Traces of Early Native Americans -- in Sunflower Genes

New information about early Native Americans' horticultural practices comes not from hieroglyphs or other artifacts, but from a suite of four gene duplicates found in wild and domesticated sunflowers. Indiana University Bloomington scientists learned duplications of the gene FLOWERING LOCUS T, or FT, could have evolved and interacted to prolong a flower's time to grow. A longer flower growth period means a bigger sunflower -- presumably an attribute of value to the plant's first breeders.

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