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Collaborative project: Increase of nitrogen efficiency and reduction of nitrogen surpluses in baking wheat production by utilization of new specific traits. Subproject 1 (N-DECREASE)

Project


Project code: 2818101715
Contract period: 10.10.2016 - 30.04.2021
Budget: 384,377 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: product safety, plant breeding, plant nutrition, quality control, wheat, ingredients, fertilization

The project aims to increase the efficiency of nitrogen (N) fertilisation and to improve the nitrogen balance in winter wheat production, while maintaining yield and baking quality. The current use of the protein content as indicator for baking quality will be critically scrutinized since it leads to high fertilisation rates (especially a late application) which may result in nitrogen balance surplus and in turn causes negative environmental side effects. In addition, the adherence of the protein content as indicator of baking quality and hence pricing agent penalizes wheat varieties which produce good baking quality at low protein contents. Based on these considerations, the role of the fraction of glutenin-macropolymer (GMP) for bread quality and the combination effect arising from mixing flour of different varieties grown under different nitrogen fertilisation levels will be investigated. Field trials have been established on different sites (Braunschweig, Bernburg) in October 2016 to assess the relationship between yield and quality parameters for different wheat varieties and nitrogen fertilisation levels and to develop fertilisation strategies for an efficient use of nitrogen. Since some mills use the content of wet gluten instead of (or in addition to) the protein content as basis for quality assessment, the importance of this parameter in determining baking quality will be tested in collaboration with the commercial mill Okermühle. A further project goal focuses on the improvement of a pre-existing calibration model using near-infrared-spectroscopy (NIRS) for quick estimation of baking quality of winter wheat.

The aim of the project is to increase the efficiency of N use and thus improve the N balance in baking wheat production while maintaining the yield and quality level. In a joint project, different wheat qualities are produced for this purpose in field cultivation. As a basis for the desired increase in the efficiency of N use in baking wheat production, the proportion of glutenin macropolymers (GMP) important for the baking quality, the wet gluten content and the mixing potential of the respective variety in different variety combinations with a varied N supply are to be determined. All planned milestones have been reached.

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