Improving the Quality ofImproving the Quality of Australian WheatAustralian Wheat

Wheat Breeding Reference Group

Ben Adams, Longreach Plant BreedersSteve Jefferies AGTSteve Jefferies, AGT

Peter Neilson, HRZ WheatBryan Whan IntergrainBryan Whan, Intergrain

What is wheat quality?What is wheat quality?

• Quality can mean many different things to many different people

• In and Australian context, quality can be seen simply as a function of grade (APH, AH, APW, ASW etc) and g ( )receival standards

AH2 Receival StandardsAH2 Receival Standards

Variety Only approved varieties eligibleVariety Only approved varieties eligibleGrain protein 11.5% minMoisture 12% maxTest weight 74.0 kg/hlScreenings 5.0%Falling number 300 secgUn-millable material 0.6%Foreign seed X count/0 5lForeign seed X count/0.5lOther contaminants 0.1%

Who is responsible for quality?Variety

Grain protein

Breeder

Environment GrowerGrain protein

Moisture

Environment Grower Breeder

Grower Environment

Test weight

Screenings

Environment Breeder Grower

Environment Breeder GrowerScreenings

Falling number

Environment Breeder Grower

Environment Grower Breeder

Un-millable material

Foreign seed

Grower

GrowerForeign seed

Other contaminants

Grower

Grower

Variety• Variety is the critical component to grade eligibility• Together with protein content, variety essentially

defines the functionality of the grain and thereby the gradeg

• It is the functionality of the grain that ultimately defines the performanceand the ability for thatdefines the performanceand the ability for that grain or grade to meet market expectations

How does variety influence quality?

Protein “Quality”y

• Dough properties areDough properties are strongly related to both protein quantity andprotein quantity and quality

• High and low molecular• High and low molecular weight glutenins are the proteins that most affectproteins that most affect dough propertiesVarieties differ greatly for• Varieties differ greatly for types of glutenins

Extensibility (stretchiness) and Resistance (strength)

• Flour + water produces a hydrated mixture of proteins called gluten

• Gluten imparts strength to dough• Strong doughs hold gas produced

during fermentation• Gas expands during baking to

d l f b li ht iproduce a loaf crumb – light in colour and fine and silky in textureVarieties differ substantially in• Varieties differ substantially in strength and extensibility

Grain Hardness

• The harder the grain the more• The harder the grain the more starch damage when milled

• More starch damage the more• More starch damage the more water absorption

• More water absorption theMore water absorption the more bread per unit of flour

• Hardness determined by yvariety

• Water absorption determined by variety but affected by protein and environment.

Same protein different variety hardness and dough strength- hardness and dough strength

B i Yit iBowie Yitpi

Protein

14%Yellow alkaline

12% Pan breads

noodles

White salted Flat breads

Pan breads

10%Biscuits

Noodles -JapanWhite saltedNoodles -China

Instant noodles

8% Cakes and

Steamed bunsNoodles China

Soft Mod Hard Hard

Cakes andSnack foods

Grain HardnessSoft Mod. Hard Hard

Quality Traits Breeders Need to Manipulate

Grain, Milling and Dough Quality

Baking Quality- 3 different bakingDough Quality

ScreeningsTest weight

3 different baking methods

Loaf volumegHardnessMilling yieldBran content

Crumb colourAppearanceT tBran content

Flour brightnessFlour yellownessFlour protein

Texture

Noodle QualityFlour proteinWater absorptionDough Development time

Q yNoodle sheet brightnessNoodle sheet yellowness

Dough Mixing stabilityDough StrengthDough Extensibility

Change of brightnessChange of yellownessYieldPeak Viscosity YieldTexture, bite and mouth feel

“The Breeding Funnel”

250 parent combinationsYear 1

50,000Year 2-4

250 parent combinationsYear 1

5,000Year 5

750Year 6

50

10

Year 7

Y 8 10

1

Year 8

Year 9 1Year 9

“The Quality Breeding Funnel”y g

250 parent combinationsYear 1

50,000Year 2-4 Grain Size and Confirmation

250 parent combinationsYear 1

5,000Year 5 + NIR, SDS, Glutenin, Jn Mill/Mixo

750Year 6 + Buhler Mill, Dough Rheology (Class)

