JERUSALEM, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Researchers found out that wheat was domesticated gradually over a long and complex process, rather than in a single event, Israel's University of Haifa said Thursday in a statement.
By analyzing DNA from wheat grains dating back 3,000 to 6,000 years in the southern Levant, the team found that early domesticated wheat was closely related to ancient varieties from Ethiopia, the Arabian Peninsula, and India.
The study, published in Nature Plants, showed that key genetic traits -- such as those preventing wheat from shattering and scattering its seeds -- emerged independently in different wild populations. These populations later mixed through natural crossbreeding, producing several early forms of domesticated wheat.
Over time, domesticated wheat continued to acquire useful traits from local wild varieties, helping it adapt to different environments.
The findings suggest wheat domestication was a gradual process shaped by repeated mixing and long-term human cultivation. Researchers say understanding this history could help develop more resilient crops. ■
