The solvent retention capacity (SRC) test uses the ability of flour to retain a range of solvents as a means of evaluating multiple aspects of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) quality: pentosan content, starch damage, gluten strength, and general water retention. To assess the utility of the SRC in cultivar evaluation, 26 soft white spring wheat genotypes were produced in seven irrigated environments, and milling and baking quality parameters for these genotypes were determined. Solvent (water, 500 g kg−1 sucrose, 50 g kg−1 sodium carbonate, and 50 g kg−1 lactic acid) retention capacities of flours effectively differentiated genotypes across environments. Flour protein concentration and sucrose SRC together effectively modeled sugar snap cookie diameter. Flour extraction and sodium carbonate SRC were negatively correlated. Whole grain measurements, including near‐infrared hardness, single kernel hardness, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) sedimentation volume were correlated with SRC values. The SRC test is a promising method for evaluating soft wheat genotypes on the basis of their underlying biochemical flour characteristics, independent of flour protein concentration.

Moisture stress influences both yield and end‐use quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Previous studies assessed stability of yield and yield components to moisture stress. This study evaluated the stability of spring wheat quality parameters relative to the stability of grain yield and its components under moisture stress. Sixteen spring wheat cultivars were produced under two moisture‐deficit regimes in 1995 and 1996 to determine the effects of moisture‐deficit severity on grain yield and its components, test weight, flour protein, flour extraction, dough‐mixing characteristics, and alkaline noodle color. Moisture deficit differentially and significantly influenced cultivar test weight and yield. The overall moisture‐deficit‐induced reduction in yield was due primarily to reduction in kernel weight; effects of moisture deficit on yield of specific cultivars were due largely to effects on kernels per spike. Drought‐sensitivity indices (DSIs) for yield were correlated to cultivar yield potential. Yield reduction by moderate moisture deficit was not predictive of yield reduction by severe moisture deficit. Effects of moisture‐deficit severity on flour extraction and mixograph peak time varied with cultivar. Moisture deficit reduced initial noodle brightness and enhanced noodle yellowness. However, the color of noodles produced by the cultivars included in this study responded similarly to moisture deficit, suggesting that evaluation of noodle color may not require testing across moisture‐deficit environments. Test weight and flour extraction DSIs were correlated with DSIs for grain yield. Therefore, identifying drought‐tolerant genotypes based on yield stability under moisture stress also will identify genotypes having stable test weight and flour extraction.

Phytic acid (myo‐inositol‐1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexakisphosphate, or Ins P6) is the most abundant storage form of P in seeds, yet indigestible by humans and nonruminant livestock. A wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) mutant is described herein with greatly reduced seed phytic acid P but little change in seed total P, similar to lpa1‐type mutants described in other grain species. One nonlethal mutant from 562 ethyl‐methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenized M2 lines was identified with a high inorganic phosphate (HIP) phenotype and designated Js‐12‐LPA. Js‐12‐LPA homozygotes produced seed in which phytic acid P represented 48.2% of seed total P, in contrast to 74.7% of seed total P in nonmutant or wild‐type control, Js‐12‐WT. The inorganic portion of seed P was increased from 9.1% in Js‐12‐WT to 50.1% in Js‐12‐LPA, with little effect on total seed P. Weight distributions among milling fractions were similar for the Js‐12‐LPA and Js‐12‐WT genotypes. The low phytic acid trait altered the distribution of total P within the kernel, increasing the P content of the central endosperm and decreasing the P content of the bran. The low phytic acid trait decreased the phytic acid concentration in the bran by 43% and increased the inorganic P concentration in the bran nearly four‐fold. Inheritance data of F2 and F4:6 families was inconsistent with a single‐gene mutation and suggests the involvement of two or more genes. This low phytic acid wheat mutant is a genetic resource for studying the biology of seed phytic acid metabolism and wheat quality improvement.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain mineral concentrations tend to decrease as yields increase, therefore, breeding for yield improvement may reduce wheat nutritional quality. The objectives of this study were to survey grain mineral concentration in Great Plains hard winter wheat to assess (i) the heritable variation for grain mineral concentrations in the germplasm pool, (ii) the effects of more than 50 yr of wheat breeding on mineral concentrations, and (iii) opportunities to exploit the underlying physiological relationship between grain protein concentration (GPC) and grain mineral concentration to improve nutritional quality. Grain mineral concentrations were measured in a panel of 299 winter wheat genotypes grown in 2012 and 2013 in Oklahoma and Nebraska. Cadmium and Li concentrations were most heritable across environments, and the low heritabilities of Fe and Zn concentrations will challenge direct breeding efforts, particularly within low‐yield environments that minimize genetic variance. Within the subset of cultivars released from 1960 to 2014, grain yield increased 0.58 to 1.25% yr−1, and Zn concentration decreased 0.15 to 0.26% yr−1, relative to the reference cultivar Scout 66. Grain concentrations of Fe, P, and S also trended lower over this time period. Significant genetic variation persists within contemporary germplasm. Among 93 cultivars released since 2000, Zn concentration max/min ratios ranged from 1.5 to 2.3, depending on environment. The positive interrelationship between GPC and grain Fe and Zn concentrations could be exploited in a yield‐neutral breeding strategy that selects genotypes based on positive grain protein deviation (GPD) in multiple environments.

red spring wheat include high protein and strong gluten (Souza et al., 2002). Soft white wheat is grown in regions Bread baking is the primary end-use criterion used to select hard with higher rainfall expectations or in arid areas with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes for the northwestern supplemental irrigation. Cookies and cakes are the tar-USA, yet the use of hard wheats has expanded beyond traditional pan breads to include Asian noodles. We assessed the relative influence of get end-use products for most of the soft white crop. genotype, N management, and location on quality characteristics of Desirable characteristics for this wheat class include low a set of spring wheat cultivars that provided a range in gluten strength protein and limited damage to starch granules during and acceptability for bread and Asian noodle quality, and determined milling that results in low-water-absorption flours (Gutwhether grain characteristics could predict bread and/or noodle martieri et al., 2001a). ket suitability. Seven spring cultivars were grown at four locations Recent cropping diversification has prompted develacross 3 yr with two levels of N fertilizer in irrigated and moistureopment and deployment of hard white spring wheat in limited conditions. Bread quality, alkaline noodle color, and Chinese the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Asian customers noodle color and texture were assessed on grain samples. Cultivar desire hard white wheat for manufacturing noodles was the most important determinant of bread and noodle quality traits largely because of its brighter flour and product color in both the irrigated and moisture-limited environments. Nitrogen level influenced only Chinese noodle color in irrigated environments,