Is the Technological Quality of Old Durum Wheat Cultivars Superior to That of Modern Ones When Exposed to Moderately High Temperatures during Grain Filling?

Francesco Giunta,Simona Bassu,Rosella Motzo,Marina Mefleh

doi:10.3390/foods9060778

Francesco Giunta, Simona Bassu + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060778

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Abstract

The growing interest in old durum wheat cultivars, due to enhanced consumer attention on healthy, traditional products and low-input agricultural systems, partly relies on their different quality characteristics compared to modern cultivars. Nine Italian durum wheat cultivars from different breeding periods were compared in two late-sown (January) field trials in order to subject their grain filling period to high temperatures similar to those expected in the future. Late sowing moved anthesis forward by about 10 days and increased the mean temperature during grain filling by 1.3 °C compared to that obtained when using the common sowing period of November–December. In these conditions, old cultivars were on average less productive than modern ones (2.36 vs. 3.54 tons ha−1, respectively), had a higher protein percentage (13.8% vs. 11.1%), a lower gluten index (24.3% vs. 56.3%), and a lower alveographic W (baking strength) (64 vs. 100 J 10−4). The differences were partly associated to variations in the gliadins:glutenins ratio. It depended on the genotype whether the grain and semolina protein percentage and gluten strength compensated one another in terms of alveographic indices to give the dough a strength similar to that of the modern cultivars in the range of moderately high temperatures, which resulted from delayed sowing. Further studies aimed at exploring the genetic variability of quality traits in the large genetic pool represented by the several Italian old and intermediate durum wheat cultivars still available are therefore advisable.

Highlights

The global production of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum Desf.) in 2016 amounted to about 40 million tons
The differences were partly associated to variations in the gliadins:glutenins ratio. It depended on the genotype whether the grain and semolina protein percentage and gluten strength compensated one another in terms of alveographic indices to give the dough a strength similar to that of the modern cultivars in the range of moderately high temperatures, which resulted from delayed sowing
Based on the long-term meteorological data set from Ottava for the 1961–1990 period, the mean temperature over the 45 days following anthesis, with the April 24 as the anthesis date, is 16.8 ◦ C; if the anthesis is moved to May 4, it rises to 18.1 ◦ C

Summary

Introduction

The global production of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum Desf.) in 2016 amounted to about 40 million tons. The European Union is the world leader in the production of durum wheat, with 9.4 million tons (t) produced each year. Is the main European producer, generating about 4 million tons, i.e., 10% of world and 41% of European Union production The combination of increasing public awareness of environmental issues with the growing consumer attention to healthy, traditional products and organic food, has led to a rediscovery of old durum wheat cultivars over the last few decades. These are suited to organic systems and to

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