The influence of dual-purpose production on triticale grain quality

Abstract

Triticale is a high yielding cereal grain which performs well as a dual-purpose crop (both mid-season biomass and end-season grain harvests), however, is usually inferior to wheat under the requirements of a high-value milling grain market. There is potential to increase the profitability of dual-purpose triticale by improving grain quality for food products. Currently the ash content of triticale grain is above acceptable limits and protein content is usually below the requirement for a milling market. This research compared the yield, test weight, ash and protein content of four winter triticale genotypes in replicated grain only and dual-purpose treatments over five year-site environments, based on a previously reported hypothesis that removal of triticale biomass reduces grain ash content. Cutting had a highly variable influence on yield and protein content between genotypes. Ash content was either unaffected or increased by cutting, again depending on the genotype. Ash content was negatively correlated with both stage of plant development when cut (explaining 82% of the variation) and amount of dry matter removed (explaining 65% of the variation). The results suggest that ash content in dual-purpose triticale grain may be reduced by combining suitable cultivars with later cutting; however, this may also decrease the grain protein content. It is unlikely that grazing or cutting is a suitable strategy to reduce ash content in triticale to the level required by wheat milling markets.