Jacqui+Selective+Breeding


 * 7.5 analyse and present information from secondary sources to trace the history of the selective breeding of one species for agricultural purposes and use available evidence to describe the series of changes that have occurred in the species as a result of this selective breeding.**

__ Early Uses of Wheat __ - believed to have begun in Mesopotamia  - 10 000 years ago  - Gradual spread throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa by 3000BC  - Reached China before 1000BC - New breeds may have formed when wind carried pollen from wild grasses, pollinating domestic plants  - Farmers selected and planted the best seeds  - Ancient wheat fields produced a few kilograms of grain per hectare

__ Six Wheat Classes __ - modern wheat species are produced from varieties bred form the first 14 species - 6 wheat classes: o Hard red winter o Hard red spring o Soft red winter o Durum o Hard white o Soft white - each class has qualities that millers and food processors seek for specific purposes - farmers grow varieties from classes that will grow in their area - hard wheat classes contain higher quantities of proteins needed to produce bread products e.g.: buns, pasta, pizza crust - soft wheat contains lower quantities of protein and produces sweet products e.g. cookies, cakes, pastries, crackers, steam breads and asian noodles

__ Selectively Bred Wheat Species __ - wheat hybridisation occurs naturally and through human assistance - favorable characteristics such as disease resistance, large kernels, short straw, and cold hardiness are selected in two parent wheats, which are then crossed to form a hybrid. Federation - farmed in Australia from 1788 - only grew in areas of abundant rainfall and favourable soil - often insufficient yields to meet the colonies’ needs - disease was abundant – e.g. stem rust - 1882 William Farrer noticed some varieties had natural resistance to rust - Bought property, obtained different varieties from around the world - Conducted thousands of breeding experiments to produce numerous hybrid species - 1902 developed variety called Federation - Matured early, had high yield and fairly high resistance to rust and able to be grown in drier areas. // Marquis  // - hard spring wheat - cross between Indian wheat and Polish spring wheat - farmers needed heads that wouldn’t shatter easily and ripened quickly - into production in 1909 - grown in over 90% of Northern USA and Canada - alleviated food shortages during WWI