Baking quality of Argentinean wheat damaged by Nysius simulans

PÉREZ, GABRIELA ; SCIARINI, LORENA; SALIS, LUIGI; MOIRAGHI, MALENA

ESTAMBUL

Congreso; 15TH INTERNATIONAL CEREAL AND BREAD CONGRESS; 2016

ICC - International Association for Cereal Science and Technology

It is widely known that some Heteroptera insects (Aelia sp, Eurygaster sp and Nysius huttoni) attack wheat grains reducing their breadmaking quality, however other species as Nysius simulans commonly extracts water and nutrients from soya. In 2011, in Marcos Juarez (Argentina), a high population of N. simulans was detected in soybean crops, leading to a heavy infestation of wheat crops growing in experimental fields in this area. It is worth highlighting that there are no worldwide reports about N. simulans attack in wheat crops. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the N. simulans infestation on breadmaking quality of Argentinean wheat. Twelve bread wheat cultivars grown in INTA Marcos Juarez, corresponding to the 2011/2012 harvest year, from parcels affected by N. simulans and parcels, in the same area, that did not suffer the attack, were used. Grain damage percentage, protein content, wet (WG) and dry (DG) gluten, and gluten index (GI) were determined. The effect of proteolytic activity on gluten was determined by extracting the water-soluble proteins at different time intervals (0 h, 2 h, 6 h and 24 h) and the protein profile was studied by electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). In order to evaluate the effect of the infestation on proteins and gluten quality, SDS sedimentation index (SDS-SI) and lactic acid retention capacity (SRClac) were carried out. These parameters were used to estimate breadmaking quality of wheat. Micro breads were made and specific volume was determined. Dough rheology was evaluated using a frequency sweep test. Grain infestation degree varied between 51-78% depending on the cultivar. Protein and gluten contents showed significant differences (p