Biology and agricultural relevance of Triticum timopheevii (Zhuk.) Zhuk. and Triticum zhukovskyi Menabde & Ericzjan as underutilised wheat crops historically cultivated in Georgia

Abstract

The loss of genetic diversity as a result of modern wheat breeding has led to a renewed interest in ancient and underutilised wheats, which often display distinctive agronomic and ecological attributes. Triticum timopheevii and Triticum zhukovskyi are two hulled wheats of the independent AAGG polyploid lineage. They were traditionally cultivated in Georgia and represent a separate branch of wheat evolution. Synthesising taxonomic, archaeobotanical, molecular, agronomic, and historical evidence, this review paper aims to reassess their origin, distribution, domestication history, and their relevance today. Archaeobotanical studies which identified New Glume Wheat (NGW) as belonging to the T. timopheevii group have changed earlier interpretations of these wheats as minor crops. It was demonstrated that these wheats were not marginal relics but formed a significant component of Neolithic and Bronze Age agriculture. This paper examines the long-standing “Zanduri puzzle” regarding the domestication of T. timopheevii , which relates to the geographic separation of its wild progenitors and its cultivated forms. From an agronomic perspective, both T. timopheevii and T. zhukovskyi are characterised by resistance to major wheat diseases, tolerance to environmental stresses, and by stable performance under low-input and marginal conditions. Looking at their grain quality and favourable nutritional profiles, we argue that T. timopheevii and T. zhukovskyi should be considered not as locally confined relic crops but as significant contributors to both, the evolutionary history of wheat and future breeding strategies aiming at resilience, sustainability, and diversification.