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Public exhibition on biodiversity, coordinated by CNRS, had taken place in Trocadéro's garden (Paris) from 20 to 31 October 2010. This free event was realized in partnership with Paris city council, CNES, CEMAGREF, INRA and FRB and support by Veolia Environment Foundation, Casden and Réseau Ferré de France. 

5 different kinds of biodiversity were presented: urban, rural, woodland, aquatic and invisible. This exhibition increased public awareness of ecosystem's richness and frailty. It was also an opportunity to discover national and international research programs carried out by scientific all around the world (CNRS source).

An illustration of cereal collections maintain in Biological Resources Centre in Clermont-Ferrand had been showing in rural biodiversity part of this event with dried bouquets and seeds boxes.

Treating subjects:

Who am I?

Dried bouquets of different cereal species had been putting side by side to allow comparison by the public: Barley (2 and 6 rows), Triticale, Bread wheat and Hard wheat.

Where does wheat come from?

Differences between wild and cultivated species were showing with four wild species: Triticum monococcum, Aegilops speltoïdes, Triticum dicoccoïdes and Aegilops tauschii and cultivated species. Visitors have followed step by step domestication process then selection process with several varieties of Turgidum wheat, Bread wheat, Hard wheat and Spelt wheat.

 Diversity within cultivated species?

Cultivated species diversity is often unaware of public. By observation of morphological traits, you can easily discover this wide diversity. Bread wheat varieties with awn or awnless spike and/or variable spike coloration (white to red) had been used for demonstration.
Seeds boxes of bread wheat, hard wheat and barley were also available to see inter-specific and intra-specific variability (covered seed, naked seed, color scale, …).