Relationships among bread-making quality, gluten strength, physical dough properties, and pasta cooking quality for some Canadian durum wheat genotypes

Abstract

Fifty-four durum wheat (Triticum durum) genotypes entered into the 1995, 1996 and 1997 Co-operative Tests were evaluated for gluten strength characteristics using the sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) sedimentation test, the gluten index (GI) test, and physical dough tests including farinograph (high and low adsorption), mixograph, alveograph and extensigraph. Baking quality was evaluated for bread prepared by the Canadian short process (CSP), a short mechanical dough mixing process, and pasta quality was evaluated for spaghetti dried at both low (40°C) and high (70°C) temperatures. The effect of genotype on physical dough measurements, baking quality and spaghetti cooking quality was then determined. SDS sedimentation, GI, pasta dough farinograph (low absorption), bread dough farinograph (high absorption), extensigraph and alveograph measurements were interrelated. When baked by the CSP, the strongest genotypes exhibited mixing times and mixing energies similar to or greater than good quality bread wheat (Triticum aestivum). Although loaf volume (LV) was positively correlated to gluten strength indicators, the strongest genotypes still exhibited only about 85% of the LV expected of good-quality bread wheat of comparable protein content. Baking quality however, was not related to pasta cooking quality, and, therefore, there is potential to breed for dual-purpose durum cultivars, which combine improved baking properties and good pasta cooking quality. Key words: Durum wheat, bread making quality, gluten strength, physical dough properties, pasta cooking quality