New research suggests that the domestication of wheat was shaped by intense evolutionary struggles for light and space. This competition allowed early crops to outgrow their neighbors, encouraged the development of traits that helped them compete, and provided new insights into how crops evolved and how they could be improved in the future.
The research was led by Dr Yishan Xiang and Professor Colin Osborne from the University of Sheffield, with collaborators from the Autonomous University of Madrid, King Juan Carlos University and Wageningen University. The research team investigated how wild plants responded to cultivation by early humans and found that farming practices strongly favored individuals that could compete more effectively than their wild ancestors.
Published in current biologyresearch has shown that planting seeds in organized fields created a competitive environment. Over roughly 1,000 to 2,000 years, plants that could grow faster and dominate their neighbors were more likely to survive and reproduce. This process led to the emergence of an early variety of wheat that researchers call the “warrior” type.
Rise of “warrior” wheat properties
Compared to wild wheat, early cultivated varieties were much better at competing for resources in crowded fields. They have developed advantageous physical characteristics such as larger leaves, more upright growth, and the ability to continue growing when surrounded by other plants.
To better understand these changes, the researchers used a functional structural plant (FSP) model to simulate how wheat grows. Their analysis showed that the leaf angle plays an important role. Plants with steeper, more upright leaves were able to rise higher than their neighbors during early stages of growth, letting in more sunlight while shading competing plants below.
Why is modern wheat less competitive?
“Evolution favored strong competitors, but modern agriculture crams crops into fields to achieve high yields. This practice requires crops that can cooperate rather than compete, and means modern breeders need to reverse the unhelpful effects of evolution,” said Professor Colin Osborne.
This study highlights major changes in how wheat has evolved over time. While ancient varieties were formed through intense competition, modern “elite” durum wheats have been bred to be less aggressive. In today’s agricultural systems, farmers rely on herbicides and fertilizers to manage resources, reducing the need for plants to compete directly.
As a result, breeders selected crops with smaller leaves and shorter stems. These characteristics help plants focus their energy on producing grain rather than competing for light and space.
From competition to cooperation in modern crops
The findings show that the traits that once helped wheat succeed in early agriculture are not necessarily useful in modern agriculture. Changes in agricultural practices have changed the way wheat grows and behaves. The transition from ancient cultivation to large-scale industrial agriculture has fundamentally changed the structure and strategy of the world’s most important food crops.
