Evaluation of solvent retention capacity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flour depending on genotype and different timing of nitrogenous fertilizer application

Abstract

Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. The objectives of this study were: (i) to evaluate the solvent retention capacity of wheat flour from three genotypes when nitrogenous fertilizer is applied at different stages of crop growth; and (ii) to evaluate the possible existence of correlations between different solvents when nitrogenous fertilizer is applied at different stages of crop growth. The experiment was conducted from June to November 2013 in Plant Breeding Laboratory and Plant Production, Federal University of Santa Maria, the experimental area is located at Frederico Westphalen, southern Brazil. The experiment consisted of 12 treatment combinations (3 genotypes and application of nitrogenous fertilizer at 4 crop growth stages) of a 3x4 factorial (genotype x nitrogenous fertilizer application) arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The genotypes Fundacep 52, TBIO Mestre and TBIO Itaipu were arranged with the tested nitrogenous fertilizer applications (I = no nitrogen, II = tillering, III = tillering and flowering and IV = tillering, booting and flowering). Greater levels of solvent retention capacity were observed in TBIO Mestre, suggesting that the genotype has good baking quality. The amount of glutenin was not affected by the stage of nitrogenous fertilization application. The water retention capacity of the flour has a strong and positive correlation with the retention capacity of the sodium carbonate and sucrose, along with the associations between the solvents sodium carbonate and sucrose.