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Variability and Relationships Among Mixolab, Mixograph, and Baking Parameters Based on Multienvironment Spring Wheat Trials

¹Plant Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings SD 57007. ²Corresponding author. Phone: 605-690-0846. E-mail: melanie.caffe@sdstate.edu ³Dept. of Health and Nutritional Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings SD 57007. ⁴USDA-ARS Hard Red Spring Wheat Quality Laboratory, Fargo, ND 58501.

Because of the large number of cultivars that require examination in the development of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, breeding programs use predictive methods to test end use quality. The Mixograph is a widely used predictive test with which end use quality of many genotypes can be assessed in a short time. By comparison, the Mixolab is a relatively new device with additional capability that might be used for the same purpose. Our objective was to document variability of, and relationships among, 20 parameters obtained from Mixolab, Mixograph, and bake tests. Tests were performed on flour from 18 genotypes grown in 20 environments. Both genotype and environment had significant effects on quality parameter values. Several Mixograph and Mixolab parameters were highly significantly correlated, particularly when genotype mean values over environments were considered. Correlations between loaf volume and Mixolab parameters within environments were inconsistent and suggest that average genotype values over environments will be most useful. For example, the correlation between Mixolab stability and loaf volume (r = 0.25, P < 0.001) was much higher when genotype averages (r = 0.70, P < 0.001) were considered. Our results show that selection for Mixolab stability and water absorption should help delineate and improve the selection of genotypes with greater loaf volume.