Gamma rays - its role in the improvement of Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum), a functional food

Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum), commonly known as Khapli is gaining importance as functional/therapeutic food because of the low glycemic index, slow digestability, high satiety value coupled with resistant starch, high protein and fibre. These quality attributes are considered vital for the dietary management of diabetes and cardiovascular risks. Traditional varieties of emmer are tall, susceptible to lodging and low yielding, however modern semi dwarf cultivars are high yielding with low quality. Most of the semi dwarf dicoccum cultivars derived their dwarfing genes from Triticum durum and it has strong linkage drag in altering the quality traits