Wheat

T. aestivum

Genetics & Breeding

Wheat genetics is more complicated than domesticated animal genetics. Wheat is capable of polyploidism, or having more than two sets of chromosomes (diploid). Many wheat breeds not only have differences in their genomes but also in the number of chromosomes they carry. Four out of five of the most common wheat breeds are the results of hybridization. Einkorn wheat is diploid (2x chromosomes) and can be considered the "grandfather" breed of wheat. Einkorn wheat hybridized with another wild diploid grass (Triticum speltoides, Triticum tripsacoides or Triticum searsii) made the tetraploid (4x chromosomes) breeds, Emmer and Durum wheat. Emmer and Durum wheat hybridized with yet another wild diploid grass (Triticum tauschii) made the hexaploid (6x chromosomes) breeds Spelt wheat and Common wheat. It is debatable whether emmer wheat was naturally or intentionally hybridized: to interbreed emmer wheat?s ancestors required a chromosome duplication mutation, a mutation that does not seem survivable naturally for more than a few generations for wheat. All of this genetic engineering (hybridizing) was conducted thousands of years ago by ancient farmers completely unaware of modern genetics or the difficulty of hybridizing polyploid plants.

Related Topics:
Polyploidism - Chromosomes - Diploid - Genome - Hybridization - Einkorn - Tetraploid - Emmer - Durum - Hexaploid - Spelt - Genetic engineering

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