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Ancient plant DNA in the genomic era

Next-generation sequencing technologies have significantly changed the scope of ancient plant DNA research, moving from analysis of a few loci to generation of ancient genomes. Future research could refine our understanding of plant evolution and adaptation, and provide information for conservation, crop breeding and food security.

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Fig. 1: Sub-fossilised plant macro-remains sources of ancient plant DNA.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Geoff Fincher and Matthew Gilliham from the University of Adelaide, Birger Lindberg-Møeller from the University of Copenhagen, and Birgitte Skadhauge from Carlsberg’s Research Laboratory. O.E. is supported by the Administrative Department of Science, Technology and Innovation of Colombia (COLCIENCIAS) and the University of Adelaide Graduate Centre. We thank Elizabeth Reed and Kathryn Hill from the University of Adelaide for providing the samples from Naracoorte Cave. We also thank Nelli Hovhannisyan from the Yerevan State University and Boris Gasparyan, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography for providing the samples from Areni-1 Cave.

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Correspondence to James Breen.

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Estrada, O., Breen, J., Richards, S.M. et al. Ancient plant DNA in the genomic era . Nature Plants 4, 394–396 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-018-0187-9

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