Physico Chemical properties in Relation to Bread Making Quality of Ethiopian Improved Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L) Cultivores Grown at Kulumsa, Arsi, Ethiopia

Abstract

Many food processing industries utilizing bread wheat as a raw material are being established in the country. As a result, information on physico-chemical characteristics to match intended end use quality is very essential. In line with this, this study was initiated with objectives to characterize the physico-chemical properties in relation to bread making quality and to classify bread wheat cultivars considered as soft and hard wheat based on quality traits characterized. The grain of 23 bread wheat cultivars was collected from Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center from harvest of 2011/12 cropping season and analyzed for grain physical and flour chemical quality characteristics. Significant variations in all parameters considered were observed among the cultivars except hectoliter weight (HLW). Thousand kernel weight (TKW), percent vitreous kernel (%Vk), average kernel size and particle size index (% PSI) were shown high significant difference (P<0.01) due to bread wheat genotypes. Mada Walabu got largest grain size, TKW and larger percentage PSI. Kakaba, Simba, Tay, Pavon 76, and Gassay were genotypes with superior protein quantity while Simba, Sirbo, Kakaba and Pavon 76 were those having higher wet gluten (WG), dry gluten (DG) and gluten water absorption (GWA). Cultivars with lower % PSI got higher WAB.