Application of solvent retention capacity tests for the prediction of mixing properties of wheat flour

One hundred and ninety-two wheat genotypes including 150 released varieties and 42 germplasm lines were evaluated for solvent retention capacity (SRC) tests using 1 g of flour and 1 g of wholemeal to determine relationships with mixing properties of their doughs. Strong positive correlations (p<0.001) were observed between different SRCs (using both wholemeal as well as flour) and Farinograph water absorption (FWA). In multiple regression analysis, flour water SRC explained 41.2%, sodium carbonate SRC 24.6%, sucrose SRC 20.7% and protein content 13.5% of the total variability (multiple r=0.91) in FWA. The data demonstrated that water absorption is governed mainly to starch damage and pentosan content of the flour. Based on multiple regression analysis an equation was developed to predict FWA and a very high positive correlation (r=0.91) was observed between predicted FWA and actual FWA. LASRC exhibited significant positive correlations (p<0.001) with Farinograph and Mixograph parameters related to gluten strength such as the Farinograph peak time and mixing tolerance index and the mixograph peak time and peak dough resistance. Wholemeal flour SRCs accounted for 48% of the variation in FWA and was highly significant (p<0.001). The average values of FWA of corresponding clusters made using wholemeal and flour SRCs were not significantly different. This demonstrates that wholemeal SRCs together with grain protein content can be used to screen early generation lines for FWA. Since large numbers of diverse genotypes were used in the estimation of various parameters, high correlations observed between SRCs and functional properties including water absorption have obvious implications in breeding programs for the improvement of wheat cultivars.