Abstract
‘Setodure’ is the first durum wheat cultivar registered in Japan. High protein content is important for good food processing, as in the wheat for bread. Therefore, fertilizer management is important to obtain a high grain protein content in ‘Setodure’. In 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 cropping seasons, we investigated the effects of nitrogen topdressing on the yield and quality of ‘Setodure’ in Hiroshima prefecture. The effects of topdressing timing, nitrogen rates at anthesis and intensive topdressing at panicle formation and flag leaf stages were examined. There was no significant difference in the effects of topdressing at the flag leaf, heading and anthesis stages. The grain protein content of topdressing at the anthesis stage was significantly higher than that at the flag leaf stage. Next, there was no significant difference in the yield with different nitrogen application rates at anthesis. The grain protein content increased significantly with the increase in nitrogen application rate at anthesis. The increase of nitrogen application by the intensive topdressing at the panicle formation and flag leaf stages increased the yield significantly. In this topdressing, the protein content also increased significantly with increase of nitrogen application rate at the flag leaf stage. Low protein grains reduced the semolina extraction yield and increased the flour yield based on semolina, and the sensory evaluation of spaghetti clearly revealed poorer texture.
