Winter wheat
Title | Info |
---|---|
Common name | Wheat, Winter |
Scientific name | Triticum aestivum |
Taxonomic group | Poaceae |
Source | Dan L. Perlman |
Economic botany | Food plants |
Food plants | Grains and cereals |
Keywords | Gramineae |
Winter wheat. One of the oldest cultivated plants, wheat was first domesticated about 10,000 years ago in southwestern Asia, in the Fertile Crescent. There are several distinct species used for human food, as well as many species of wild relatives. Triticum aestivum, shown in this image, is used primarily for making bread; it has a high gluten content, which is critical in trapping the carbon dioxide given off by yeast as it ferments. These carbon dioxide bubbles are responsible for making bread rise. Many different types of T. aestivum exist, including winter and summer wheats, hard and soft wheats, and those with higher and lower protein content. This is a winter wheat--planted in autumn and harvested in spring or summer.