Wheat
Wheat is a group of cereal grasses cultivated for their grains, which are milled into flour and used in foods such as bread, pasta, and noodles.
Wheat kernel: The edible seed of a wheat plant, made up chiefly of bran, germ, and endosperm. Its three main parts become different fractions during milling.
Wheat pollination: The transfer of pollen to receptive florets in wheat, usually enabling self-fertilization. Pollination begins the formation of kernels in the wheat head.
Fertile Crescent: A region of Southwest Asia where early agriculture and several major crop domestications began. Early cultivated wheat emerged in this region.
Bread wheat: The hexaploid species Triticum aestivum, grown widely for bread and other foods. Its grain proteins commonly form dough suited to leavened bread.
Neolithic Revolution: The transition in parts of the world from mobile foraging to settled farming and food production. Wheat cultivation supported settled communities in early agricultural societies.
Gluten: A protein network formed when wheat gluten proteins are hydrated and mixed. It gives wheat dough elasticity and helps it retain gas.
Wheat grain filling: The period when developing wheat kernels accumulate starch and proteins after flowering. Grain filling determines much of the kernel’s weight and composition.
Einkorn wheat: A diploid wheat species, Triticum monococcum, domesticated from wild einkorn in Southwest Asia. It is among the earliest domesticated wheat species.
Durum wheat: A tetraploid wheat species, Triticum durum, used especially for semolina and pasta. Its hard, protein-rich kernels are suited to pasta production.
Wheat and food security: The role of wheat production, trade, and access in maintaining reliable food supplies. Wheat is a staple whose availability affects food prices and diets worldwide.