Spelt is a hardy member of the wheat family. The "rye" mentioned in Isaiah 28:25 is thought to be spelt. Spelt is also mentioned in Exodus 9:32 and Ezekiel 4:9. It is a hard-grained type of wheat with loose ears and grains that are triangular when cut across. Spelt was the most common form of wheat in ancient times.
This grain has a stronger stem than regular wheat and strong spikes of grain. Bread made from spelt flour is not as good as bread made from wheat flour. However, spelt will grow well in almost any kind of soil and will produce a crop on land that is not suitable for wheat. People that lived a long time ago preferred spelt to barley for making bread.