural production is crucial for reconstructing early human plant food strategies and territorial interaction. The Zhaizishan site , situated in the Jianghan Plain of central China, provides important evidence for plant use and food processing during the Youziling (ca. 5800-5300 BP) and Qujialing (ca. 5300-4500 BP) periods. We present an integrated microbotanical investigation combining starch grain analysis of 20 pottery vessels and phytolith analysis of 26 sediment samples to clarify the relationship between vessel-level plant use and broader patterns of crop production. Starch residues reveal a diverse range of plant foods processed or consumed in pottery vessels, including rice (Oryza spp.), foxtail/broomcorn millets (Setaria italica/Panicum miliaceum), Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), tubers (e.g., Dioscorea-type), acorns (Quercus spp.), and other underground storage organs. Millet-related starches occur most frequently (85% ubiquity), followed by Job's tears and underground storage organs (75% each), while rice starch grains show substantially lower ubiquity (35%). Starch residues were identified in 7 of 9 cooking/storage vessels (77.8%) and 10 of 11 serving vessels (90.9%), indicating that pottery vessels functioned as multifunctional tools involved in food preparation, consumption, and deposition. In contrast, phytolith assemblages are overwhelmingly dominated by rice, accounting for > 99% of crop phytoliths across all phases, demonstrating that wetland rice cultivation formed the foundation of agricultural production. Millet phytoliths are rare and sporadic. The high ubiquity of millet starches on pottery vessels is not matched by phytolith evidence, indicating selective consumption of northern dryland crops rather than local millet production. These contrasting proxy records highlight the importance of distinguishing consumption from production in archaeobotanical interpretation. Millet use in the Jianghan Plain likely reflects limited incorporation of northern dryland crops through exchange or cultural interaction during the Neolithic.

Turquoise (CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O) was a globally significant gemstone in prehistoric civilizations, and played a prominent role in symbolism, exchange, and social differentiation. In Neolithic China, turquoise artifacts are particularly important for understanding early ritual practices and emerging socio-economic networks. During the 2013 excavation of the Jiahu Site (9000 − 7500 cal. BP) in Henan Province, central China, numerous turquoise artifacts were unearthed, yet their provenance has remained unresolved. To resolve this issue, we conducted a multi-technique analysis on 162 Jiahu turquoise artifacts and mineral samples from three newly identified deposits in Xichuan County. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) identified 161 artifacts and 56 mineral samples as turquoise, with one artifact classified as amazonite. Initial mineralogical characterization via extended depth-of-field microscopy (EDFM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the closest affinities to Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi turquoise deposits. Trace element compositions obtained by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) also support this regional attribution. Subsequent principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) provide finer discrimination. It reveals that Jiahu turquoise exhibits closest geochemical correspondence with deposits at the Baliping and Dashiqiao in Xichuan County and with unknown ore veins along the northern margin of the Middle Belt, while remaining distinct from Shaanxi and Hubei. These findings indicates that Jiahu communities primarily exploited nearby turquoise resources rather than distant mining regions, shedding new light on middle Neolithic resource procurement strategies and regional interaction networks in central China.

Leaf color mutations in plants serve as valuable resources for investigating metabolic pathways related to biosynthesis of chlorophyll, flavonoid, and carotenoid. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the physiological characteristics, transcriptomes, and metabolomic profiles of a mutant of Malus hupehensis var. pingyiensis with red leaves (RM) and normal plant (CK) with green leaves was performed. A total of 283 differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) and 9,822 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between RM and CK. Compared with the CK, RM presented a reduced chlorophyll content and elevated levels of carotenoids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the DAMs and DEGs were associated mainly with the metabolism of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and flavonoids, with the anthocyanidin biosynthesis pathway showing the greatest enrichment. Several key anthocyanin biosynthetic genes, including chalcone isomerase (CHI), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), UDP-Glucose:Flavonoid 3-O-Glucosyltransferase (UFGT), and UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGT), were upregulated in the red leaves, in line with a significant increase in cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (C3G) and pelargonidin 3-O-glucoside (pg3G). Furthermore, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed upregulation of MdMYB10 and MdUFGT. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and dual-luciferase reporter (LUC) assays demonstrated that MdMYB10 bound to the MdUFGT promoter fragment and subsequently upregulated its expression, leading to the accumulation of C3G and pg3G in RM. Our findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of leaf coloration and offer a foundation for the development of new cultivars with alteration of leaf color.

