Triticum L.,
Wheat/Spelt/Rie
Wheat, Triticum L., is the third most important cereal crop after
corn/maize, Zea mays
L., and rice, Oryza sativa L., where wheat is second after rice for human consumption
since corn is mostly used for animal fodder and byproducts. Wheat like barley, Hordeum vulgare L., originated in the
Einkorn wheat, Triticum monococcum L., is a diploid and is one of the first kinds domesticated wheat from the wild species, T. boeoticum Boiss., where the difference is larger grain and none shattering grain heads in the cultivated wheat. Emmer wheat, Triticum dicoccum Schrank, was almost simultaneously domesticated from wild emmer, T. dicoccoides Koern., which is a tetraploid that resulted from a natural hybrid possibly between T. urartu Thumanian ex Gandilyan and Aegilops speltoides Tausch. Because both wild and domesticated emmer wheat are considered subspecies of rivet wheat, T. turgidum L., along with durum wheat, T. durum Desf., because they cannot be crossed with another tetraploid wheat, T. timopheevii Zhuk., which if grown only in eastern parts of the country Georgia. Duram wheat is called hard wheat because it is the hardest kind thus making it idea for making pasta; wheat hardness also relates to the amount of gluten relative the the amount of starch. Durum wheat differs also differs from emmer wheat by being free-threshing. Spelt, T. spelta L., is a hexaploid species that likely resulted from a hybrid of emmer or durum wheat and A. tauschii Coss, thus making them it more cold hardy; spelt is believed to be the rie of the Bible, although there appears to be some confusion with einkorn wheat. Common wheat, T. aestivum L., is also hexaploid and it known as bread wheat due to it being idea for that purpose, one way it differs from spelt by being free-threshing. A backcross of bread wheat to emmer wheat also results in spelt.
Durum wheat and bread wheat are the most widely grown while the others are retained in areas where they are better adapted due to soil fertility, climate, and specialty uses. Norman Borlaug beginning in the 1940's developed modern wheat varieties that are semi-dwarf plants yet have higher yields due disease resistance, putting more effort going into growing grain than straw, and the shorter stems not being as prone to lodging (collapsing) when fertilized. The stems are also uniform in height and thus better for combine harvesting. Continued work to increase the yield of other crops, particularly in the 1960's, resulted in what is called the green revolution; consequently Norman Borlaug, who was awarded the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize is considered a hero for saving billions from starvation although arguably evil people consider him be a villain due to their perceived environmental impacts of those that didn't starve to death.
About one percent of the populations has a problem with the wide use of wheat, barley, and rye, due to their affliction with celiac disease, which is due to a component of gluten known as gliadin. This occurs due to an abnormal immune reaction to partially digested gliadin. Some people even react to oats, but that is likely due to cross contamination. All other cereals and pseudocereals are safe although some processed foods such as ketchup may have gluten added as a stabilizer, but not listed as such in the ingredients. Celiac disease is not the same as a wheat allergy.