Durum wheat quality I: some physical and chemical characteristics of Syrian durum wheat genotypes

Some physical and chemical characteristics of nine Syrian durum wheat genotypes were determined in order to investigate the relationships among individual kernel components and kernel quality. All genotypes were grown on fully irrigated plots in Syria. Test weight, 1000-kernel weight, kernel size distribution, hardness and semolina extraction rates were determined along with the chemical characteristics of the kernel (ash, moisture, protein, wet gluten, starch content and falling number). All tested genotypes had high test weight (83.1-85.9 kg hl(-1)) and 1000-kernel weight (42.5-55.5 g) indicating high milling yield potential. Additionally, all the wheat genotypes demonstrated high falling numbers (433-597 s). Correlation coefficients among the quality properties showed that moisture content did not demonstrate any strong correlations with the studied quality parameters. Protein content exhibited a positive correlation with vitreousness (r = 0.78), and a negative correlation with ash content (r = -0.57). Test weight exhibited a negative correlation with 1000-kernel weight (r = -0.66), and a positive correlation was observed between test weight and starch content of the kernel (r = 0.78). The results illustrate the commonality between Syrian durum wheat genotypes and US and Canadian durum wheat genotypes reported by researchers previously.