The spatiotemporal trajectories of crop dispersal are crucial for understanding agricultural development and cultural interaction among prehistoric populations. The middle-lower Huai River represents a geographic, climatic, and vegetation transitional zone between northern and southern China and has long been regarded as a key region for Neolithic agricultural exchange. However, the timing and processes by which rice and millets appeared in this region remain unclear. Here, phytolith analysis from the Qugou site, together with phytolith carbon dating, reveals the earliest crop cultivation and domestication process in this area. The results show that rice was cultivated as the staple crop from at least 8.8 ka BP. Broomcorn millet and foxtail millet were introduced later, at 7.2 and 6.4 ka BP, respectively, and functioned as supplementary components of the cropping system. In addition, rice remains recovered from Qugou were the domesticated Japonica type, while broomcorn millet shows evidence of an ongoing domestication process. These findings represent the earliest evidence for the exploitation of both rice and millets in the middle-lower Huai River and provide new insights into Neolithic agricultural practices, crop dispersal, and human adaptation strategies in eastern China.

【Objective】This study aimed to clarify the differences in Na+ distribution and transport between salt-resistant and-sensitive dwarfing rootstocks of apples under high-salt stress, so as to provide reference for exploring the salt resistance mechanism and breeding of resistant apple dwarfing rootstocks.【Methods】Two-year-old plants of salt-resistant dwarfing apple rootstock G935(Malus domestica) plants, salt-sensitive dwarfing rootstock SH6 (M. honanensis), and their double-rootstock grafted Fuji(DRG)were used as experimental materials. Branches were removed, and plants with basically the same growth vigor were selected. Potted plant irrigated with deionized water were used as the control, and those irrigated with a 200 mmol · L-1 NaCl solution were for high-salt stress treatment. The salt damage of each plant were observed. The relative chlorophyll content(RCC), net photosynthetic rate(Pn),relative growth rate (RGR), and the contents of Na+ and K+ and the Na+/K+ ratio in different tissues (root, stem base, stem and leaf tissues)were measured. Moreover, Na+ staining was performed on root slices of the two rootstocks, and the transport and distribution characteristics of Na+ were comparatively analyzed.【Results】Following 21 days of exposure to high-salt stress treatment, the leaf margins of SH6 plants exhibited characteristic symptoms of salt injury, including leaf chlorosis, marginal scorching and partial leaf shedding. These morphological symptoms were accompanied by a significant decline in key physiological parameters, e.g. RCC, Pn, and RGR. In contrast, the leaves of G935 plants showed no obvious salt damage and the RCC and Pn did not significantly decrease, but their relative growth rate significantly decreased. The DRG plants displayed a pronounced bilateral asymmetry in response to salt stress. The SH6-side leaves of the DRG plants developed severe browning and abscission, and their RCC and Pn were significantly lower than those of the G935 side leaves. The detection of Na+ content in different tissues showed that under the salt stress treatment, the Na+ content in the roots of SH6 plants was lower than that of G935 plants, while the Na+ content in the leaves of SH6 plants was 7.5 times that in the leaves of G935 plants, and the Na+ content in the leaves of the SH6 side of DRG plants was 4.5 times that in the leaves of the G935 side. Analysis of K+ contents showed that in SH6 plants no significant change was observed in the root and stem base tissues compared to the control, whereas a significant decrease was detected in the stem and leaf tissues. In G935 plants, K+ was redistributed under salt stress, with a significant decrease in the roots but no significant change in the stem base and stem. Notably, this was associated with a significant accumulation of K+ in the leaves. In the SH6 sector of DRG plants, K+ was relatively constant in the roots and scion stem, but there was a significant reduction in the stem base and leaves, particularly, the K+ content in the leaves, which decreased by 23.16% compared to the control. However, all of the root, stem base, and scion stem tissues exhibited a significant decrease in K+ content in G935 rootstock, with reductions of 8.07%,13.56%, and 15.00%, respectively;while no significant change was recorded in the leaves. The observation of Na+ staining in root tip sections showed that the Na+ fluorescence intensity of the root tips of the G935 rootstock was 1.71 times that of the SH6 rootstock before the salt stress treatment. After the salt stress treatment, the fluorescence intensity of the SH6 rootstock was significantly higher than that of the G935 rootstock. Moreover, compared with the G935 rootstock, the Na+ in the root tips of the SH6 rootstock was mainly distributed in the middle column tissue.【Conclusion】Dwarfing rootstock G935 exhibited a high salt tolerance with remarkably poorer mobility of Na+ from the roots to the above-ground portion and a lower Na+/K+ ratio, while in salt-sensitive dwarfing rootstock SH6, Na+ penetrates more through the endodermis and enters the vascular tissue in the stele, and is thus more transported to the above-ground part, which might be the primary factor accounting for the difference in salt resistance between the two apple dwarfing rootstocks.

