Wheat Cereal Development by Vivian Brooks

"Wheat Cereal Development" explores the fascinating history and biology of wheat, tracing its evolution from a wild grass to a globally vital cereal. The book highlights wheat's domestication in the Fertile Crescent and the subsequent impact of selective breeding and genetic engineering, examining how these processes have shaped modern agriculture and food security. Readers will discover how early societies gradually transformed wild wheat into a more productive crop, and how innovations, like dwarf wheat varieties, revolutionized yields.

The book uniquely emphasizes the ethical considerations surrounding modern wheat breeding techniques, particularly genetic modification, encouraging a balanced discussion on risks and benefits. It adopts an accessible tone, making complex scientific concepts understandable for a broad audience interested in the life sciences and the story of food production.

The book progresses from the historical context of domestication to the principles of selective breeding and concludes with an analysis of modern genetic engineering, weaving in implications for sustainable agriculture.