Wheat

Global wheat production wheat often exceeds 750 million metric tonnes (Mt)/annum and provides around 20% of the calories in the human diet. The crop is widely distributed within temperate latitudes, extending into subpolar and subtropical regions. The success of wheat can be attributed to the wide adaptability of the crop through breeding cultivars for different environments, production systems and uses, and the unique viscoelastic properties of wheat doughs which allow the production of bread and other foods. Production is dominated by bread wheat (Triticum aestivum var. aestivum; c.95% of production) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum; c.5%). Other wheat species and variety groups can be important sources of genetic diversity or be produced in small areas due to regional knowledge and practice, specific stress tolerances, disease resistances, and/or localized processing and product preferences. For trade, wheat can be classed on the basis of growth development requirements (winter or spring), seed coat color (red or white), endosperm texture (hard or soft), and dough strength (strong or weak). Additional grain quality criteria affecting suitability for different end-uses include grain-specific weight, grain protein concentration, and α-amylase activity.