Evaluation of standard physico-chemical and rheological parameters in predicting bread-making quality of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum [Desf.] Husn.)

The efficacy of empirical rheological methodology for modern Triticum aestivum L. in predicting breadmaking quality in Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum is warranting of attention. The present study was aimed at providing a comparative evaluation of an array of standard rheological tests in predicting bread quality in three modern cultivars (Core, Sant’Agata and Simeto) and three durum wheat landraces (Ruscıa, Timilıa and Tumminia SG3). Gluten strength, alveograph dough strength and tenacity/extensibility ratio, farinograph stability and mixograph peak dough height and overall score, were significantly higher in the modern cultivars, and distinctive in accounting for the variance between modern and old genotypes, using principal component analysis. Quality bread-making parameters, including bread volume, height and specific volume, were significantly higher in the durum wheat landraces. Standard rheological parameters were ineffective in predicting bread quality, necessitating the requisite in redefining rheological parameters to meet the increasing interest in heritage durum wheat genotypes for bread-making.