During the late Neolithic, the number of pottery cups unearthed in the Central Plains of China increased, yet their function remained unclear. This study investigates the functions of pottery vessels from the Shuanghuaishu site, dating to the late Yangshao to early Longshan periods (ca. 5200-4500 cal BP), using starch grain, phytolith, fungal, and organic acid analyses. The results suggest that jiandiping were not typical vessels for brewing or consuming alcohol, while the emerging pottery cups were used for drinking alcoholic beverages. Ingredients used in brewing included millets, rice, Job's tears, Triticeae, tubers, and legumes. The form and function of the cups may have been influenced by the Dawenkou Culture and introduced to support feasting and ritual activities. These findings reveal a significant phase in drinking practices in the Central Plains around 5000 BP, reflecting both intensified regional interaction and growing ritual needs of complex societies during the late Neolithic.

The early Yangshao period (ca. 7.0-6.0 ka BP) is a pivotal transition stage for prehistoric human subsistence strategies from hunting and gathering to farming and husbandry. The western Henan Province constitutes the core area of Yangshao Culture. To investigate the dietary conditions of the early Yangshao ancestors in this area, analysis of plant micro-remains (starch grains and phytoliths) and organic acid residues was conducted on 34 pottery samples unearthed at the Chengyan Site in Lingbao City, western Henan Province, central China. The results revealed that the plant foods of the Chengyan people included Triticeae, Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), rice (Oryza sativa), millet (Setaria italica and Panicum miliaceum), lotus root (Nelumbo nucifera), snake gourd root (Trichosanthes kirilowii), yam (Dioscorea), lily (Lilium brownii), legumes (Fabaceae), and acorn (Quercus), in which, some species served as raw materials for brewing fermented beverages. These findings demonstrate that botanical resource exploitation during this period in central China exhibited remarkable diversity, with foraging maintaining its significance as an essential subsistence strategy for early human populations in acquiring plant foods. The presence of rice at the Chengyan site indicates its spread to western Henan during the early Yangshao period, and a rice-millet mixed farming, dominated by foxtail millet and broomcorn millet, had developed in the area. This study provides valuable insights into the dietary patterns and agricultural production trajectories of the early Yangshao communities in the Central Plains region.

