Assessing seed-coat color in a wheat breeding program with a NIR/VIS instrument

Abstract

Red seed-coat can be distinguished from white seed-coat of unground wheat (Triticum spp.) by measurement of the first-derivative of the reflectance spectra at approximately 516 nm. Values around 450 nm distinguish durum (T. turgidum L. var. durum) from common (T. aestivum) white types. Classification accuracy is sufficient for screening purposes to reduce the number of samples requiring further examination. For breeding programs currently using combination near-infrared/visible (NIR/VIS) instruments, the additional time and costs to process the seed-coat information are minimal. Key words: Red, white, wheat, pigment, near-infrared, visible, breeding program