PREDICTING WHEAT SPROUT DAMAGE BY NEAR-INFRARED REFLECTANCE ANALYSIS

Naturally weathered and laboratory-sprouted wheat samples were used to study the correlations of near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectra wit h Rapid Visco-Analyser (RVA) and falling number results. Correlations of r = 0.95 and above were observed between values obtained by RVA and falling number methods. NIR predictions of sprout damage as measured by both falling number and RVA were fair to good (r = 0.75-0.87). NIR analysis of sprout-damaged wheat meal offers a rapid screening test th at would need to be confirmed by RVA or falling number methods in the case of questionable samples.