Canary Island lentils: Ancient crop discovered through archaeological DNA could boost future plant breeding

Researchers at Linköping University and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain have conducted the first genetic study of archaeological lentils in the Canary Islands. The findings suggest that, given ongoing climate change challenges, specific types of lentils could become valuable for plant breeding.

Lentils grown in the Canary Islands have a history that stretches back almost 2,000 years, and these specific lentils have been adapted for cultivation in hot and dry climates for a very long time.

Over a thousand years ago, the indigenous people of the island of Gran Canaria used long-term storage to preserve their harvest. They dug grain silos directly from the volcanic bedrock in places that were very difficult to access. Some of the seeds remained there. The conditions were so good that DNA was preserved in the plant parts into the present day. Today, these Millennial crops are a goldmine for scientists.

In the current study, the researchers analyzed lentils found in these grain silos. By comparing DNA from the archaeological lentils with those currently grown in the Canary Islands, Spain, and Morocco, they have been able to examine the lentils in more depth and their cultivation over time.

The study is one of the first to use archaeological DNA from legumes. 

Indigenous ingredient?

In the 1300s, the Canary Islands were inhabited by people who had arrived from North Africa more than a thousand years earlier. There are some written sources where Europeans describe farming by the indigenous people at the time — but there is no mention of lentils. So, when did the lentils come to the Canary Islands, and how?

The new study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, shows that lentils have a long history in the islands. Genetic analyses carried out by the researchers showed that many of the lentils grown on the islands today actually originate from lentils that the indigenous people had brought with them from North Africa in the 200s.

“The same type of lentils has been cultivated for almost 2,000 years in the Canary Islands. This is interesting, especially considering the indigenous population was greatly diminished when Europeans took over the islands. But the new settlers seem to have adopted the indigenous people’s crops and continued to grow them,” says Jenny Hagenblad, senior associate professor at Linköping University, who led the study.

Crops, climate & culture

So just how did the lentils survive that long? The researchers’ theory is that these varieties were well adapted to the local climate. Another idea is that indigenous women, who married immigrant men, played a role in preserving the knowledge of which crops to grow. 

The Canary Islands have preserved their original type of lentils for so long that interest in the islands’ cultural heritage is growing. Many want to cook and eat food rooted in their history, and lentils are part of that story.

The lentils now grown in the Canary Islands have a history that stretches back almost 2,000 years. (Credit: Fayna Brenes)“We also see in our study that different types of lentils are grown on different islands — even islands where it was previously thought that lentils were never cultivated. It’s important to preserve lentils from different islands, because genetic diversity can prove valuable for the future of agriculture,” adds Jonathan Santana, researcher at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Lanzarote lentils: Not all as it seems

The researchers also made another discovery. “Lenteja tipo Lanzarote,” or Lanzarote lentil, is a common term for lentils in Spanish shops. 

These lentils are not produced on the island of Lanzarote, but the designation is associated with quality. When the researchers compared lentils currently grown on the Spanish mainland with contemporary Canarian lentils, DNA analyses showed that lentils from Lanzarote appear to have been cross-bred with the Spanish lentils.

Jacob Morales, associate professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, further explains: “Our results indicate that the lentils from Lanzarote have contributed not only their name but also their genes to Spanish lentils. With the climate change that is now taking place, Canarian lentils, adapted to growing in dry and warm conditions, may be of great interest for future plant breeding.”