Storage Duration and Temperature, and Wheat Genotype Effect on Sedimentation Value1

Abstract

AbstractThe sedimentation test is a valuable tool in screening wheat selections for baking quality in early breeding stages. Its shortcoming is the decline in the sedimentation values (SV) during storage, A series of experiments were conducted to study the dynamics of the sedimentation values as a function of genotype, storage temperature, and storage duration. Grains of various common wheat, Triticum aestivum L., cultivars and selections were stored for 7 to 11 months at 3, 11, 20, and 30 C, and at room temperature; they were periodically milled and tested for SV and protein content of the flour.Entries with high initial SV generally showed a steep decrease in SV, especially during the first two to three months after harvest. Genotypical differences in the SV dynamics were found within the high‐quality group of cultivars. No decrease in SV was observed in cultivars showing low initial values.High storage temperature (30 C and RT), had a much more pronounced effect on the SV dynamics than did lower temperatures. Protein content was not involved in the SV decline.Reliability of the sedimentation test for breeding purposes can be increased by storing material at low temperatures, preferably not higher than 5 C, or by carrying out at short intervals recurrent sedimentation tests of a check cultivar.