Emmer wheat

Among the EST database of ragi sequences, there are two groups of bifunctional proteinase inhibitor trypsin a-amylase from seeds of ragi sequences. The upper clade was further subdivided (Fig. 6.10). Wang et al. (2008) concluded that there was great diversity in the sequence of different Bowman-Birk inhibitors in emmer wheat both within and between populations. 

Fahima, T., Sun, G. L., Beharav, A., Krugman, T., Belles, A., Nevo, E. 1999. RAPD polymorphism of white emmer wheat populations, Triticum dicoccoides in Israel. Theor. Appl. Genet. 98 434-447. 

In a relatively young allopolyploid like vulgare wheat the genetic control of mechanisms essential to life is duplicated in an autopolyploid manner, e.g., chlorophyll mutation frequencies will be low in Xg (Mac Key, 1967 Swaminathan et aL, 1962). In contrast, peripheral morphological characteristics are inherited in a diploid fashion. In the much older tetraploid emmer wheats, evolution has had time to provoke a diploidization, and chlorophyll mutations again become as common as they are in diploids (Mac Key, 1967). 

Hillman and co-workers have studied the ESR of charred cereal grains, primarily emmer wheat, and have shown that the g value of the resonance depends on the temperature of charring (8, 9). More recently, we have studied the ESR of charred maize kernels (10). Our studies complement the work of the Hillman group. We have used our results to discuss the thermal histories of charred maize kernels from six archaeological sites in the Midwest. 

Hillman and co-workers (8, 9) studied the ESR spectra of charred cereal grains, especially emmer wheat. They found that the g factors of the spectra depended on the temperature of charring, but were not influenced by the time of exposure to the elevated temperature. Hillman and co-workers also found that the line width of the resonance, and its intensity, depended on the heating temperature, and could be used to support the g value in deducing the thermal history of a sample. They also found that the sample need not be freed of oxygen in order to be observed and that the g value of the resonance did not depend on the amount of oxygen adsorbed or absorbed by the sample. Our work confirmed all these results. 

Figure 19.3 Silicified awns of emmer wheat. (Reproduced with permission from Ref. [234]. Copyright 2010, Physiologia Plantarum.)...

Hexaploid hulled wheat (Triticum spelta) that results from the hybridization of ancient wheats Einkorn and Emmer. It is still planted in small areas of Turkey and is considered a wild species. The use of these wheats is resurfacing due to their potential nutraceutical properties, even though they are low yielding compared with the current commercial types. 

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