Evaluation of the industrial quality of Moroccan durum, soft and red wheat landraces

Abstract

Wheat landraces are a treasure trove of genetic resources in Morocco and are very appreciated by farmers for their excellent grain quality. Therefore, an evaluation of the industrial quality of wheat landraces is necessary. The objective of this study was to determine the physico-chemical properties of three species of Moroccan wheat landraces (durum, soft and red) in order to evaluate the technological quality and to deduce the industrial value. For this purpose, seventy-five samples of the three species were collected from Moroccan farmers during the 2019-2020 agricultural season. The analyses concerned dimensional and physico-chemical characteristics, such as the 1000-kernel weight, specific weight, moisture, total ash and carotenoid pigment content. The results of the dimensional characterization showed that the three species have distinct physical structures. The agro-morphological characterization revealed exceptional values for red wheat. The moisture content recorded was lower than the maximum limit set by international standards (14.5%). The determination of the total ash content indicates that red wheat (3.25±0.64%) is ashier than durum (2.23±0.42%) and soft wheat (2.11±0.68%). The carotenoid pigment content recorded in red wheat (9.11±1.60 ppm) exceeds that of durum wheat (7.54±1.21 ppm), while soft wheat is low in carotenoid pigment (1.19±1.13 ppm). The results revealed that the three examined species meet the quality requirements of the semolina and the milling industries. This finding will promote national wheat production to reach international standards.