BACKGROUND:Sugar distribution regulation, especially in the roots, is an important pathway for plants to cope with abiotic stress. Sugar transport proteins (STPs) mediate the transmembrane transport of hexoses such as glucose and fructose; however, the molecular mechanism underlying the response to salt stress remains unclear. RESULTS:Here, we identified 22 STP genes in apple (Malus domestica) using genome-wide screening. Under salt stress, 17 genes were detected in the roots of the apple rootstock Malus robusta Rehd; of them, MrSTP3, MrSTP7, MrSTP14, and MrSTP20 showed stronger positive responses to salt stress. Under exogenous sugar induction, MrSTP7, MrSTP17, and MrSTP20 were significantly upregulated for all three hexoses (glucose, fructose, and mannose), one sugar alcohol (mannitol), and sucrose. MrSTP20 exhibited the strongest response to high salt, glucose, and fructose concentrations. Furthermore, we found that MrSTP20 has a conserved STP domain and is expressed in Arabidopsis protoplasts localized to the plasma membrane, supporting its function in transporting hexoses from the extracellular space into the cells. Association analysis showed that MrSTP20 synergized with the salt-responsive glycosyltransferase gene (UGT71), pentatriocopeptide repeat protein (PPR), cytochrome c oxidase synthesis (HCC1), and S-phase kinase-associated protein 1 (SKP1) at the gene expression level. CONCLUSIONS:These findings suggest that MrSTP20 transports hexoses from the extracellular space into cells, positively involving in salt stress tolerance and sugar transport regulation, thereby providing new insights into the salt tolerance mechanism in apple trees.

The Nanyang Basin is located in a traffic artery connecting the middle reaches of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. It is a key region for investigating crop spread, population migration, and cultural exchanges between northern and southern China in prehistoric times. Owing to the lack of relevant plant archaeological materials, there remain many gaps in our understanding of the structural characteristics and evolution of crops from the Peiligang to Shijiahe culture (ca.9.0-4.2 ka BP) in this area. This study presents phytolith analysis of 53 soil samples from cultural layers, ash pits, and residential structures spanning the Peiligang to Shijiahe periods at the Huangshan site in the central basin, combined with AMS14C dating to reconstruct crop structure dynamics. Results indicate that in the late Peiligang period (ca.7.4-7.3 ka BP), rice (Oryza sativa) was the main crop, while the Early Yangshao to Shijiahe periods (ca.6.2-4.2 ka BP) witnessed mixed broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), rice, and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) utilization with temporal variability. The entire Yangshao period site presented a crop pattern dominated by broomcorn millet supplemented with rice and millet. However, from the early to the late Yangshao period (ca.6.2-5.6 ka BP), the proportion of broomcorn millet in the crop structure continued to increase, whereas that of rice decreased significantly. The Qujialing period saw rice resurgence as the primary crop, accompanied by reduced dryland crops reliance. Although dryland crops rebounded slightly during Shijiahe, rice maintained dominance. Notably, foxtail millet, though present since Early Yangshao, never became a staple. Intriguingly, phytolith data from distinct dwellings revealed differential crop preferences among residents, likely linked to Huangshan's role as a jade-handicraft center. Integrating archaeological and archaeobotanical evidence across the Nanyang Basin, we propose that these agricultural shifts reflect the alternating cultural influences of middle Yellow River and middle Yangze River societies, compounded by climaticenvironmental changes. This research significantly advances understanding of prehistoric crop structure evolution and its drivers in transitional ecotones, central China.

The southward spread of millets is one of the current hotspots of Chinese archaeological research. The entry of millets into the Jianghan Plain likely followed three routes, with the Han River corridor, linking the Nanyang Basin to the Jianghan Plain, being particularly significant. However, this prevalent hypothesis still requires robust archaeobotanical evidence to support it. At the Zhaizishan site, located at the southern end of Han River corridor, flotation analysis identified rice (Oryza sativa), foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), along with 14 types of non-crop remains. The analysis indicated that during the Youziling culture period (5800-5300 BP), millets were already present near the Jianghan Plain but less prominent within the crop assemblage. However, its significance increased during the Qujialing culture period (5300-4500 BP), although rice continued to be dominant. During the Shijiahe culture period (4500-4200 BP), the importance of millets may have further increased. The discovery of millets at the Zhaizishan site during the Youziling culture period strongly supports the theory that the Han River corridor served as a route for the southward spread of millets, no later than 5300 years ago. In addition, by comparing crop structures at the Zhaizishan and Qujialing sites, we found that natural and cultural factors both contributed to the increasing importance of millets within the agricultural system. Additionally, the sloped terrain would have driven ancient humans to cultivate more millet. This study is of great significance for exploring the spatiotemporal processes of the southward spread of millets and the impacts of millets on the Neolithic crop structure in the middle Yangtze River region, as well as the complex relationships among the natural conditions, archaeological cultures, and prehistoric agriculture.

