Are ‘ancient wheat species’ more adapted to hostile environments than modern bread wheat?

Abstract

This preliminary study investigated whether three ‘ancient wheat species’, spelt (Triticum spelta L.), emmer (Triticum dicoccum) and einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) are more adapted to hostile environments than modern bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) based on their physiological characteristics and comparative water use efficiencies. Spelt was found to have higher radiation use efficiency (RUE) than the other species and produced a similar amount of above ground biomass. However, bread wheat produced the highest yield, mainly due to a superior harvest index. Emmer had the lowest carbon isotope discrimination (Δ¹³C) which is expected to translate to the highest water use efficiency (WUE).