PCR test to determine whether the destroyed remains of carbonized seeds belong to the genus Hordeum L.

During excavations of historical monuments, archaeologists find various artifacts that testify to the existence and everyday life of our distant ancestors. Particular attention is paid to the remains of living organisms. They not only provide evidence of the economic activity of ancient farmers, but also help to identify phylogenetic relationships and domestication processes in the world's centers of diversity. Due to the long-term presence of paleontological objects in the environment that is not conducive to preservation, they often get destroyed and it becomes impossible to determine which species they belong to. Therefore, archaeologists increasingly resort to the help of paleogeneticists. The works on studies of ancient DNA (aDNA) from human and animal remains are known in Russia. However, paleogenetic studies of fossil plant remains such as pollen, seeds, and timber are few. In 2019, carbonized grains of cereal crops were found on the territory of the Usvyaty settlement in Pskov Region. The findings date back to the 12th century. The morphological analysis of the seed mixture resulted in finding grains, the degree of destruction of which prevented determination of the species they belong to by analyzing their microrelief. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop taxon-specific primers that yield a short amplification product for the analysis of fragmented aDNA from the destroyed barley caryopses. As a result, a PCR test named HORDELF was developed, which is recommended for the identification of plant residues (carbonized seeds) belonging to the genus Hordeum L.