Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum Desf. Husn.) or pasta wheat is an important crop for the human diet and is known for its hardness, protein, intense yellow colour, nutty flavour and excellent cooking qualities. In Australia, durum production averages ~400,000 tonnes but has fluctuated substantially between ~50,000 and 800,000 tonnes over 1995–2008.

Durum wheat differs from the other wheats in having endosperm that does not break into fine flour when milled but into coarse semolina, ideal for pasta making. The free-milling grain is capable of achieving high yields of superior quality semolina with minimal residual flour production.