From field to the edge of memory: the ethnobotany and conservation of indigenous wheats in Georgia, the Caucasus

Abstract

Background: Wheat is the third most produced crop and provides roughly 20% of the world’s calories. Georgia preserves one of the world’s oldest and richest traditions of wheat cultivation with over 15 Triticum species historically cultivated, including some dating back to 8000 years ago. But many species, varieties, and practices are either under threat or lost. Early botanical studies identified two distinct centers of indigenous wheat diversity in the country – the northwest and southeast. However, no prior ethnobotanical research has focused specifically on wheats in these regions.

Methods: In order to document information about traditional farming practices around these diverse crops, while still in living memory, we conducted ethnobotanical surveys in both centers of diversity, interviewing 93 participants with a mean age of 73 ± 13 years.

Results: Most references to wheat cultivation practices pertained to the past. In total, we documented 29 crop types and their mixtures, either currently sown or historically cultivated. Multivariate analyses revealed clear taxonomic dissimilarities between the two centers, distinguishing them based on their associated wheat varieties.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that traditional farming of indigenous wheats has significantly declined in Georgia’s primary wheat-growing regions. Nevertheless, certain indigenous varieties and their maslins (e.g., Triticum carthlicum) continue to be cultivated in the southeast. Encouragingly, in situ conservation initiatives – particularly in northwestern Georgia – have achieved notable success, suggesting that such efforts can be effective. Overall, traditional knowledge of wheat cultivation remains alive, preserving valuable insights into the environmental adaptability and regional suitability of these ancient crops.

Keywords: Indigenous wheats, Maslins, Triticum carthlicum, Triticum macha, Triticum timopheevii, Wheat diversity