Ears of Plenty

Throughout human history, grains such as maize, rice and wheat provided the sustenance that allowed successive generations to survive and increase their numbers. Out of these three plants, wheat is the oldest and most broadly dispersed. Wheat tells the story of human agricultural practice, to which the growth and wane of human populations are inextricably linked. Technological innovation, from the threshing machine to new breeding methods, led to increased grain production, nourishing countless cultures and saving some from the threat of mass starvation. But as scientists have pursued genetic modification of various grains, maize and rice production have both surpassed that of wheat, which has a more complicated genetic structure. Still, wheat retains the potential for innovation, and any success could mark the end of hunger in some of the world's poorest nations. The value of wheat to human society can never be understated - its history is indeed that of humanity. – YaleGlobal