ABSTRACTEnzyme mimics attract wide attentions as detection sensors. However, the widespread application is limited by low efficiency and high cost. Herein, two novel enzyme mimics 1 and 2 were developed with peroxidase‐like activities. The chain‐like structure of 1 exhibited better stability, energy transformation efficiency, and catalytic property than 2. Both of them could generate •OH radicals to oxide chromogenic agents, realizing the colorimetric detection of H2O2. Additionally, under the synergy of glucose oxidase, a cascade strategy for detection of glucose was constructed. This method exhibited excellent selectivity, anti‐interference, and storage performance, as well as a wide linear range (1–60 μM) at pH = 7.4, with the low detection limits of 0.095 and 0.061 μM for 1 and 2, respectively. Furthermore, the strategy was applied for detecting glucose in apple fruit samples. This work overcomes the shortcomings of current enzyme mimics and paves the way for bioanalysis and agricultural applications.

Sodium ion (Na+) transport in plants directly affects salt tolerance. Therefore, identifying key Na+ transport genes is important for breeding salt-tolerant plants. In this study, a total of 97 genes were identified in six transporter families in apple (Malus domestica (Suckow) Borkh.) through a genome-wide screening for Na+/K+ transport-related genes. Under high-salt stress, 12 genes were up-regulated in the roots. Notably, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger-like protein 4 (MdNCL4) showed the strongest positive response to salt stress and the highest root-tissue specific expression. We determined that MdNCL4 localised to the plasma membrane in Arabidopsis protoplasts; heterologous expression showed function complementation in yeast Na+ efflux mutants. This supported its function in transporting Na+ from the cytoplasm to the extracellular space. Association analysis showed that MdNCL4 co-expressed with known salt-tolerance genes, including NAC transcription factor (NAC69) and dehydrin 1 (DHN1). These findings enrich current understanding of Na+ transport and may be useful for salt-tolerant breeding of apple rootstocks.

Glutinous rice mortar is a traditional lime-based building material which was first used in China during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 CE) according to ancient Chinese documents. The Tieguai Tomb, dating back to the late Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 CE) in Nanling, Southern China, was built by using mortar for its tomb chamber, making it the earliest mortar tomb found in China to date. In this study, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thin-section petrography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and starch grain analyses were conducted to comprehensively investigate the manufacturing techniques of the mortar from the Tieguai tomb. The results show that the mortar is a type of organic-inorganic mixed material made of glutinous rice pulp, lime, clay, and fine sand. This finding indicates that glutinous rice mortar had already been used as a building material as early as the late Northern Song Dynasty, which is the earliest use record for this material in China. This study also provides direct scientific evidence for exploring the origin of glutinous rice mortar and is of great importance for reconstructing the history of Chinese traditional building materials and architectural techniques.

The area surrounding Songshan Mountain is the core area where the Central Plains civilization originated and developed. However, the agricultural basis of the Central Plains civilization is still not very clear, especially lacking a high-precision chronological framework. In this paper, archaeobotanical analysis and AMS 14C dating test were conducted at the Qingtai site, with 935 soil samples and 20 dating materials collected. And 106,106 charred plant remains were recovered. Abundant charred seeds and high-precision chronological data indicated that from the mid-late Yangshao to the early Longshan period (ca. 5500-4700 BP), the Qingtai site developed mixed farming that foxtail millet (Setaria italica) dominated, while common millet (Panicum miliaceum) and rice (Oryza sativa) occupied a relatively lower position. Combining with archaeobotanical data from other sites spanning from the late Yangshao to the Longshan period (ca. 5300-4000 BP) in the Central Plains, this study demonstrated that the mixed farming which has existed in the Songshan region since the middle Peiligang period provided the basis for social complexity and the continuous development of the Central Plains civilization. During the late Longshan period, the ancestors increased efforts to cultivate soybean (Glycine max) and introduced wheat (Triticum aestivum). Research also showed that crop structure was more closely related to geographical location and site areas. During the late Yangshao period, the large-scale settlements in northern Songshan promoted dry farming, in which foxtail millet was the staple food. However, the crop system in southern middle-size and small sites had local features, in which rice or common millet played a relative important role in farming. During the late Longshan period, five crops were more likely to be cultivated at the large-scale settlements. This study provides the latest archaeobotanical evidence, contributing to a further exploration of the relationship between agriculture development and the civilization process in Central Plains.

