Scientists Resurrect Extinct Plant Using 2,000-Year-Old Seeds

The Phoenix dactylifera variety of Judean date palms is known for its long shelf life, sweetness and supposed disease-fighting abilities. The earliest consumption of these fruits dates back to 7,000 years ago and, for a long time it was considered a major food crop in the Middle East and North Africa.

However, it went extinct hundreds of years ago due to conflict that eventually wiped out date plantations.

2,000-Year-Old Seeds

In 2005, researchers announced that they successfully planted a Phoenix dactylifera date palm tree from a 2,000-year-old seed that was found buried under rubble at an ancient fortress overlooking the Dead Sea.

The tree was nicknamed Methuselah and researchers have since planted six others with ages ranging from 1,800 to 2,400 years old. Called Adam, Jonah, Boaz, Uriel, Judith and Hannah, all the seeds were found in three archaeological sites in the Judean desert and all remained dormant for about 2,000 years before they were essentially resurrected.

The hope is that by planting both male and female trees of the variety, they will eventually produce fruit together, thereby successfully resurrecting the species. Although the fruits might still not be exactly the same as the ones a long time ago, they would likely still display some characteristics that are already gone in modern dates.

All seven trees are now growing in the Israeli community of Ketura.

Sophisticated Agricultural Practices

In the new study, researchers describe the seeds to be longer and wider than modern varieties and discuss how the low precipitation and dry state around the Dead Sea may have contributed to the longevity of the ancient seeds. The study also highlights how the Judean date palm might have arisen from crossing eastern and western varieties, suggesting sophisticated agricultural practices in the region.

“These are something exceptional,” study co-author and one of the leaders of the project to breed Judean date palms," Sara Sallon said. “It's a story of nature's amazing powers to regenerate itself.”

According to the researchers, the date palm is an excellent model for seed longevity research. In 1995, another team of researchers successfully germinated 1,200-year-old Sacred Lotus seeds that were found in an ancient lake bed in China.