Tigray’s old grapevines have survived against the odds: new research uncovers their genetic and historic value

The northern highlands of Ethiopia are among Africa’s oldest agricultural landscapes. Some of the world’s most important crops originated here, particularly pulses and grains, including teff. Yet another crop has a less well-known history in Ethiopia’s Tigray region: the grapevine. We are an interdisciplinary team of geographers, agronomists and archaeologists studying long-term interactions between agriculture, landscapes and society in Ethiopia. Archaeological discoveries from the ancient Aksumite kingdom, in what’s now Ethiopia, include grape seeds, wine vessels, rock-cut wine presses, and historical records showing that grapes were cultivated in antiquity. We wanted to find out whether any of today’s grapevines could be descendants of those early introductions. Our research set out to investigate whether traces of an ancient grape-growing tradition still survived in the region or not. Unlike the vineyards of the Mediterranean, Tigray’s grapevines are grown in household compounds, village gardens and church grounds. Families eat the grapes fresh, share them with neighbours, donate bunches to Orthodox churches and value the vines for the shade they provide during the dry season. Many vines have been propagated from cuttings exchanged between families over generations rather than purchased commercially. In the village of Rubaksa, Ethiopia, generations of farmers have preserved a unique grapevine landrace. Jan Nyssen, CC BY Our findings show a complex heritage shaped by long-term smallholder management, cultural practices and geographic isolation in remote villages. Our research suggests that these grapevines trace part of their ancestry to introductions during the Aksumite era (around 150 BCE-800 CE), probably linked to ancient Greek-influenced eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea trade networks. Their genetic makeup was later influenced by hybridisation with varieties introduced into neighbouring Eritrea during the early 20th century. We identified a landrace, Rubaksum Tsellim, as a distinct lineage with affinity to Mediterranean varieties. A landrace is a local crop variety maintained by farmers over generations, shaped by selection, exchange and adaptation rather than formal commercial breeding. In our view, the resilience and productivity of the vines under dryland conditions suggest they may possess traits valuable for climate-resilient viticulture. They can be grown on stony farm plots and stone walls, with manual irrigation. This gives the Tigrayan grapevines genetic as well as historic value. Gathering the evidence Our research involved field surveys, farmer interviews, DNA analysis and the study of grape-seed shapes. The surveys were conducted across four highland areas covering 1,269km². We found 41 vines, which suggests there could be roughly 1,000–1,500 mature vines across the wider region. Rather than growing in vineyards, they are integrated into homesteads as multifunctional plants. One vine in Rubaksa, a lush, spring-watered village in a secluded valley of the Tembien mountains, attracted particular attention. Local residents could trace its presence back for decades. We collected leaves for genetic analysis and seeds from dried fruit still on the vine. The plant’s DNA profile showed no match in major international grapevine reference databases we used. Instead, it revealed affinities with traditional grape varieties from the Mediterranean and Caucasus regions. The grape seeds told a similar story. Their shapes most closely resembled those of varieties from Italy, Cyprus and Greece. Piecing together the clues suggests a distinctive local landrace, shaped by centuries of cultivation and adaptation in Tigray. We have proposed the name Rubaksum Tsellim for this landrace, which merits conservation and global recognition. The name combines Rubaksa, Aksum, the historical centre of grape cultivation in the region, and the Tigrinya word tsellim (“dark” or “black”). Owners of the Rubaksum Tsellim grapevine have received a certificate acknowledging the vine’s status as a unique local landrace. The certificates aim to encourage conservation and propagation through cuttings. A link to ancient trade routes? Wild grapevines are not native to the Horn of Africa. Any domesticated grapevine growing in northern Ethiopia must have arrived from elsewhere. They were introduced and then adapted locally over many centuries. But how did they get there? Aksum was the capital of a powerful kingdom that flourished between roughly 150 BCE and 800 CE. Its merchants traded extensively across the Red Sea and Mediterranean, and grapes and wine were already present there in antiquity. Much later, introductions may also have occurred through colonial interventions. Both routes remain plausible. The genetic signals point towards Mediterranean ancestry, while the Rubaksa vine suggests that generations of local farmers subsequently shaped it into something distinct. Once we had identified the distinctive landrace, we expanded our search to Aksum itself, focusing on the city’s historical quarters. There we found what appears to be the town’s oldest surviving grapevine. Genetic analysis revealed that it shares exactly the same DNA profile as the vine from Rubaksa. The resemblance extended to the seeds; both vines produced seeds that clustered closely with those of Mavro, an ancient grape variety from Cyprus and Crete. The discovery suggests that these seemingly isolated vines may be remnants of a much older grape-growing tradition that once extended across Tigray. The persistence of the vines around historic settlements, churches and monasteries is consistent with the idea that religious institutions helped preserve grape-growing traditions long after formal viticulture had disappeared. Why conservation matters now These vines matter for more than historical reasons. Traditional crop varieties often contain genetic traits lost from commercial agriculture, including characteristics that may help crops tolerate drought, disease and climate change. Having survived for generations in a semi-arid environment, Tigray’s grapevines may possess adaptations of considerable future value. Their wider use in local grape production – for example, trained along the many stone terrace walls already present in Tigray’s farmlands – could potentially offer new opportunities for diversification. The discovery also highlights the crucial role of farmers as custodians of agricultural biodiversity. Without generations of households maintaining and sharing these vines, this unique biocultural heritage might have disappeared. The risk of extinction is high. The recent Tigray War disrupted rural livelihoods, and farmers in our study reported that many household grapevines were abandoned or died. This is not the first time warfare has threatened Tigray’s grapevines. In the 19th century, the German botanist Wilhelm Schimper also described their decline during a period of conflict. Some of the vines we documented may be the last surviving plants of unique local lineages. Conserving them would preserve not only valuable genetic diversity but also a living connection between today’s farming communities and ancient agricultural landscapes. Mariano Ucchesu receives funding from European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement (No 101019563—VITALY).Alemtsehay Tsegay, Emnet Negash, Federica Sulas, Jan Nyssen, Tesfaalem Gebreyohannes, and Yemane Hailu Fissuh do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Tigray’s old grapevines have survived against the odds: new research uncovers their genetic and historic value

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