Location: Small Grain and Food Crops Quality Research
2023 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Resolve changes in analytical methods (liquid chromatography, and near infrared and mid infrared spectroscopy) to rapidly evaluate phenotypic traits of hard spring wheat, durum, and oat elite cultivars.
Sub-Objectives:
1.A. Improve the characterization of polymeric proteins in hard spring wheat and durum.
1.B. Improve liquid chromatography to characterize gliadin proteins in hard spring wheat and durum.
1.C. Develop an improved liquid chromatography procedure to characterize proteins in oat.
1.D. Develop near infrared and mid infrared models to rapidly predict quality traits in hard spring wheat, durum, and oat.
Objective 2: Evaluate and report the milling (processing and intrinsic end-use quality) parameters of hard spring wheat, durum, and oat commercially viable cultivars as part of a Congressionally-designated direct mission of service (non-hypothesis driven).
Sub-Objectives:
2.A. Identify and evaluate processing and intrinsic end-use quality traits of experimental hard spring and durum wheat lines.
2.B. Identify and evaluate biochemical and processing quality traits of experimental oat lines.
Approach
High quality grains are in demand for both domestic and international agricultural markets. The Hard Spring and Durum Wheat Quality Laboratory will evaluate processing and end-use quality traits of breeders’ experimental lines of wheat and oat relative to physical and biochemical attributes and genetic and environmental influences. This research is important to identify wheat lines that are of superior milling, baking, and processing quality before they are considered for commercial release. Since large numbers of samples need to be evaluated in a limited time frame in a plant breeding program, it is important to rapidly identify wheat and oat lines that are of superior processing and end-product quality. Research will be conducted to develop improved or innovative analytical methods that can rapidly characterize quality traits for hard spring wheat, durum, and oat. Specifically, research will be performed to resolve changes in liquid chromatography to rapidly characterize proteins that are important factors influencing processing and end-product quality. Research will also be conducted to improve prediction of quality traits using Fourier transform near infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy. Machine learning, a new calibration method, will also be examined to calibrate prediction models of quality traits. Ultimately, the value of this research lies in its potential to enhance competitiveness of U.S. hard spring wheat, durum, and oat in domestic and international trade, increasing their market value.
Progress Report
Sub-Objective 1.A. Proteins interact to form aggregates called polymeric proteins. The protein aggregates have significant influences on functional quality of gluten in wheat. Approximately 550 durum wheat samples were analyzed for molecular characteristics of the protein aggregates. The analytical data will be further processed to determine their associations with durum wheat quality traits such as pasta-making quality characteristics.
Sub-Objective 1.B. Gliadin proteins which are solubilized by alcohol are a major component of the gluten proteins in wheat. They have significant influence on gluten functionality in wheat processing and end-product making. The gliadin protein composition analysis was performed for approximately 270 durum wheat samples. The data sets will be analyzed to establish association between gliadin protein composition and functionality of gluten in pasta-making.
Sub-Objective 1.C. Globulin is the major protein fraction composing about 70-80% of the total proteins in oat. An analysis of globulins is being performed using a method called size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography. The data will be used to determine variation of oat protein composition among oat varieties and growing environments and the associations with oat quality traits.
Sub-Objective 1.D. Absorption values of near infrared and midinfrared light were measured for the spring and durum wheat and oat grain and flour samples used in this project. The research will be continued to investigate if the absorption data can be used to rapidly predict wheat and oat quality characteristics. A preliminary calibration study was performed, and the result indicated that near infrared and midinfrared models could be used to screen the oat varieties for beta-glucan, protein, and oil contents.
Sub-objective 2A. End-use quality evaluation of hard red spring and durum wheat: ARS researchers at Fargo, North Dakota, evaluated and reported end-use quality traits on approximately 2,400 experimental lines and cultivars of hard red spring and durum wheat. Samples were submitted by private and public wheat breeders involved in wheat germplasm improvement and by scientists involved in gene mapping to identify quantitative trait loci associated with end-use quality traits. ARS provided over 40 different tests related to wheat kernel characteristics, milling performance, and flour, semolina, dough, and baking quality. Reports were provided to wheat breeders and other federal, state, and private organizations with an interest in end-use quality.
