Einkorn wheat

Einkorn wheat is a wild species of wheat, Triticum boeoticum (the spelling baeoticum is also common). Einkorn is a diploid species with a shattering ear and small seeds, making it difficult to harvest. The cultivated variant is Triticum monococcum.

Related Topics:
Wheat - Diploid

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Einkorn wheat was one of the earliest cultivated varieties of wheat. Kernels have been found in Epi-Paleolithic and early Neolithic sites of the Fertile Crescent. It was first domesticated approximately 9000 years ago. Its cultivation decreased in the Bronze Age, and today it is considered a relic crop that is rarely planted.

Related Topics:
Epi-Paleolithic - Neolithic - Fertile Crescent - Bronze Age

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The cultivated variety is similar to the wild, except that the ear stays intact when ripe and the seeds are larger. All of these traits are essential for cultivation.

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