Comparative Study of Hulled (Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt) and Naked Wheats (Durum and Bread Wheat): Agronomic Performance and Quality Traits

Einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.), emmer (T. dicoccum L.), and spelt (T. spelta L.) are old-world hulled wheat crops currently receiving renewed interest of consumers, bakers, millers, and farmers. Our objectives were to (i) compare einkorn, emmer, and spelt with bread (T. aestivum L.) and durum wheat (T. durum L.) regarding their main agronomic and quality traits, (ii) elaborate the heritability and correlation among these traits across the wheat species, and (iii) draw conclusions about optimized farming and processing practices for einkorn, emmer, and spelt. For this purpose, field trials were conducted at four diverse German locations, where 15 recent varieties were grown for each wheat species. Mean grain yields of spelt, emmer, and einkorn were 37, 55, and 62% lower than that of bread wheat. Furthermore, einkorn, emmer, and spelt plants were 30 cm taller than bread and durum wheat. Consequently, to avoid lodging, farmers should aim at reducing the plant height of hulled wheats. Despite their high protein content, the protein quality of hulled wheat determined as sedimentation volume was low from a classical bread wheat point of view. However, adapting classical baking procedures enables the production of high quality breads from einkorn, emmer, and spelt in addition to the development of alternative products like breakfast cereals or excellent specialty breads.