In cooperation with the Wheat Quality Council (WQC), nine experimental lines of hard spring wheat that were grown at 6 locations were evaluated along with the check cultivars ‘Linkert’ and ‘LCS Rebel’. ARS researchers at Fargo, North Dakota, tested each line for kernel, milling, flour, dough, and bread-baking quality traits, coordinated the baking quality test results from 12 independent public and private testing laboratories, and analyzed the data. Results were published, presented, and discussed at the annual WQC meeting. Interactions with the WQC serve as a means to obtain industry feedback on the milling and baking quality traits of advanced experimental lines of wheat that are considered for release into commercial production. A 2022 variety survey showed that all of the top five hard spring wheat cultivars planted in North Dakota and Minnesota were tested by the WQC program.
Sub-objective 2.B: Approximately 250 oat samples from the Spring Uniform Oat Performance Nursery and Winter Uniform Oat Performance Nursery were analyzed for important biochemical components such as protein, beta-glucan, total dietary fiber, and oil contents. Oat groat physical characteristics were also evaluated using an image analyzer and the data was reported. Technical support was provided in the analyses of protein, beta-glucan, and oil content for approximately 15 oat samples for the North Dakota State University Oat Breeding Program and 50 oat samples for the USDA-ARS Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research Laboratory, Aberdeen, Idaho.
Accomplishments
1. Development of improved wheat germplasm. Wheat producers, milling and baking industries, and overseas customers require high standards in wheat quality to meet their evolving needs. ARS researchers at Fargo, North Dakota, contributed wheat end-use quality data that helped lead to the development of improved wheat germplasm and subsequent release of new cultivars of hard red spring and durum wheat for commercial production. Specifically, this work contributed to the release of one hard red spring wheat cultivar (‘Brawn-SD’) from South Dakota State University and one durum wheat cultivar (‘MTD18148’) from Montana State University. ‘Brawn-SD’ was released for its excellent yield potential, high test weight, and for its competitive end-use quality performance. ‘MTD18148’ was released for its good yield potential and test weight, high protein and gluten contents, and yellowness characteristics. ‘MTD18148’ is reported to be an excellent replacement for Alzada, which, according to a 2022 variety survey, is the top durum variety planted in the state of Montana.
2. Variation of sensory and artisan bread traits in a set of soft red winter wheat breeding lines. Soft wheat has not been used to produce breads, in general. However, new attention to use soft wheat for breadmaking is being heightened in local food production and supply chains. ARS researchers at Fargo, North Dakota, together with a collaborator at the University of Kentucky, performed research to identify quality parameters that are suitable for screening varieties for breadmaking traits in soft red winter wheat lines. A few quality parameters that could be used to screen varieties in early stages of a soft wheat breeding program were selected in this research. Six genetic markers that could be useful in breeding for high bread-making quality were also identified. This information will help produce high quality soft wheat varieties in the high rainfall environment of the East-South-Central United States.
Review Publications
Simsek, S., Khalid, H.K., Ohm, J. 2022. Reconstitution of bran components with refined flour: Impact on protein solubility and their associations with whole wheat bread-baking quality. Cereal Chemistry. 100:156-170. https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.10613.
Fang, B., Chang, L., Ohm, J., Chen, B., Rao, J. 2022. Structural, functional properties, and aromatic profile of hemp protein isolate as affected by extraction method: alkaline extraction–isoelectric precipitation vs salt extraction. Food Chemistry. 405. Article e135001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.135001.
Castellari, M., Simsek, S., Ohm, J., Perry, R., Poffenbarger, H., Phillips, T., Jacobsen, K., Sanford, D. 2023. Genetic variation and heritability of sensory and artisan bread traits in a set of SRW wheat breeding lines. Foods. 12. Article 2617. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12132617.
