The Problem

There is considerable interest in the impact of nutrient regimes, and in particular of organic production systems, on the processing quality of wheat for breadmaking but little reliable scientific data on this topic. 

Project Aims

To relate the processing quality of wheat to the composition of the developing and mature grain using material grown under a range of nutrient regimes including long term organic and fertilised systems from the Rothamsted Broadbalk experiment, variety trials and organically grown wheat. 

Approach

The project will be based largely on analysis of samples from the Broadbalk experiment and a nitrogen variety trial at Rothamsted. The developing grain and leaf samples will be subjected to detailed metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses. Developing grain from all plots will be analysed to determine the accumulation patterns at the major groups of gluten proteins, using RT-PCR to determine transcript levels and quantitative electrophoresis to determine protein amounts. The mature grains from all plots will be analysed to determine their functional properties, these will include Farinograph, Alveograph and Rheomix analyses. The gluten protein compositions of the samples will be determined and the content and size distribution of glutenin polymers will be determined by SE-HPLC.

Benefits to the industry

The ability to grow wheat of suitable breadmaking quality under lower input and organic systems may well be crucial for the future prosperity of the farming sector if restrictions on fertiliser use are introduced as in some other EU countries such as Denmark.  There are also clear financial benefits in the production of grain of breadmaking quality with lower nitrogen inputs.