Influence of protein concentration on farinograph absorption, mixing requirements and mixing tolerance

Abstract

Accurate and precise measurements of grain quality traits are required throughout the wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Em. Thell.) production and marketing chain to ensure that quality standards are maintained. In the present study, spring and winter wheat genotypes representing a wide range of grain quality types and protein concentration (PC) were grown in dry land and irrigated nitrogen fertilizer trials in western Canada to determine the influence of flour PC and quality on farinograph water absorption, mixing requirements and mixing tolerance. As expected, there was a strong linear relationship between PC and water absorption. In contrast, PC had a large nonlinear influence on mixing requirements and tolerance measurements, which made it difficult to make meaningful comparisons among genotypes when flour PC was less than 12%. Consequently, because cultivar grain yield potential, environment, and fertilizer management decisions have a large and variable influence on PC, it is important that cultivar selection procedures and marketing programs based on farinograph measurements include grain quality comparisons made over a wide range of PC and preferably at similar PC. This allows for a more accurate assessment of cultivar genetic potential that is independent of the normally strong negative relationship between PC and grain yield potential. When combined with the ability to segregate grain on the basis of PC at the time of delivery, it also allows producers a greater opportunity to select cultivars and adopt management practices that maximize returns while maintaining effective quality control in grain handling systems. Key words: Wheat, grain quality, farinograph, protein concentration, N management, cultivar selection and marketing