Cereal Chem 51:772 - 778.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Effects of Gibberellic Acid on the Amylase Activity of Malted Wheat and Comparison of Methods for Determining Amylase Activity.

H. C. Jeffers and G. L. Rubenthaler. Copyright 1974 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Adding 50 p.p.m. gibberellic acid (GA3) to steep water substantially increased the amylase activity as measured by the maltose, alpha-amylase, and diastatic power methods in five wheat varieties from two locations. Increased response to GA3 treatment ranged from 20 to 126% when measured by the maltose method, 90 to 213% as measured by the dextrinogenic alpha-amylase method, and 15 to 34% as determined by the diastatic power method. The response to GA3 varied with variety. There was a significant interaction of location by variety. Comparisons were made among several widely used conventional laboratory methods for measuring amylase activity in cereals and their products. In addition, loaf volumes from a bread-baking test using a no-sugar formula were compared with the conventional methods. Correlations found among the methods ranged from 0.53 to -0.97. The bread-baking test provided a highly sensitive and consistent assay procedure for evaluating low levels of alpha-amylase.