Wild emmer (Triticum dicoccoides), the tetraploid (AABB) wild ancestor of all cultivated tetraploid and hexaploid wheats, originated in the Fertile Crescent. This hulled wheat features a brittle rachis enabling natural seed dispersal. As the direct progenitor of domesticated emmer (T. dicoccum), it donated the critical A and B subgenomes to both durum and bread wheat. Wild emmer's extensive genetic diversity provides an invaluable reservoir of traits for wheat improvement, including drought tolerance, disease resistance (particularly rusts and powdery mildew), enhanced protein content, and mineral efficiency. Modern breeding programs actively exploit these wild-derived characteristics to develop more resilient and nutritious wheat cultivars, making it fundamental to global wheat security.