Statistical analysis of the grain morphology of the present and fossil cereals

The grains of the following present-day cereal forms were charred: Secale cereale, Triticum aestivum var. compactum, var. vulgare and Avena sativa. For each caryopsis before and after charring width, thickness, length and weight were determined. The charring caused the increase of the coefficient of variation in the majority of cases, but proportionally to variation of the characters of the uncharred grains. The second group of anaylsed material were the grains of the present and fossil cereals. In the material six features of grain morphology were investigated. For present and fossil cereals the matrices of simple correlation were calculated. By means of analysis of multiple regression the interdependence of grain weight and its dimensions was investigated. The introduction into the equation of regression of successive independent variable (grain dimensions) causes a progressive exhaustion of the total variability of the regressand (grain weight). The weight of grain is equally a representative trait as well as its dimensions. This feature may serve for comparative studies of populations of fossil grain of the very same species originating from various periods or sites. This type of analysis may illustrate the influence of selection on the size of grain.