Stress tolerance in apple (Malus domestica) can be improved by grafting to a stress-tolerant rootstock, such as 'SH6' (Malus honanensis x M. domestica 'Ralls Genet'). However, the mechanisms of stress tolerance in this rootstock are unclear. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the transcription factor ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 10 is a key component of plant tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses and positively regulates antioxidant enzymes. However, how reactive oxygen species are eliminated upon activation of ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 10 in response to abiotic stress remains elusive. Here, we report that MhZAT10 in the rootstock SH6 directly activates the transcription of three genes encoding the antioxidant enzymes MANGANESE SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE 1 (MhMSD1), ASCORBATE PEROXIDASE 3A (MhAPX3a) and CATALASE 1 (MhCAT1) by binding to their promoters. Heterologous expression in Arabidopsis protoplasts showed that MhMSD1, MhAPX3a and MhCAT1 localize in multiple subcellular compartments. Overexpressing MhMSD1, MhAPX3a or MhCAT1 in SH6 fruit calli resulted in higher superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase enzyme activities in their respective overexpressing calli than in those overexpressing MhZAT10. Notably, the calli overexpressing MhZAT10 exhibited better growth and lower reactive oxygen species levels under simulated osmotic stress. Apple SH6 plants overexpressing MhZAT10 in their roots via Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation also showed enhanced tolerance to osmotic stress, with higher leaf photosynthetic capacity, relative water content in roots and antioxidant enzyme activity, as well as less reactive oxygen species accumulation. Overall, our study demonstrates that the transcription factor MhZAT10 synergistically regulates the transcription of multiple antioxidant-related genes and elevates reactive oxygen species detoxification.

The Zhengluo region in central China is the core area for the start of the process from which Chinese civilization emerged during the late Yangshao Culture (LYS, ca. 5.5–5.0 ka bp ) and the early Longshan Culture period (ELS, ca. 5.0–4.5 ka bp ). During this time, agriculture must have played a major role by providing stable food resources. However, information on the farming methods during this period is rare, especially from large settlement sites. This paper discusses the study of 77 soil samples from Shuanghuaishu (ca. 5,290–4,527 bp ), the largest settlement site of the LYS to ELS period ever discovered in the middle catchment of the Huang He (Yellow River). Abundant phytoliths from Panicum miliaceum (broomcorn millet) and Setaria italica (foxtail millet) were found, together with a small amount from Oryza sativa (rice), indicating that millets were more important than rice at Shuanghuaishu. Further statistical analysis reveals varying amounts of rice throughout the period of site occupation, which may be due to the local gradual climate change from warm to cold and dry, as well as the change of the nature and size of the site. Combining previous studies, it is also proposed that farming was based on a range of several crops starting in the LYS period. The development of agriculture, consistently dominated by millets in the Zhengluo area, could have provided stable food resources for the local population and thus made possible increasing social complexity and the development of civilization. This study provides the latest archaeobotanical data from the largest settlement site in the area, contributing to a further exploration of the relationship between the development of agriculture and of civilization in central China.

