Wheat (Triticum aestivum and related species) is the most widely grown grain crop in the world by acreage and the primary source of protein in the human diet across much of the globe. On a homestead scale, wheat can be grown as a subsistence grain or for specialty markets such as whole-grain flour, artisanal baking, and heritage varieties. Wheat is an annual grass adapted to a broad range of temperate climates and is classified by growing season (winter or spring), kernel hardness (hard or soft), and color (red or white).
Wheat was one of the first domesticated crops, with evidence of cultivation dating to approximately 9600 BCE in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East. Wild einkorn and emmer were harvested by hunter-gatherers before intentional cultivation began. The domestication of wheat is considered a key event in the Neolithic Revolution, enabling the transition from nomadic to settled agricultural societies.
Modern bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a hexaploid species that emerged from the natural hybridization of domesticated emmer with wild goatgrass (Aegilops tauschii) approximately 8,000 years ago. Wheat spread from the Fertile Crescent into Europe, North Africa, and Asia along trade routes. The crop was brought to the Americas by European colonists in the 15th and 16th centuries and became a staple of colonial agriculture. Durum wheat (Triticum durum), a tetraploid species, is grown for pasta production.
Wheat grows 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) tall, with hollow stems terminating in a spike (head) containing 20 to 60 kernels. Winter wheat is planted in autumn, overwinters as a seedling, and is harvested the following summer. Spring wheat is planted in spring and harvested in late summer. The crop requires 12 to 18 inches (300 to 450 millimeters) of rainfall or irrigation during the growing season.
Winter wheat requires a period of vernalization (cold temperatures) to initiate flowering, making it unsuitable for mild-winter regions where spring wheat is grown instead. Hard wheat varieties have higher protein content (12 to 16 percent) and are used for bread flour. Soft wheat varieties have lower protein (8 to 11 percent) and are used for pastries, cakes, and crackers.
On a homestead, wheat is grown for home flour production, livestock feed, or as a cover crop. A plot of 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) can produce 20 to 50 pounds (9 to 23 kilograms) of wheat grain, depending on soil fertility and growing conditions. Processing requires a grain mill for grinding and, for bread wheat, storage in rodent-proof containers.
Wheat straw is used as livestock bedding, garden mulch, and composting material. Winter wheat is also grown as a cover crop to protect soil from erosion during the dormant season and to add organic matter when tilled under in spring.