The Science Behind Our Food Through Åsmund Bjørnstad's Groundbreaking Research
Exploring 10,000 years of cereal domestication, genetics, and cultural impact
Every time we slice a loaf of bread, pour a bowl of cereal, or enjoy a cold beer, we're participating in a biological and cultural relationship that has shaped human civilization for millennia. Behind these everyday foods lies an extraordinary story of genetic transformation and human ingenuity—a story that plant breeder and scientist Åsmund Bjørnstad masterfully tells in "Vårt daglege brød—kornets kulturhistorie" (Our Daily Bread—The Biological and Cultural History of the Cereals).
This remarkable work takes readers on a journey through time, exploring how tiny genetic mutations in plants allowed for the rise of civilizations, dictated the fates of empires, and continue to determine whether we can feed a growing global population.
What makes Bjørnstad's perspective unique is his ability to weave together molecular biology, archaeology, and cultural history into what reviewers describe as a successful "hybrid" of scientific rigor and accessible storytelling 6 . As a professor emeritus in plant breeding at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and an accomplished writer, Bjørnstad brings both scientific authority and literary flair to his subject, creating what one critic hailed as "sakpoesi" – a "factual poetry" that engages readers regardless of their scientific background 6 .
Approximately 10,000-12,000 years ago, our ancestors began a revolutionary transformation from hunter-gatherers to farmers. This shift began in the Middle East with the domestication of wheat and barley, then independently occurred in China with rice, and later in Mesoamerica with maize 5 .
What's remarkable is that early farmers, without any knowledge of genetics, selectively preserved and cultivated plants with desirable traits—larger seeds, easier threshing, and stronger stalks that could support heavier grain heads.
Through Bjørnstad's research, we learn that the world developed three distinct grain cultures, each with its own geographical and cultural footprint:
| Cereal | Original Domestication Location | Time Period | Key Adaptation Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat & Barley | Middle East | ~10,000-12,000 years ago | Europe, Middle East, North Africa |
| Rice | China | ~8,000-10,000 years ago | Asia, later globally |
| Maize | Mesoamerica | ~7,000-9,000 years ago | Americas, later globally |
| Oats & Rye | Middle East (as secondary crops) | ~4,000-5,000 years ago | Northern Europe, high altitudes |
Within a few thousand years of their domestication in the warm Middle East, these grains had adapted to grow as far north as Alta, Norway (70°N) and as high as 4,000 meters in Ethiopia 4 . This incredible adaptability was made possible by specific genetic mutations that Bjørnstad explores in detail.
High Altitude Adaptation
One of the most compelling stories Bjørnstad shares is that of Nikolai Vavilov, a Russian botanist and geneticist whose work in the early 20th century fundamentally shaped our understanding of crop diversity and origins 8 .
Vavilov's guiding philosophy was that "to improve plants, one had to select from as wide a diversity as possible" 8 . To put this principle into practice, he embarked on an unprecedented mission: from 1916 to 1940, Vavilov traveled across five continents, systematically collecting seeds and plant specimens to build the world's largest gene bank in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg).
Tragically, Vavilov's career was cut short when he fell victim to Stalinist political intrigues and was imprisoned in 1940 8 . As World War II engulfed Russia, Leningrad endured a 900-day siege by German forces that led to the starvation of approximately one million people—a third of the city's population 8 .
Among the dead were thirty of Vavilov's seed bank curators, who chose to starve rather than consume the priceless seed collections they guarded.
"The rice expert D.S. Ivanov was found dead among thousands of packages of rice from all over Asia" 8 . These scientists recognized that the seed bank represented the future of food security—not just for Russia, but for humanity.
| Component | Description | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Collection Scope | 1916-1940 expeditions across 5 continents | Created world's largest seed bank with 150,000+ samples |
| Scientific Basis | Centers of Origin theory for crop diversity | Identified primary gene pools for crop improvement |
| Preservation Method | Seed drying and cold storage in Leningrad | State-of-the-art preservation for early 20th century |
| Human Element | 30 curators protecting collection during siege | Scientists sacrificed their lives to preserve genetic diversity |
The last decade has witnessed a revolution in our understanding of cereal history, thanks to advances in DNA sequencing technology. Bjørnstad explains how molecular plant biology has revealed that plant DNA is "a fascinating story in itself" 1 .