The Maotang site in the northeastern Nanyang Basin, central China, encompasses both the Qujialing (5300-4500 BP) and Shijiahe (4500-4200 BP) cultures. Based on the flotation of soil samples collected at the site, micromorphological identification confirmed the presence of three crop seeds, rice (Oryza sativa), foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), as well as 18 types of non-crop seeds, along with some fruits and nuts. The analysis indicated that during the Qujialing-Shijiahe Cultural period, the Maotang site functioned as a agricultural settlement cultivating a combination of rice and millet. Within this mixed farming, rice and foxtail millet dominated, while broomcorn millet occupied a relatively lower position. Notably, during the Qujialing Culture period, rice had greater significance than foxtail millet, and after entering the Shijiahe Culture period, rice and foxtail millet became nearly equally important. Based on relevant studies on paleoenvironment, agricultural history and archaeological culture, this article argues that cultural diffusion has had a significant impact on the evolution of crop structure during the Neolithic Nanyang Basin. Specifically, the northward expansion of the Qujialing Culture notably established a predominance of rice in the mixed cultivation system, which was more prevalent in the southwestern area of the basin. However, during the Shijiahe Culture period, due to the decline of the Shijiahe Culture's influence and the flourishing of archaeological cultures from the Central Plain, the position of foxtail millet increased obviously, and it nearly had the equal importance as rice in the northeastern area of the Nanyang basin. This study provides the latest archaeobotanical data from the transitional area of the central China, contributing to a further exploration on the relationship between the crop structure evolution and archaeological culture diffusion in the Neolithic period.

本文以漯河地区四处龙山时代晚期中小型遗址(寺疙瘩、凌云台、善德、大悲寺)调查发现的炭化植物遗存为切入点,探讨淮河上游南部地区的农业结构.浮选出的炭化植物遗存包括粟、黍、水稻、大豆属、小麦5种农作物,狗尾草属、马唐属等旱地与荒地杂草.量化分析显示漯河地区龙山时代晚期中小型遗址的作物结构以粟为主,黍为辅,普遍伴出少量稻、大豆,可能出现小麦.综合已公布的研究资料,认为龙山时代晚期淮河上游广大区域内的农业结构趋于一致.

The southwestern Huanghuai Plain, located in the transitional climate zone between southern and northern China, was characterized by a unique rice-millet mixed farming pattern during the Neolithic period, which laid a solid economic foundation for the origin of civilization in Central China. However, the specific formation time and evolution of mixed farming in this area are still unclear. In this study, phytolith analysis was conducted on 31 sediment samples from Zhangwangzhuang, a site that has been dated back to the early and middle Yangshao cultural periods (ca. 6.3-5.6 ka BP) in the research area. The results indicate that the mixed farming of rice and millets appeared at Zhangwangzhuang since the early Yangshao period (EYS), approximately 6.3 ka BP. Further quantitative analysis of the phytolith data shows that broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and rice (Oryza sativa) were abundant at Zhangwangzhuang. Notably, the proportion of rice declined greatly in the second phase and afterward increased continuously from the third to the fourth phases, which was much higher than that of nearby contemporary sites and might be attributed to the abundant water resources around Zhangwangzhuang. Combined with the existing archaeobotanical data, this paper argues that the emergence of millet cultivation during the early Yangshao cultural period in the research region could be caused by the southward spread of the Yangshao culture. On the other hand, millets became more widely cultivated in the southwestern Huanghuai Plain since 6.0 ka BP, which could have been caused by climate change, from warmth and humidity to coolness and drought. The paper thus provides important information regarding the formation and developing process of rice-millet mixed farming in the southwestern Huanghuai Plain, contributing to a better understanding of the subsistence strategy adopted by the local people when facing climate change in the north-south transitional zone of China.

The Huanghuai Plain is located in a transitional climate zone between the Yangtze River and Yellow River valleys in Central China, where mixed farming of millets and rice appeared 8,000 years ago. However, when this specific agricultural model became the primary subsistence strategy and how the crop structure developed in this area have not been confirmed, largely due to the lack of sufficient archaeobotanical evidence and accurate chronological data. In this study, accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) radiocarbon dating and identification of the plant remains have been conducted at the Neolithic site of Shigu. The results indicate that mixed farming of millets and rice was practised at Shigu during the Yangshao Culture period (ca. 6400–5300 a BP), during which broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) dominated. This finding is different from the earlier Peiligang Culture sites (9,000–7,000 BP) in the same research region, where wild editable plants were more abundant. Although the crop structure at Shigu changed around 6,000 years ago, with a noticeable decrease in rice cultivation, millets and rice were always the primary plant foods for the local population. The present study thus proposes the formation of a crop-based agricultural society at least 6400 years ago at Shigu in the western Huanghuai Plain of Central China.