Flarewheat

Flarewheat is a crop seen on the lost world Eisenhower, one of multiple varieties of crops genetically-engineered to be resistant to the radiation produced by the frequent, massive flares of Eisenhower's sun.

Properties

Flarewheat resembles ordinary Terran wheat, and indeed uses that as its base genome. It is modified to photosynthesise under the light of Eisenhower's K-type sun, dimmer and lower in visible wavelength than Sol, a G-type. The first varieties were created during the Wormhole Rush, and so several other mods common in the late twenty-first and early twenty-second centuries were added, such as disease resistance and faster growth. For Eisenhower specifically, increased radiation resistance was coded into the genome to ensure it could survive an entire growing season under possibly frequent flares. This was a trial and error process refined by the colonists over time, with problems cropping up such as harsh UV light from flares damaging the chloroplasts even when the plant overall resisted the ionizing radiation. Several food shortages were caused by extended periods of above-average flare activity, including panicked speculation about whether humans had happened to settle the planet during a relative lull in flare activity, and if an increase would render crop growth impossible.

Modern flarewheat is thought to have been perfected during the Second Interstellar Period, when Eisenhower was a member of the American Federation with access to the latest biotechnology of the time. Flarewheat continues to be used after Eisenhower's bombardment, dark age, and rebuilding, but can no longer be directly modified since genetic engineering is beyond the abilities of the current Eisenhower civilization. When harvested it is allowed to sit in a shielded silo made of concrete for a period of time so radioactive by-products in its grains can decay.

Flarewheat, along with other flare-resistant crops, is a staple food for the people of Eisenhower. Meat is rare by comparison, expensive to raise since livestock needs large flare shelters and enough workers to herd it inside.