Location: Potato, Pulse and Small Grains Quality Research
2024 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Develop novel techniques to evaluate pulse crop properties such as water holding capacity, starch pasting quality, protein extractability, and mixing characteristics with cereals; discover high-throughput assays to measure these characteristics and develop an efficient service lab to provide these services to breeders. (NP306, C1, PS 1A and 1B).
Objective 2: Develop novel techniques for incorporating pulse ingredients into bread recipes to assess dough and bread quality parameters such as milling quality, dough strength, baking qualities, and density, and develop a service lab to help breeders incorporate these traits into new pulse varieties. (NP 306, C1, PS 1A and 1B).
Objective 3: In collaboration with breeders, determine the impact and variability induced by breeding and processing on the nutritional quality (proximates, micronutrients, selected other nutrients) of pulse foods. (NP 301, C1, PS 1A and 1B; NP 107, C1, PS 1A).
Objective 4: Develop knowledge for incorporating pulse ingredients into novel food applications (e.g., beverages, dairy products, meat analogues), identify techniques for measuring properties of pulses to enable development of ‘healthy’-food applications, and provide support for breeders to incorporate these traits into new pulse varieties (NP 306, C1, PS 1A and 1B).
Approach
Facilities and protocols will be established to study the functional properties of whole and fractionated pulse crop ingredients that would be relevant to food industry applications. Research will be conducted to understand how pulse ingredients can be incorporated into bread recipes (at different inclusion percentages) to assess dough and bread quality parameters. These will include milling quality, dough strength (mixograph measurements), baking qualities (loaf height, color, crust strength, size of air pockets, and texture of slices), density, etc. Methods will also be established to conduct compositional analyses on different pulse varieties, breeding materials, and pulse fractions from these germplasm sources. Research will be conducted to develop high-throughput assays for functional and compositional traits. The Category 1 scientist and staff will establish a Pulse Quality Service laboratory with standardized procedures for accepting samples, generating data, and releasing information to breeders and other pulse scientists to help develop pulse lines that might be used as ingredients for bread or other pulse-based products.
Progress Report
This is a new project (as of March 2020) to establish a Pulse Crop Quality Laboratory to develop accurate and efficient laboratory methods for testing end-use qualities of pulses and to work with public pulse breeders to enhance germplasm to add value to pulses. In fiscal year (FY) 24, this project was moved to a newly formed Unit, the Small Grain and Food Crops Quality Research Unit, as part of a Center reorganization in fargo, North Dakota. Quality sample processing and research has continued. Analyses of pulse seed mineral concentrations were carried out during the year, in collaboration with ARS researchers in Pullman, Washington and Mandan, North Dakota, as well as several University cooperators for a lentil project. Seed samples were received for each of the studies, seeds were ground and digested, and mineral concentrations were determined by optical emission spectroscopy. The results were used to assist both genetic studies to improve seed mineral quality and field studies to assess the impact of agronomic practices on seed mineral quality.
Research progress in FY24 continues through a Kansas State University cooperator who was funded through a Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement to examine bread-making performances of whole wheat flour fortified with pulse flours.
These studies are being conducted to develop standardized methods that will be used in the Pulse Quality Lab that will produce data and standardized measure for pulse breeders across the industry. Research focused on development of detection methods for pulse crop antinutrients began in late FY23 and continues in FY24 through a Colorado State University cooperator funded by a Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement. Development of a pulse fermentation breathalyzer is underway. This device uses National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) certified hydrogen and methane gas detectors to detect in vivo pulse fermentation by the gut microbiome. Fermentation was measured in commercially prepared canned common bean, chickpea, dry pea, and lentil. Development of lectin and protease inhibitor activity assays began for current cultivars of common bean, chickpea, dry pea, and lentil.
Accomplishments