The term “domesticate” reveals something about the process. The word comes from the Latin root meaning “house.” To domesticate, then, means to bring the plant or animal into the household arrangement, under the direct supervision and care of man. An interdependent relationship is built up. Man becomes dependent on his domesticated plants and animals for survival, and they, in turn, depend on him. It is a process of reorganization of the wild forms according to the interests of man.

To illustrate further how this process is carried out, let us have a look at the possible way in which a seed-producing plant such as wheat was domesticated. Wheat is one of the oldest domesticated plants. Undoubtedly, man could see the value of the edible seeds of the wild forebears of wheat. He harvested them and then decided to plant and cultivate them to facilitate harvesting and to increase production. That very first step began a selection process that led to domestication.

New varieties became dependent on its cultivators for survival. However, cultivated plants are not entirely isolated from wild varieties and occasionally crossbreeding occurs, sometimes improving the quality of the plant. Man, ever on the alert to improve his domesticated provider, selects the improved varieties and sows them. And the process continues with improved varieties constantly making their appearance.

The varieties of wheat that are now providing a world crop of nearly 400 million metric tons a year are not the same varieties sown in Biblical times.a

Those ancient wheats were what is known as glume wheats, that is, they had an inner shell-like glume or husk that had to be broken open after harvesting. Somewhere in the stream of time, the emmer wheat underwent a mutation (a basic change in its genetic composition) so that the glume breaks open easily when the spike is harvested. At the same time the spike became tougher, holding the seeds in place until harvesttime. This is a variety of wheat with 21 pairs of chromosomes, the extra chromosomes evidently coming from a crossbreeding with wild goat grass. Varieties of this bread wheat are the present major producers of the world wheat crop.