Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

W. Aufhammer, E. Kuebler, H.-P. Piepho:

Grain quality of ancient wheat species

Summary

In a three-years field experiment the grain quality of ancient wheat species, i. e. Triticum spelta, T. monococcum,
T. dicoccum and T. turanicum were to be compared to the grain quality of T. aestivum. Furthermore the grain quality response of these wheat species to an increased production intensity should be investigated as well in pure stands and in mixed stands combining T. turanicum and T. aestivum. Important quality traits were the 1000 grain weight and the share of marketable grain yield, the protein content and the share of waxy grain, the sedimentation volume and the falling number. An increased production intensity improved the share of marketable grain yields of all wheat species significantly, but on an absolute yield level the differences between the ancient species and T. aestivum were not reduced but increased. Except T. monococcum the ancient species exceeded T. aestivum in the shares of waxy grain and the protein content. But in response to a more intensive production the sedimentation volumina of T. aestivum improved even more as compared to the ancient species. In mixed stands the marketable grain yields and the sedimentation volumina revealed positive mixing effects. Key words: Ancient wheat species, grain quality, pure and mixed stands.