50

10

Year 7

Y 8

+ End Products (Classification)

E d P d t (Cl ifi ti )10

1

Year 8

Year 9

+ End Products (Classification)

Final Classification and 1Year 9Variety Release

CostsMilling + Dough $400/genotype/repBaking (two methods) $300/genotype/repBaking (two methods) $300/genotype/repNoodles $150/genotype/rep

“The Quality Breeding Funnel”y g

250 parent combinationsYear 1

50,000Year 2-4

250 parent combinationsYear 1

5,000Year 5

750Year 6 + Buhler Mill, Dough Rheology (Class)$300,000

50

10

Year 7

Y 8

$300,000

10

1

Year 8

Year 9 1Year 9

Breeding for other traitsBreeding for other traits• Selection for grain yield and local adaptation • Flowering timeFlowering time• Straw strength• Shattering• Leaf, stem and stripe rust resistance• Yellow leaf spot resistance

Cro n rot and root lesion nematode resistance/tolerance• Crown rot and root lesion nematode resistance/tolerance• CCN• Pre-harvest sprouting tolerancePre harvest sprouting tolerance• Blackpoint resistance• Coleoptile length and early vigour• Heat, drought and other abiotic stress tolerance• Herbicide tolerance or weed competitiveness

Other• Other

How is all this resourced?• Dan Basse highlighted the impact of GM on corn yields

Th i ld i d t b littl i l di• The yield gain data can be a little misleading• The traits themselves (Roundup Ready or BT) contribute

only a small proportion to yield increaseonly a small proportion to yield increase• Yield improvements are due to the GM value capture

mechanismmechanism• Substantially greater $ investment in breeding the

background germplasm carrying the traitbackground germplasm carrying the trait• Australia has its own unique non-GM value capture

mechanism - End Point Royaltiesy

How is this resourced?

• Wheat breeding in Australia is now entirely resourced by End Point Royalties (EPRs)

• Most Australian grain traders handling milling wheat t ib t b ll ti EPRcontribute by collecting EPRs

– Very small number of milling wheat traders not s pporting the ind str at the momentsupporting the industry at the moment

– Very few in feed industry are supporting the systemN t i ill k it i f• New systems in progress will make it easier for growers to comply but until all traders/buyers/packers/users are engaged in the system it will remain a cumbersomeengaged in the system it will remain a cumbersome process.

Opportunities and threats from deregulationOpportunities and threats from deregulation

or

“When a grade is not just a grade”

“When a grade is not just a grade”Th h th l ifi ti h t• Through the classification process wheat varieties have to meet very strict criteria to b li ibl f dbecome eligible for a grade – Significant level of variability for quality

remains within a given grade • This presents both an opportunity and a threat in p pp y

a deregulated wheat market

For example “SA AH is not just SA AH”Katana

“Northern APH is not just Northern APH”

S&D Baking

YAN Other IssuesBaking

Kennedy 962 Poor Unbalanced doughHartog 931 Poor Unbalanced doughHartog 931 Poor Unbalanced doughStrzelecki 933 Mod-Good Poor dough strength, poor

milling, yellow flourg ySunvale 910 Very PoorLang 906 ExcellentSunco 903 ExcellentGregory 900 Good Low water absorptionSunstate 887 Poor yellow flourJanz 886 Mod-PoorBaxter 875 Mod-Poor

Opportunities and Threats from Deregulation

• Deregulation of wheat marketing has created both opportunities and threatsopportunities and threats

• Opportunity - growers and traders can capture benefit from quality differentiation at the variety level by supplying specificquality differentiation at the variety level by supplying specific market needs rather than the multi-functionality of grades

• Threat - exporting of small parcels of unknown quality grainThreat exporting of small parcels of unknown quality grain that meets receival standards but not performance expectations – Many trade contracts only specify grade– Many container packers do not even seek variety

declaration– Can be significant threat to the brand value of Australian

grades

The industry needs to work hard to manage and protect the brand value ofmanage and protect the brand value of our grades.