Durum wheat in the Mediterranean Rim: historical evolution and genetic resources

Abstract

Durum wheat is an important crop in the Mediterranean Rim, and it is deeply rooted in the history and tradition of this region. Recently, several studies that examined DNA markers on Mediterranean landrace collections have successfully elucidated the pathways of this crop across the Mediterranean Rim, but the historical frame is still rather diffuse. This paper aims at tracing the historical evolution of durum wheat throughout the Mediterranean Rim since its commencement as a crop until present times. A search was carried out through archaeological references where durum wheat remains were found. Historical descriptions about cultivation of this crop, references to products made from its grain, and articles interpreting DNA marker information from Mediterranean landraces were also consulted. The present article also examines the currently available durum wheat genetic resources.Durum wheat was domesticated in the Levant area. Phoenicians, Greeks, and above all Romans were active in the expansion and success of durum cultivation in all Mediterranean Rim that started displaced emmer by the mid first millennium BCE. Early Arab empire expanded in the area of durum wheat cultivation promoting food types based on semolina (dry pasta and couscous). Up to 1955 most durum areas in this area were planted with landraces, but several breeding programs were initiated in Italy, and later at CIMMYT and at ICARDA. Landrace collection and conservation efforts were carried out along the Mediterranean Rim countries to preserve the legacy of this crop.

Reducing Nitrogen Dosage in Triticum durum Plants with Urea-Doped Nanofertilizers

“…It is used to obtain semolina, the raw material of pasta. [37]. The nitrogen rate of the nano-treatment was reduced by 40% with respect to the positive control.…”

Molecular Mapping and Genomics of Grain Yield in Durum Wheat: A Review

“…Durum wheat ( Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum ) is an important crop worldwide with approximately 16 million ha sown annually and a production of ~40 million tons in 2017 [ 1 , 2 ]. However, there is little detail about durum wheat production; in fact, the statistics reported by FAOSTAT do not differentiate among the different wheat species grown in the world.…”

“…However, there is little detail about durum wheat production; in fact, the statistics reported by FAOSTAT do not differentiate among the different wheat species grown in the world. Despite this, it is well known that durum wheat is mainly cultivated in the Mediterranean regions, where the principal producers in the world are Spain, France, Italy and Greece in southern Europe, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia in northern Africa, Turkey and Syria in southwest Asia and Canada, USA and Mexico in North America [ 2 ], and Argentina and Chile have smaller production areas in South America. Although the surface cultivated with durum wheat represents about 10% of the whole area grown with wheat [ 3 ], this cereal plays a key role in human nutrition because it is mainly used for the production of pastas, couscous and other semolina-based products, which are widely consumed in many countries of the world [ 4 ].…”

Life story of Tunisian durum wheat landraces revealed by their genetic and phenotypic diversity

“…durum) is one of the most crucial crops in the Mediterranean countries. It's a selfing tetraploid species (2n = 4x = 28, AABB) that originated and diversified in the Mediterranean basin (Martínez-Moreno & al., 2020), which is the largest durum wheat producing region worldwide, accounting for about 60% of the total growing area (Royo & al., 2017). This traditional crop is the raw material for the fabrication of local dishes and products including couscous, pasta, several kinds of bread and other semolina products such as bulgur and frike (Belaid 2000;Nazco & al., 2014;Hammami & Sissons, 2020).…”