Author
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Gaines, Charles |
Submitted to: National Association of Wheat Growers Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 1/17/2002 Publication Date: 5/3/2003 Citation: Gaines, C.S. 2003. Soft red and white winter wheat, past, present and future. National Association of Wheat Growers Proceedings. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: How can real value be added to soft red and soft white winter wheats and can those values be translated into additional farm profits? Two different approaches to add value to wheat produced in the eastern U.S. will be discussed. We can either produce soft wheat with stronger gluten strength for export type breads and for domestic cracker production or we can consider growing hard red winter wheat in the east for domestic bread production. Which is the better, to rely on the domestic or the export markets for use in our newly added values? Can we service both markets with the same characteristics? What new end-uses are potentially available to incorporate into the soft red and white wheat market classes? The answer is gluten strength. It can be used for domestic cracker production and to enhance the quality of our exports to the middle east where soft wheat is used to make middle eastern breads. Presently, only a few of our soft wheats have gluten strength. Can semi-hard wheats imported from other regions of the world be successful in this region? The moister climate east of the Mississippi works against economically raising the general protein level of wheat. In the east, protein and yield play out as a trade-off, but perhaps one can raise protein by reducing yield through selection of genotype. Can the market chain handle substantial portions of another wheat class in your state? In the near term, is it very reasonable for us all to embrace higher expectations for the value of wheat produced in the eastern U.S. |