Increased interest in value-added traits of soft winter wheat (SWW; Triticum aestivum L.), such as white-seed coat and gluten strength, has resulted from economic incentives for these traits. The first objective of this study was to determine whether differences existed between red- and white- seeded progeny of 17 populations. When abiotic and biotic stresses were negligible, significant differences were not detected between red- and white-seeded progeny, except for yield: red-seeded progeny had a significantly higher yield than the white-seeded progeny. However, when abiotic and biotic stresses were larger, the yield of white-seeded progeny was not significantly different from red-seeded progeny and the white-seeded progeny accumulated a significantly greater amount of deoxynivalenol (DON) than red-seeded progeny. Therefore, Kentucky producers should be cautious when considering production of white-seeded cultivars. The second objective of this study was to determine whether early- or late- generation selection for white-seeded progeny produced a higher frequency of superior white-seeded lines. Three selection methods were studied. Late-generation bulk selection produced a significantly lower frequency of superior white-seeded lines (1.7%) than single seed descent (SSD; 13.9%); the early-generation bulk (9.6%) did not differ statistically from either method. Although SSD produced the most superior lines, the utility of SSD breeding will have to be assessed by SWW breeders to justify additional labor and space requirements. The final objective was to determine whether early-generation selection of wheat quality, as determined by wheat meal-based assays, was effective. A cross between a strong gluten soft red winter and a weak gluten soft white winter wheat was examined. Significant correlations and regressions between wheat meal assays and flour-based assays were found. High heritability and realized genetic gains were also observed. Therefore, early-generation selection for quality characteristics appears to be effective.

Soy peroxidase enzyme obtained from isoelectic precipitation procedures was added to all-purpose flour (APF) to assess its effects on the rheological properties and consumer acceptability of yeast bread. A pH 4.8 isoelectrically precipitated fraction from soybeans was used because it produced the most precipitate and had about the same peroxidase activity as the other fractions. Gluten strength was determined using a farinograph for seven treatment groups: control (all-purpose flour), bread flour, all-purpose flour + soy flour, bread flour + soy flour, all purpose flour + pH 4.8 precipitate, all-purpose flour + 15 mg soybean peroxidase, and all-purpose flour + 25 mg soybean peroxidase. Four types of yeast bread were baked for loaf volume determination, texture analysis, and consumer acceptability: a control loaf using only all-purpose flour, a reference loaf using all bread flour, a loaf with all purpose flour + whole soy flour, and a loaf with all-purpose flour + pH 4.8 soy precipitate. The APF+soy flour, bread flour, bread flour + soy flour, and the APF + pH 4.8 precipitate produced an improvement in the gluten strength and mixing tolerance compared to the control (p<0.05). However, the improvement by the addition of the pH 4.8 precipitate cannot be attributed to the peroxidase enzyme because peroxidase needs hydrogen peroxide as a substrate and no hydrogen peroxidase could be added to the farinogragh; therefore, it was concluded that the increase in gluten strength produced by the pH 4.8 soy precipitate was due to an unknown component present in the pH 4.8 fraction. No significant differences (p<0.05) were found in crumb or crust texture for any of the treatment groups. The addition of pH 4.8 precipitate to APF significantly decreased (p<0.05) loaf volume compared to bread made from bread flour. The results from sensory analysis showed there was no difference in preference for any of the breads. This study showed no conclusive evidence that peroxidase enzyme improved gluten strength or loaf volume of yeast bread, but further research is warranted. / Master of Science

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The wheat crop is severely attacked by diseases, which significantly reduce its profitability. The diseases reduce not only productivity but also quality, factor that is essential for the actual economic culture viability. In order to analyze which factors regarding chemical control of foliar diseases are essential to allow bread wheat varieties express the trait, this thesis sought to clarify the interaction between varieties and fungicides in better utilization of nitrogen and its implications for productivity and quality of wheat grains. The two experiments were arranged in a factorial split-plot design in randomized blocks with six replications. The results showed that the fungicides, especially strobilurins, promoted better use of nitrogen in wheat plants. The interactions between the effects provided by fungicides in disease control, and its direct effects on wheat plants physiology, were decisive factors for obtaining high-quality wheat for bread production. The data showed that the increase in nitrogen availability significantly increased the gluten strength. Showing also that, the diseases have committed the remobilization of nitrogen from leaves to grains. Differences were evident between strobilurin and triazole fungicides to control leaf spot and leaf rust, where the epoxiconazole were more effective in the leaf spot complex control, compared to strobilurins. The growth stages of elongation and emission of spikes were critical times for the chemical control of leaf spot. The use of nitrogen in the vegetative stage of wheat increased productivity and its use in the reproductive stages increased the gluten strength. The pyraclostrobin fungicide applied since the seed treatment provided a higher yield and gluten strength. / A cultura do trigo é severamente atacada por doenças, reduzindo significativamente sua rentabilidade. As doenças diminuem não só a produtividade, mas também a qualidade, fator esse imprescindível para a rentabilidade atual da cultura. Com o intuito de determinar os fatores, do ponto de vista do manejo químico de doenças foliares, necessários para obtenção de trigo com qualidade de panificação, esta tese buscou esclarecer a interação entre cultivares e fungicidas na melhor utilização do nitrogênio e suas implicações na produtividade e qualidade de grãos de trigo. Os dois experimentos foram arranjados em esquema fatorial com parcelas subdivididas no delineamento de blocos ao acaso com seis repetições. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que os fungicidas, com destaque para as estrobilurinas, promoveram uma melhor utilização do nitrogênio em plantas de trigo. As interações entre os efeitos proporcionados pelos fungicidas, no controle de doenças, e seus efeitos diretos na fisiologia de plantas de trigo, foram fatores determinantes para obtenção de trigo com alta qualidade de panificação. Os dados mostraram que o aumento na disponibilidade de nitrogênio aumentou significativamente a força de glúten, e que as doenças comprometeram a remobilização do nitrogênio das folhas para os grãos. Ficaram evidentes as diferenças entre estrobilurinas e triazóis no controle de manchas foliares e de ferrugem da folha, onde o epoxiconazol foi mais eficiente no controle do complexo de manchas foliares, enquanto que o controle efetivo da ferrugem da folha do trigo foi proporcionado pelas estrobilurinas. Os estádios fenológicos do elongamento e emissão de espigas foram momentos críticos para o controle químico de manchas foliares. O uso de nitrogênio no período vegetativo do trigo aumentou a produtividade e o seu uso no período reprodutivo aumentou a força de glúten. O fungicida piraclostrobina aplicado desde o tratamento de sementes proporcionou maior produtividade e força de glúten.