Cereal Crops and Bread Wheat Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the base chromosome number for wheat?

7 (correct)

Which type of wheat is primarily used for making pasta?

Emmer wheat

Einkorn wheat

Bread wheat

Durum wheat (correct)

What process leads to the formation of the final hexaploid bread wheat?

Hybridization and chromosome doubling (correct)

Genetic mutation

Natural selection

Chromosome reduction

The caryopsis of cereal grains is best described as what?

A type of seed that does not split open Signup and view all the answers

What was the initial process used to prepare grains for consumption?

Heating to remove inedible parts Signup and view all the answers

What was the chromosome count of the tetraploid that resulted from the initial hybridization?

28 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a true cereal according to the description?

Soybean Signup and view all the answers

What event is thought to have led to the creation of leavened bread?

An accidental fungal yeast infection of wheat gruel Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes the storage characteristics of whole millet grains?

They quickly turn rancid once ground. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant reason millets cannot be used to make leavened bread?

They lack gluten proteins. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following species of millet is primarily grown in the Near East and China?

Foxtail millet Signup and view all the answers

What unique feature of wild rice complicates traditional harvesting methods?

Its inflorescence shatters easily. Signup and view all the answers

How has the development of a non-shattering variety of wild rice influenced its market availability?

It has decreased harvesting costs. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main types of wheat categorized based on their growing seasons?

Winter and spring wheat Signup and view all the answers

Which part of the wheat grain is primarily composed of starch?

White flour (semolina) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for tempering wheat grains during processing?

To moisten and toughen the bran Signup and view all the answers

How does black stem rust fungus primarily impact wheat crops?

It weakens the stems, reducing crop yield Signup and view all the answers

What unique feature does corn possess compared to most grasses?

It has separate male and female flowers. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of processing wheat grains?

To separate nutritious components for various uses Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about hybrid corn?

It typically has stronger and healthier traits than pure breeds. Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of the introduction of male-sterile lines in corn breeding?

Introduction of southern corn blight susceptibility Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following cereal grains can produce leavened bread?

Einkorn wheat Signup and view all the answers

What happens during the baking process of bread made from wheat flour?

Yeasts ferment sugars releasing carbon dioxide, causing dough to rise. Signup and view all the answers

Why is corn considered a genetically mutable crop?

It has distinct male and female flowering structures. Signup and view all the answers

The endosperm of the wheat grain serves which primary function?

To provide nutrients to the developing embryo Signup and view all the answers

How does the production of enriched flour occur?

By adding vitamins back post-milling Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary requirement for the cultivation of paddy rice?

Continuous submergence in water for 2-3 months Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following rice cultivars is known for being short-grained and sticky when boiled?

Asian glutinous Signup and view all the answers

The loss of which nutrient during the polishing of rice can lead to the disease beriberi?

Vitamin B1 Signup and view all the answers

Which cereal crop is primarily grown as a forage and fodder species?

Both A and C Signup and view all the answers

Which type of bread is typically associated with rye due to its low gluten content?

Dense, dark, and bitter bread Signup and view all the answers

What primary component of rye is responsible for the severe symptoms associated with ergot poisoning?

Ergotamine Signup and view all the answers

What is the main use of sorghum in the United States?

High-quality forage and fodder for livestock Signup and view all the answers

Why is barley particularly tolerant of saline soils?

It has adaptive physiological traits Signup and view all the answers

What process is involved in producing malt barley?

Soaking and steeping seeds, then germinating Signup and view all the answers

What is the common term for the outer cover of rice grains that is removed during processing?

Chaff Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following diseases is historically linked to ergot contamination in rye bread?

St. Anthony's Fire Signup and view all the answers

Which region is known for early evidence of barley cultivation?

Asia Minor Signup and view all the answers

What is the carbohydrate content range of sorghum?

60-75% Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of upland rice compared to paddy rice?

Grown in high rainfall areas with saturated soils Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Cereal Crops

Cereal crops are crucial for agriculture.
Cereal grains are fruits containing carbohydrates, protein, oils, vitamins, and minerals.
Cereals are grasses from the Poaceae family.
Their fruits, known as caryopsis, are dry and indehiscent (don't split open).
The pericarp, the ovary wall, is fused to the seed coat.

Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Bread wheat originated in Asia Minor.
It's a hexaploid (6 sets of chromosomes) resulting from hybridization and chromosome doubling of three ancestral species.
Early cultivation involved heating grains to remove inedible parts and grinding them into porridge or gruel.
Leavened bread and alcoholic beverages likely originated from accidental yeast infection of wheat gruel.
Major types of wheat include hexaploid bread wheat, tetraploid durum wheat, diploid einkorn wheat, tetraploid emmer wheat, and hexaploid spelt wheat.
Durum wheat, with its hard grain and lower gluten content, is used for pasta, semolina, couscous, and bulgar.
Modern bread wheat varieties are divided into spring and winter wheat.
Spring wheat has a 90-day growing season and is grown in cool, temperate regions.
Winter wheat is sown in fall, germinates in late fall, overwinters as seedlings, and is harvested in mid-summer.
It requires moist fall weather, a mild winter, and adequate snow cover.
Black stem rust fungus is a significant wheat pathogen, targeting the endosperm.

Corn or Maize (Zea mays)

Native to Central America, corn has been cultivated for at least 7,000 years.
It was essential to the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilizations.
Modern corn is a descendant of the ancestral plant teosinte.
Corn is unique with separate male (tassels) and female (ears) flowers.
It is low in protein, especially lysine, and some vitamins.
It lacks gluten proteins, making it unsuitable for leavened bread.
Modern cultivars grow well in temperate climates.
Corn is widely grown for livestock feed, human consumption, and bioethanol production.
Hybrid vigor in corn cultivars is maintained through crossing inbred lines.
The discovery of a male-sterility gene in the 1960s led to a devastating crop failure in 1970 due to southern corn blight.
Molecular genetics points to corn being a mutated derivative of teosinte.

Rice

Early rice cultivation occurred in China and Southeast Asia.
Rice requires a hot, humid climate with high rainfall.
Most varieties need continuous submergence in water.
Upland rice is grown in high rainfall areas with saturated soils.
Rice cultivars are categorized into long-grained (indica) and short-grained (sativa).
Hybridization programs have significantly boosted rice yields.
Rice processing involves threshing and pearling/polishing to produce white rice.
Polishing removes bran and germ, leading to loss of fiber and nutrients.
Polished white rice is mainly starch and low in protein, leading to thiamine deficiency and beriberi.

Other Cereal Crops

Oats are primarily used for cattle feed, with a small portion consumed by humans as oatmeal and rolled oats.
Rye originated as a cultivar of a weed species, thriving in cool climates and tolerating nutrient-poor soils.
Rye is used for fodder, pasture, and bread flour, but its low gluten content produces dense, dark, and bitter bread.
Rye can be infected with fungal ergot, causing severe symptoms like convulsions, paralysis, and hallucinations.
Ergot contamination has been linked to historical events like witch trials and religious visions.
Sorghum, an annual grass native to Africa, is grown for grain, forage, and fodder.
Barley, possibly the first domesticated cereal, is cultivated in cool-temperate climates.
It's used as animal fodder and processed into malt barley for beer and whiskey.
Millets, a group of cereal crops tolerant of drought and poor soil conditions, are grown in hot, dry tropical regions.
Wild rice, an aquatic plant native to North America, is harvested traditionally and mechanically.

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Description

Explore the importance of cereal crops in agriculture and delve into the specifics of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum). Learn about its origins, chromosome structure, and historical uses in food preparation. This quiz will enhance your understanding of these vital agricultural resources.