Garrison E. King

Contribution of Wheat Flour Fractions to Peak Hot Paste Viscosity

ABSTRACT The quality of many baked products, noodles, gravies, and thickeners is related to the pasting properties of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flour, yet different flours vary markedly in their pasting performance. The objective of the present research was to assess the role of the wheat flour fractions, gluten, water solubles, prime and tailing starches, in the contribution to peak hot paste viscosity among three selected wheat cultivars. Straight-grade flours were fractionated and reconstituted. Fractions were examined independently and were deleted in otherwise fully reconstituted flours. Fractions were exchanged between cultivars for reconstituting flours, and fractions were substituted individually into a common starch base. The flours from the cultivars Klasic, McKay, and Madsen differed markedly in their peak hot paste viscosities, and were fractionated and reconstituted with only a small effect on paste viscosity. Results clearly showed that prime starch was the primary determinate of flour pa...

Characterization of the end-use quality of soft wheat cultivars from the eastern and western US germplasm 'pools'

Soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) improvement could be enhanced by the identification of germplasm with superior end-use quality traits. Due to the geographic and historical separation of eastern and western US soft wheat germplasm ‘pools’, genetic differences in end-use quality may exist among cultivars arising from these two pools. To identify such differences, 30 US soft wheat cultivars were evaluated in ‘head-to-head’ trials over 3 years in Washington state. Cultivars were classified as: eastern soft red winter (SRW), eastern soft white winter (ESWW), western soft white (WSWW) and western Club. These four soft wheat cultivar classifications clearly differed systematically for some of the quality traits examined. The Club wheat cultivar group had the highest flour yield and flour ash. The Club group also had the lowest mixograph dough water absorption. Milling score (which incorporates break flour yield) was highest for Club and ESWW. Eastern soft red and white wheat cultivar groups had lower flour ash and alkaline water retention capacity (AWRC) compared to the western Club and soft white wheats; ESWW had the lowest AWRC of any classification. Cookie diameter was greatest for the ESWW group, followed by the SRW and Club groups (which were not significantly different), and then by the WSWW group. Individual cultivars with exceptional quality traits were also identified. These results indicate that the four US soft wheat germplasm pools differ, and they may be valuable genetic resources for ‘inter-pool’ wheat improvement.

A Comprehensive Genotype and Environment Assessment of Wheat Grain Ash Content in Oregon and Washington: Analysis of Variation

ABSTRACT A comprehensive analysis of the variation in wheat grain ash content has not been previously conducted. This study assessed the relative contribution of genotype and environment to variation in ash content, with a particular aim of ascertaining the potential for manipulating the trait using contemporary adapted germplasm. A total of 2,240 samples were drawn from four years of multilocation field plots grown in the wheat production areas of Oregon and Washington states. Genotypes included commercial cultivars and advanced breeding lines of soft and hard winter, and soft and hard spring wheats with red and white kernel color, several soft white club wheats, and one soft white spring waxy wheat cultivar. In addition to ash, protein content, test weight, and Single Kernel Characterization System kernel hardness, weight and size were also measured. In total, 20 separate fully balanced ANOVA results were conducted. Whole model R2 values were highly significant, 0.62–0.91. Nineteen of the 20 ANOVA resul...

Compressive Strength of Wheat Endosperm: Comparison of Endosperm Bricks to the Single Kernel Characterization System

ABSTRACT The three major classes of endosperm texture (grain hardness) of soft and hard common, and durum wheat represent and define one of the leading determinants of the milling and end-use quality of wheat. Although these three genetic classes are directly related to the Hardness locus and puroindoline gene function, much less is known about the kernel-to-kernel variation within pure varietal grain lots. Measurement of this variation is of considerable interest. The objective of this research was to compare kernel texture as determined by compression failure testing using endosperm bricks with results of whole-kernel hardness obtained with the Single Kernel Characterization System 4100 hardness index (SKCS HI). In general terms, the variation obtained with the SKCS HI was of similar magnitude to that obtained using failure strain and failure energy of endosperm brick compression. Objective comparisons included frequency distribution plots, normalized frequency distribution plots, ANOVA model R2, and co...

