Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Hexaploid grass domesticated in the Fertile Crescent that became the staple grain of civilization.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Carries three complete genomes (A, B, and D) from natural hybridizations of wild grasses.
• Its genome is about five times larger than the human genome.
• Gluten proteins give dough the elasticity needed for leavened bread.

Specifications & Metrics

• FAMILY: Poaceae
• DOMESTICATED: ~9,600 BC