Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Grass family (Gramineae)

Wild Einkorn Wild Spelt Wild Emmer (Triticum dicoccoides), Wild wheat Spelt (Triticum spelta) (Triticum (Triticum Emmer (Triticum dicoccon) (Triticum tauschii) different varieties of bread boeoticum) speltoides) Durum wheat (Triticum durum) wheat (Triticum aestivum) *

Source: Kalda, M., MPIZ

Distribution, Yield, Use:

Production (1000t) Yield (dt/ha)

Country	1979-81	1992	1979-81	1992
China	59200	101000	20.4	32.9
ex-USSR	84680	89930	14.2	19.6
USA	66230	66920	22.9	26.5
India	34550	55080	15.4	23.9
France	22360	32600	49.9	64.9
UK	8120	14190	56.5	68.7
World	437560	563650	18.3	25.6

• Distribution:
  World-wide in nutrient-rich soils of the temperate zones, dislikes climatic extremes.
• Use:
  Protein-rich flour for bread and pastries. Semolina and groats for soups and broths Animal feed grain Industrial raw material (starch) 10-14% protein, 70% carbohydrate, 2% fat in seed

Region of origin: Region of cultivation:

• Cultivation and Breeding:
  Cultivation of wheat began around 7000 BC in the Euro-Asian region. Wild varieties were first collected and then purposely grown. Mutations and crosses led to bread wheat. Bread wheat originated from three different wild wheat varieties. It carries six times the normal chromosomal complement (hexaploid plant). Wild Emmer (Triticum dicoccoides) probably arose first, from wild Einkorn (Triticum boeoticum) and wild Spelt (Triticum speltoides). Through hybridisation with a further wild wheat (Triticum tauschii), Spelt (Triticum splelta) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) finally arose.
• Breeding aims: :
  In addition to yield reliability and increase, the improvement of baking quality is desired. The baking quality depends largely on the composition and amount of particular proteins. Of further interest is better overwintering, earlier ripening and tolerance to salt in the soil or rainfall and wind.

Text by Dr. Wolfgang Schuchert
Adapted to HTML by R.Saedler