Founder crops

Emmer wheat
Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccum

Einkorn wheat
Triticum monococcum

Barley
Hordeum vulgare

Lentil
Lens culinaris

Pea
Pisum sativum

Chickpea
Cicer arietinum

Bitter vetch
Vicia ervilia

Flax
Linum usitatissimum

The founder crops or primary domesticates are a group of flowering plants that were domesticated by early farming communities in Southwest Asia and went on to form the basis of agricultural economies across Eurasia. As originally defined by Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf, they consisted of three cereals (emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, and barley), four pulses (lentil, pea, chickpea, and bitter vetch), and flax. Subsequent research has indicated that many other species could be considered founder crops. These species were amongst the first domesticated plants in the world.