By analyzing the genetic codes of various cereals, scientists can now trace the exact mutations that made domestication possible and allowed plants to adapt to diverse environments.
For example, Bjørnstad describes how specific mutations in wheat and barley allowed these originally Middle Eastern crops to mature in the much colder and darker conditions of Northern Scandinavia 1 . Similarly, aromatic varieties of rice like basmati and jasmine share genetic markers that point to a single ancestral mutation that then spread through selective breeding 5 .
Bjørnstad's history of cereals begins long before humans appeared on the scene—approximately 70 million years ago, when the grass family diverged from its closest relative, the banana family 8 .
At that time, the grass ancestor underwent a chromosome duplication event that provided the genetic raw material for evolutionary innovation. The family then split into three subfamilies, with rice forming its own lineage around 50 million years ago 8 .
| Cereal | Genetic Mutation | Impact and Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Barley Varieties | Cold tolerance genes | Enabled cultivation at 70°N latitude in Norway |
| Basmati & Jasmine Rice | Aroma compound genes | Created prized aromatic varieties from single origin |
| Modern Wheat | Dwarfing genes | Enabled Green Revolution with higher yields |
| Maize | Teosinte branching changes | Transformed wild grass into productive crop |
Bjørnstad doesn't shy away from the pressing contemporary issues surrounding cereal production. He notes that while the 20th century saw a phenomenal increase in grain production—enough to feed a tripling global population while prices generally fell—this trend faces serious challenges 4 5 .
By 2050, cereals will need to feed more people while also supplying raw materials for industry and biofuels in an emerging bioeconomy 1 4 .
Current agricultural systems face multiple threats, including climate change, water scarcity, and soil degradation. Bjørnstad observes that food production already accounts for 85% of global water use 8 , creating unsustainable pressures in many regions.
Despite these challenges, Bjørnstad remains optimistic about the potential of scientific innovation to address our future food needs. He discusses the importance of genetic diversity in developing more resilient crops, noting that Vavilov's approach to collecting diverse varieties remains as relevant today as it was a century ago 8 .
Modern plant breeders are using advanced genetic techniques to develop varieties with improved disease resistance, water efficiency, and nutritional content.
Bjørnstad also points to innovative approaches beyond traditional plant breeding. He mentions that recycling phosphorous from urine could provide a sustainable fertilizer source, noting that "This separation is already implemented in some municipalities in Sweden" where "urine could support two thirds of Sweden's grain production" 8 .
"Should Ug99 reach the Indian subcontinent, nan and chapatti for one billion people and 20% of the world's wheat crops are endangered" 8 . As Bjørnstad starkly warns, new diseases like the Ug99 strain of stem rust (discovered in Uganda in 1999) threaten global wheat supplies.
Åsmund Bjørnstad's "Vårt daglege brød" offers readers far more than the history of cereal crops—it provides a new lens through which to understand human civilization itself. From the Roman Empire's expansion driven by grain needs to the way ergot fungus infections may have contributed to witchcraft trials through hallucinogenic compounds 8 , cereals have been quietly shaping human history in surprising ways.
The genetic mutations that enabled cereals to adapt to diverse environments, the scientific sacrifices to preserve genetic diversity, and the ongoing innovations in agricultural science all tell the same story: our fate remains deeply intertwined with these humble grasses.
As we face the challenges of feeding a global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, Bjørnstad's work reminds us that understanding the past—both biological and cultural—is essential to building a sustainable future. The same genetic diversity that allowed early farmers to transform wild grasses into staple crops, and that Vavilov's curators died to protect, may hold the key to developing the cereals that will feed our grandchildren.
In telling the rich, multifaceted story of "our daily bread," Bjørnstad ultimately tells the story of humanity itself—a species that transformed the world by transforming grasses, and was in turn transformed by them.