Genetics, seed morphometrics, and farmer knowledge of grape landraces (Vitis vinifera) reveal Aksumite origins, landscape adaptation, and potentialfor smallholder viticulture in the Horn of Africaolder viticulture in the Horn of Africa

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The origin and diversity of grapevines in the Horn of Africa remain unclear. Grapevines were likely introduced over two thousand years ago via Greek influence. This study explores grapevine landraces in Tigray, Ethiopia, once home of the Aksumite kingdom and where ancient trade, highland agro­ecology, and Orthodox Christian traditions intersect. Archae­ological, historical, and ethnographic evidence suggest a long-standing presence of Vitis vinifera maintained by small­holder farmers. Ethnobotanical surveys, pip morphology and genetic analysis were conducted across four highland areas covering 1,269 km². We located 41 vines, indicating an esti­mated 1,000–1,500 mature vines region-wide, grown not in vineyards but integrated into homesteads as multifunctional plants. Genetic fingerprinting and seed morphometrics of one distinctive landrace from Rubaksa confirmed Mediterranean ancestry. The find indicates a locally adapted lineage, shaped by historical seedling emergence and vegetative propagation. Its closest relatives are Cretan-Cypriot and niche Italian vari­eties, supporting the ancient introduction to Aksum from the Eastern Mediterranean, and Italian introductions to Eritrea in the early 20th Century. We propose the name ‘Rubaksum Tsellim’ for this landrace, which merits conservation and global recognition.

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