Variation in bread‐making quality: effects of weather parameters on protein concentration and quality in some Swedish wheat cultivars grown during the period 1975–1996

Abstract

Two spring and two winter wheat cultivars were investigated for bread volume, grain protein concentration and mixogram index. Data for the weather conditions—mean day temperature per month, precipitation per month, and sun hours per month—were collected for the same period. Relationships between the quality factors were studied as well as relationships between these factors and weather conditions. The bread volumes varied from 910 to 1415 ml, and from 630 to 1067 ml for the spring and winter wheats, respectively. The grain protein concentrations were between 11.1 and 14.9% for the spring wheats, and between 10.6 and 16.7% for the winter wheats. Mixogram indexes varied from 110 to 156, and from 89 to 139, for spring and winter wheats, respectively. A strong correlation was found between the bread-making quality and the grain protein concentration and quality. The grain protein concentration and mixogram index accounted for 19% and 15% of the variation in bread volume, respectively. The climatic variables influenced on bread volume, and grain protein concentration and quality. The temperature, specially during the grain filling period, was the most important weather parameter, explaining 34% of the variation in grain protein concentration and 49% of the variation in mixogram index in spring wheat. The influence of the weather on the quality parameters, were more complex in the winter wheats. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry.