Emmer wheat, also known as
farro especially in Italy, or
hulled wheat, is a type of
awned wheat. Emmer is a tetraploid (2n=4x=28 chromosomes). The domesticated species are
Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccum and
Triticum turgidum conv. durum. The wild species is called
Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccoides. The principal difference between the wild and the domestic species is that the ripened seed head of the wild species shatters and spreads the seed onto the ground while in the domesticated emmer the seed head remains intact, thus making it easier for humans to harvest the grain.