ARS | Publication request: Evolutionary Genomics of Wheat

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: August 4, 2008
Publication Date: April 28, 2009
Citation: Gustafson, J.P., Raskina, O., Ma, X., Nevo, E. 2009. Evolutionary Genomics of Wheat. In: Carver, B.F. editor. Wheat: Science and Trade. Hoboken, NJ. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 5-30.

Technical Abstract: Wheat is the world’s largest and most important food crop for direct human consumption, therefore, continued wheat improvement is paramount for feeding an ever-increasing human population. Wheat improvement is tightly associated with the characterization and understanding of wheat evolution and genetic diversification of the various wheat species and relatives. The evolution of the genus Triticum resulted mainly from inter- and intra-specific hybridization, polyploidization, and recurrent formation of wheat and its wild relatives. Various species and different genome ploidy levels of wheat and its wild relatives consist of rich resources for wheat improvement. Understanding the species domestication and genome evolution that occurred within the primary, secondary, and tertiary gene pools is critical for further exploring the improvement of wheat production. Here we review the wheat domestication and evolutionary processes and discuss the significance of various gene pools that have potentials for future wheat cultivar development.