Flour of the future: Everything you need to know about population wheat
Wheat is one of the most important cereals and bread crops in the world. That’s why so much attention is focused on it – especially in the search for sustainable ways to feed humanity in the future, and ensure food self-sufficiency in individual countries. The solution lies in organic agriculture, but also in innovative breeding, which in the last few years has been introducing the concept of a heterogeneous population of wheat, presenting a different perspective on grain cultivation.
"It's about planting a mixture of several varieties of wheat in one field – they are harvested simultaneously, but otherwise have different characteristics. Thanks to this, the diversity of the planted area increases and the risk of the farmer losing his harvest is reduced," says Olga Graf from the Kornlabor project in Berlin, which works with bakers to test flour made from population wheat.
Diversity means resilience
It might seem like a new concept, but that’s not quite the case – our ancestors routinely let plants grow in "communities". "Populations are not modern biotechnology, but the product of traditional breeding. In practice, this happens by crossing several strong parental varieties with different characteristics. The resulting grains are mixed and sown," explains Torsten Siegmeier from the Bakwert project, which is involved in the cultivation and education of heterogeneous wheat populations.
The main goal is the above-mentioned diversity in the field, which can be recognised at first glance – the cereals each have a different height and ears. However, the fundamental benefits of diversity only become apparent during vegetation. Varieties differ in their resistance to diseases and pests, yield, or the depth of their roots – while some tolerate drought and heat well, others are comfortable with frequent rainfall. Together, they create a strong population that is better able to withstand the challenges of nature.
Resilience means stability
"There are many genetically different plants in one population, each of which reacts to microclimate changes in its own way. On the other hand, a monoculture crop will behave similarly when under stress, for example from drought, and that endangers the entire harvest," adds Odette Weedon from the University of Kassel, who is also involved in Bakwert's activities. She continues:
"In addition, plants in a mixed community make better use of water and nutrients from the soil and, according to farmers, there is not much disease spread between them. Population wheat thus offers a way to manage weather fluctuations and guarantee farmers a stable harvest at a time when cultivation is increasingly risky."
Chances of yield
Proponents of population wheat have a precise argument regarding yield – and their claim is proven by a number of successful trials. "We obtained the population of winter wheat from breeders in Dottenfelderhof, and asked the Gut und Bösel farm in Brandenburg to grow it. It turned out that population wheat really does have better yields than classic organic wheat," confirms Olga Graf, saying:
"The bottom line is that the variety that thrives in the local conditions takes hold in a given region, and then develops and adapts to changes in the environment with respect to them. This creates a resistant population that does not require the use of pesticides, fungicides or herbicides – in contrast to monoculture crops, which are accustomed to chemical fertilisers and doses of nitrogen.” Cultivation without unnecessary interventions appeals primarily to ecological farmers, who only gently support the plants' ambition to live and reproduce.
A green light for innovation
The composition of varieties (and natural chaos) in the field is controlled by nature itself. In return, it allows farmers to grow a unique population that reflects the local terroir, something that is attractive to gastronomy and the end customer – because the vision needs buyers! However, the market opened to population wheat only in January 2022, when the European Union permanently approved the cultivation and distribution of all population crops, such as winter and summer wheat, corn, barley, rye and oats. In the years 2020 to 2021, stock could be cultivated either for research purposes only or for a limited period.
Populations are thus slowly but surely beginning to grow across Europe, receiving names such as MAGIC (Multiparental Advanced Generation Inter-Cross), "modern regional races" or CCPs (Composite Cross Populations). All thanks go to the pioneers, among whom the Wakelyns farm or the UK Grain Lab stand out , but also to universities, breeders, farmers, and their endless enthusiasm for innovation.
Without bakers, it’s nothing
An important intermediate link in education is (as always) the gastro scene. Cereal innovation thus finds trust in bakers and cooks who understand the industry's dependence on agriculture and enjoy combining the useful with the attractive. "This year, we finally got half a ton of population wheat, which was milled into wholemeal flour at Paulicks Mühle. In cooperation with bakeries, we are now figuring out how to work with it and whether bakers would be interested in purchasing it in larger quantities," says Olga Graf, sharing:
"The first bread I baked tasted significantly better than organic wheat flour. The flour from population wheat tastes like red or yellow wheat, and I think it competes well with the old varieties, which are much more problematic for farmers to grow."
Sicilian flour , brought from an inspirational trip to Turin, specifically from the Sesto Gusto pizzeria, was also tested at UM. Pizza chef Massimiliano Prete proclaims that "the dough is more than a pizza", adding Farina evolutiva flour from the Peter Lafarino mill to the recipe – milled from organic grain grown in Sicily, its sensory properties show guests the difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary.
The option to choose
So far, limited edition flour is being milled from population wheat, which is expected to become a staple among the standard ingredients of artisanal bakeries. But most experts agree that the new approach doesn’t displace monoculture cultivation – and doesn’t aspire to either. The message from the field is to show another tool for making a living – and that a healthy (social) ecosystem requires diversity.