Compressive Strength of Wheat Endosperm : Analysis of Endosperm Bricks

ABSTRACT The material properties of wheat grain endosperm are central to its processing and end-use quality. The preparation of geometrically-defined endosperm specimens free of bran, germ, and pigment strand can facilitate the objective study of endosperm material properties. This study was conducted to characterize the material properties of wheat endosperm from two soft, two hard, and one durum wheat varietal samples. Additionally, each varietal sample was sorted according to vitreous or mealy kernel type. Endosperm ‘bricks’ approximately 0.76 × 2.08 × 1.06 mm were prepared using an abrading (Kernel Sanders, KS) device. Bricks were tested in compression using a texture analyzer (TA.XTPlus). Stress-strain curves were used to calculate failure strain, failure stress, failure energy, and Youngs modulus. Additionally, the effect of brick aging up to one month, and changes in moisture content (freeze drying, oven drying, and equilibration to ≈10.5–11% mc) were studied. Intrakernel variation was assessed by...

Characterization of a Unique “Super Soft” Kernel Trait in Wheat

ABSTRACT Kernel texture in wheat (Triticum sp.) is central to end-use quality and utilization. Here we report the discovery of a novel soft kernel trait in soft white winter wheat (T. aestivum L.). Two heritable kernel phenotypes were selected among F3-derived sibs, hereafter designated “normal soft” (wild-type) and “super soft.” Normal soft lines exhibited single kernel characterization system (SKCS) hardness index (HI) values typical of soft wheat (HI ≈ 20), whereas the super soft lines were unusually soft (HI ≈ 5). Under some environments, individual super soft lines exhibited HI values as low as HI = –4. The super soft trait was manifested in reduced SKCS kernel texture and higher break flour yields, with some increase in sodium carbonate SRC (solvent retention capacity) values and sponge cake volumes. Straight-grade flour yield, flour ash, milling score, and cookie diameter were largely unaffected. With the possible exception of the sodium carbonate SRC values, we observed no indication that the supe...

Evaluation of maternal parent and puroindoline allele on kernel texture in a reciprocal cross between two hard spring wheat cultivars

Kernel texture is an important characteristic for both the milling and the end-use quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Gene sequence variation and mutations to the two puroindoline genes (Pina and Pinb), located at the Ha locus on chromosome 5DS, account for the majority of variation in wheat kernel texture. Other factors also influence kernel texture, including effects associated with different maternal parent backgrounds. To investigate the effect of two hard puroindoline alleles in different maternal backgrounds, a population of 228 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a reciprocal cross between two wheat cultivars ‘ID377s’ (Pina-D1b/Pinb-D1a) and ‘Klasic’ (Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1b) were examined in two succeeding generations (F7 & F8). Kernel texture was determined using the Single Kernel Characterization System (SKCS) and the RIL puroindoline haplotype was identified by the sequence-specific PCR amplification of each gene. Analysis of variance identified a significant (P ≤ 0.001) effect of the maternal parent and puroindoline mutation on kernel texture. RILs containing the Pina-D1b mutation were significantly harder than lines containing the Pinb-D1b mutation. RILs which had Klasic as the maternal parent were significantly harder than those which had ID377s as the maternal parent. When the maternal parent and puroindoline allele were analyzed in combination, RILs derived from Klasic as the maternal parent and the Pina-D1b allele were significantly harder (P ≤ 0.001) than those containing the same allele but ID377s as the maternal parent. The same occurred for RILs containing the Pinb-D1b allele, lines with Klasic as the maternal parent were harder than lines with ID377s as the maternal parent. These results corroborate the harder phenotype of the Pina-D1b allele and indicate a significant maternally-inherited contribution to kernel texture variation.