Created by Spanish researchers by combining durum wheat with a wild barley variety native to Chile and Argentina, tritordeum pairs the digestibility of barley with the globally-beloved taste of wheat. Tritordeum has been hybridized using traditional breeding techniques and has not been genetically modified. This new crop also has lower water requirements and a reduced need for fungicides and fertilizers compared with common wheat varieties, making it a very attractive addition to the agricultural landscape.
Like wheat, tritordeum is well-suited to growing conditions in the Mediterranean region and is currently being grown both organically and conventionally in Spain, Italy, Greece, and the South of France. It’s now available on grocery shelves in at least 10 European countries and Australia, and we have our fingers crossed that it makes its way to the US and other countries soon.
