Cereal Chem 72:194-197  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Durum Wheat Quality Evaluation: Influence of Genotype and Environment.

B. M. Mariani, M. G. D'Egidio, and P. Novaro. Copyright 1995 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Protein content and gluten quality (alveograph W) were determined for 21 durum wheat cultivars grown in several locations in Italy from 1990 to 1993. Cultivars and sites were not the same in all years, but three cultivars that are considered as standards were used to link all analyzed data. Each site-year combination constituted an environment. The effect of genotype, environment, and their interaction on protein content and alveograph W, which are the most important variables in predicting pasta cooking quality, were studied. Protein content was essentially determined by additive effects of environment, whereas alveograph W appeared more influenced by additive effects of genotype. Genotype-environment (GE) interaction for both the variables was significant but small in magnitude when compared with the additive effects of genotype and environment. The majority of cultivars appeared stable; coefficient of regression was equal to one, and deviation from regression mean square was negligible. The large additive effects of environment and genotype and the small GE interaction provide efficiency in the selection of new lines grown in only on e environment and allow the average quality of a cultivar to be established by compositing samples over many locations.