Revolutionary Research Dispels The Agricultural Revolution

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The wild lentil (lens culinaris) is a low, unobtrusive plant that yields about 10 seeds. To increase the plant's chance of survival, some of the seeds that fall from its pods fail to sprout during rain. Typically, only one of the plant's 10 seeds sprouts immediately when they reach maturity. The remaining seeds stay in the ground, waiting for their turn to sprout. Each year, only about 10 percent of the seeds sprout.

 

This phenomenon, called "seed dormancy," helped wild lentils survive harsh conditions in the Middle East but did not help mankind, which preferred to use the seeds as raw material in soups and stews. It is difficult to support a family from a few seeds of a plant when one is not sure how many of them will sprout and how many simmering pots they will produce.

 

full article at Haaretz