Abstract
The effects of harvest time on milling properties, dough characteristics and bread-making qualities of the bread wheat cultivar ‘Minaminokaori’ were investigated in Northern Kyusyu throughout three growing seasons : 2002/2003, 2004/2005, and 2005/2006. Plants harvested between 2 days before and 1 day after maturity were designated as early harvest, and those harvested 3−7 and 8−12 days after maturity as standard and late harvest, respectively. The moisture content of kernels was higher in early harvest (26.1−37.0%) than in standard harvest (11.4−19.6%) in all three seasons. The gluten index was lower, and therefore inferior, in early harvest compared with that in standard harvest. Dough development times and farinogram valorimeter values (dough characteristics) were lower in early harvest than in standard harvest, while the volume-to-weight ratio of loaves (bread-making qualities) in early harvest was similar to that in standard harvest. The bulk density and falling number (milling property) were low in late harvest in the 2005/2006 season, when excess rain of above 100 mm fell before harvest. Bulk density was low in late harvest in spite of little precipitation after maturity in 2002/2003. These results suggest that standard harvest (3−7 days after maturity) with a kernel moisture content under 20% is the optimal to harvest the bread wheat cultivar ‘Minaminokaori’, because the milling properties, gluten quality, and dough characteristics are exceptionally favorable during that period.
