Cereal Chem 53:469 - 477.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
The Relation of Wheat Nitrate Reductase and Soil Nitrate to Flour Quality.

D.E. Walsh, H. H. Hernandez, and A. Bauer. Copyright 1976 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Nitrate reductase activity of wheat-leaf tissues and soil nitrate content had a significant influence on flour protein content and bread-baking characteristics of hard red spring wheat. In replicated field trials at four levels of soil nitrate, the hard red spring wheat variety Waldron had the highest average flour protein content but the lowest average nitrate reductase activity of the three wheat varieties in the tests. Nitrate reductase was highly correlated with soil nitrate level, but there was a significant difference among wheat varieties. Waldron wheat in all trials was significantly lower in average nitrate reductase activity than was W.S. 1809 or Bounty 208 at the respective soil nitrate levels. Nitrate reductase activity was correlated with flour ash contents and dough-mixing score. However, large variations were noted among wheat varieties in the relation of nitrate reductase activity to flour and bread quality.