Early History of Crop Presence/ Introductions into India: IV. Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. and Annona L. spp.

摘要

In plant science literature, pineapple (Ananas comosus) and custard apple (Annona squamosa) are concluded to be of American origin, and the Portuguese have been credited for their introductions into India in the 16th century CE. However, their reference in ancient Sanskrit literature with vernacular names, archeological evidences, such as stone art graphic depiction of fruits in caves and ancient monuments, and archaeobotanical remains of fruit cover and seeds, suggests their presence and cultivationin India during pre-Columbian times, establishing pre-European contacts between old and new worlds, and much early introduction of these plant species. The introduction of the cultivated plant species of American origin into India/Asia in olden times has been speculated by different researchers. The present article discusses these speculations and concludes that they arrived in India through Voyaging and Seamanship across oceans and seas, either directly between Asia and America or through Egypt or Middle East, wherefrom maritime explorations of Egyptian, Middle East or Arab Traders facilitated the introductions of these fruit plants into India, much before the arrival ofPortuguese or Europeans, as commonly believed.