SINGLE-KERNEL CHARACTERISTICS OF HARD WINTER WHEATS IN RELATION TO MILLING AND BAKING QUALITY

To investigate relationships of wheat single kernel (SK) characteristi cs with end-use properties, we used 12 hard winter wheat cultivars har vested at six regions in Kansas in 1993. Significant positive correlat ions occurred among wheat hardness parameters including near-infrared reflectance hardness score, SK hardness index (SK-HI), and SK peak for ce (SK-PF) obtained by the Single Kernel Characterization System (SKCS ). The SKCS characteristics also were significantly correlated to conv entional wheat quality parameters such as test weight, kernel density, and kernel sizing. Flour yields were significantly correlated with SK -PE SK-HI, and SK weight (SK-WT), suggesting the usefulness of SKCS in evaluating milling quality. The negative correlation of milling score with the standard deviation of SK-HI and SK-PF indicated that uniform ity of SK hardness is desirable for good milling performance. However, bread loaf volumes had significant negative correlations with SK diam eter and SK-WT, mainly due to the inverse relationship between wheat p rotein contents and kernel weights or sizes. Loaf volume regression va lues, the changes in loaf volumes per one percentage point of flour pr otein, also had significant negative correlations with SK-HI, SK-PF, a nd SK-WT.