Effects of early, high moisture harvesting on grain, milling, flour, and baking quality of six winter wheat varieties

Authors: MUDIYANSELAGE, PRABATH - The Ohio State University; PARK, JINHEE - Korean Rural Development Administration; Baik, Byung-Kee; LINDSEY, LAURA - The Ohio State University

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2026
Publication Date: 5/25/2026
Citation: Mudiyanselage, P.S., Park, J., Baik, B.V., Lindsey, L.E. 2026. Effects of early, high moisture harvesting on grain, milling, flour, and baking quality of six winter wheat varieties. Cereal Chemistry. 103:637–650. https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.70083.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cche.70083

Interpretive Summary: Harvesting wheat early at a high moisture level (above 20%) offers several advantages compared with the typical practice of harvesting it after the grain dries to 13-15% moisture. Early harvest minimizes grain yield losses from shattering and bird damage, as well as quality reduction from preharvest germination and decreased bulk density caused by prolonged exposure to adverse weather conditions. Another major advantage of harvesting wheat early is the opportunity to plant soybeans sooner in a wheat-soybean double-cropping system for increased yield potential, as soybeans are more valuable than wheat and double cropping is more profitable than growing a single crop. These advantages are considered sufficient to offset the drying costs of wheat grain harvested early with a high moisture content. Although the negative impacts of delayed harvest on grain yield and quality are well documented, the effects of early high-moisture harvesting on grain quality, milling performance, flour quality, and baking performance have not been studied extensively. We observed that wheat grain harvested early at around 20% moisture had higher bulk density, the major grain grading parameter, and greater kernel hardness than grain harvested after further drying, based on six wheat varieties grown over three years. Lactic acid and sodium carbonate solvent retention capacities, which indicate protein strength and the amount of water needed for dough preparation for baking, respectively, were reduced in earlier harvests. Increased bulk density and reduced sodium carbonate solvent retention capacity are considered positive indicators of soft wheat quality, whereas increased kernel hardness and reduced lactic acid solvent retention capacity are negative indicators. Wheat grain and flour protein content, flour yield from milling, and cookie baking performance were unaffected by early harvesting. The results indicate that wheat can be harvested at moisture levels of around 18-20%, with both positive and negative effects on grain and flour quality. Comprehensive information on the effects of early harvest on grain, milling, flour, and baking quality across a range of winter wheat varieties and climatic conditions has been obtained for the first time. This knowledge will help wheat growers weigh the pros and cons of early harvesting when deciding whether to adopt the practice and will provide millers and bakers with clearer expectations of wheat quality when harvested early.

Technical Abstract: Background and Objectives: Harvesting wheat early at high moisture levels (˜ 20% grain moisture) minimizes the risk of yield and quality losses from adverse weather during harvest. Although the impacts of harvest delays are well documented, those of early, high moisture harvesting have not been studied extensively. The objective of this study was to examine the impacts of early harvesting on resulting grain, milling, flour quality and baking performance for three U.S. soft wheat, one Korean soft wheat and two Korean hard wheat varieties. Findings: Irrespective of the variety, harvesting around 20% moisture increased test weight and kernel hardness and consequently reduced softness equivalence. Lactic acid, sodium carbonate and sucrose solvent retention capacities exhibited inconsistent trends among cultivars and seasons. Kernel and flour protein, flour yield and sugar-snap cookie baking performance of flours were unaffected by earlier harvests. Measured metrics varied greatly due to varietal differences rather than in response to harvest timing. Conclusions: Winter wheat can be harvested at moisture levels around 18-20% without significant changes to baking performances or flour yield across varieties. Significance and Novelty: A comprehensive study of early harvest effects on grain, milling, flour quality and baking performance on a wide range of winter wheat varieties is reported here for the first time.