Studies of Genotype-Environment Interaction shown by Coleoptile length in Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. em Thell )

Abstract

Wheat, like other cereal grains, has many natural advantages as a food. It is nutritious, concentrated, readily stored and transported, and easily processed to give highly refined raw foods. The products are bland, fit into countless recipes, and suit many tastes. Unlike any other plant derived food, wheat contains gluten protein which enables a leavened dough to rise by forming minute gas cells that hold carbon dioxide during fermentation. This property enables bakers to produce light bread. Wheut provides almost 20% and rice about 21% of thetotal food calories for the people of the world. Rice, wheat, corn, and potatoes are the leading food staples and rank inthis order of i mportance. 1,,jheat is the national f ood staple in 43 countries. It is the main staple for one billion peopleor about 35% of the world's population (Brown, 1963). Dependence upon wheat varies widely with geographic region s. In Europe and the USSR over 30% of the calories come from wheut,while in most other regions less than 20% are derived f rom wheat.As a food, wheat is the ma jor ingredient in most b r e ad s, rolls, chapaties, crackers , cookies, bi scuits , cakes, dou ghnuts,mu f fins, pancake s, waf fles, noodles, pie crust, ice cream cones, macaroni, spagh e tti, pudd inQs, pi zza , bulgur, rolled 2 flakes, many hot and ready-to-eat breakfast foods, and baby foods. It is a common thickener in soups, gravies, and sauces and occurs in candies and beverages. Germ, bran, and malt are additional forms of wheat products.