Variation in Grain Functional Quality for Soft Winter Wheat

Abstract

Soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an ingredient in a broad range of end‐use products. The purpose of this research was to study variation in soft wheat flour yield, protein content, mixograph, and wire‐cut formulation cookie diameter and height. Five soft winter wheat cultivars were grown in replicated trials in nine environments in Michigan. Analysis of variance revealed that cultivar, environment, and cultivar × environment effects were significant for flour yield, protein content, cookie diameter, and mixograph peak height. Only cultivar significantly (P < 0.05) affected cookie height. Mixograph peak time was significantly (P < 0.01) affected by cultivar and environment, but not cultivar × environment interaction. Hühn's nonparametric stability statistic showed differences in rank stability for flour yield only. Principal component analysis of the cultivar × environment interaction effects showed no consistent patterns of behavior for similar cultivars, locations, or seasons. A reasonable degree of accuracy can be obtained by evaluating bulked replications from a few locations per year. When purchasing grain, knowledge of the cultivar is useful in predicting quality relative to other cultivars. Knowledge of local environments is of little use when attempting to predict grain quality. The mixograph and wire‐cut cookie tests employed here appear to be useful indicators of quality in soft wheat.