B. Borghi et al., EFFECT OF HEAT-SHOCK DURING GRAIN FILLING ON GRAIN QUALITY OF BREAD AND DURUM WHEATS, Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 46(7), 1995, pp. 1365-1380
In southern Europe the Mediterranean climate is responsible for the re
markable variability in both yield and quality from year to year and a
lso from location to location, but it offers also a unique opportunity
for the production of high-quality wheats which are deficient in the
European Economic Community. This study was conducted to determine the
role of the fluctuation of temperatures during grain filling on the t
heological properties of bread and durum wheats (Triticum aestivum and
Triticum turgidum) as evaluated with a Chopin alveograph. During the
1991-92 season, four cultivars of bread and durum wheat were grown in
several locations scattered along the Italian peninsula and the island
of Sicily. In each location different temperature profiles were impos
ed during grain filling by anticipating or delaying sowing date or by
covering the plots with plastic tunnels. Viscoelastic properties, eval
uated by the variations in W, P and L alveograph parameters were signi
ficantly affected by the imposed treatments. In presence of a long per
iod of temperature in the range of 30-35 degrees C a dough 'strengthen
ing' effect was observed, while frequent episodes of daily maximum tem
peratures above 35 degrees C led to a dough 'weakening' effect. These
results observed both in durum and bread wheat confirm those firstly d
etected on bread wheat in Australia in areas charcterized by a Mediter
ranean-like climate. The practical relevance of these effects differs
in the two species: an increase of dough strength is considered detrim
ental in breadmaking quality, while it exerts a positive effect in pas
tamaking quality.