Wheat technological quality as affected by nitrogen fertilization under a no-till system

Abstract

Wheat is a major cereal crop cultivated worldwide that plays a strategic role in human nutrition. Differently from several other crops, wheat´s technological properties are essential for its commercialization and utilization. Its reserve protein, known as gluten, presents unique rheological properties that can enable the raw material to be used for different industrial uses, mainly for bread making, pasta, cookies and cakes. In the current work, a field trial examined the effects of three urea-based fertilizers and four nitrogen (N) rates on selected physical, physicochemical and rheological characteristics of kernels and flour of wheat grown under a no-till system. The results showed no differences among the three fertilizers but the highest N rates produced changes, decreasing the thousand kernel weight and test weight (PH) and increasing kernel protein content and the gluten content of the flour. Multivariate statistical analysis techniques (principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis) were also effective in differentiating the fertilizers based on the evaluated responses.