It is critical that the future wheat production increases be based on the higher yield potential of the new varieties and not on the expansion of the area under the crop. It is also desirable, and in many cases necessary, that the variety development programs include good bread making quality as a key character. It is difficult to increase yield potential without reducing the industrial quality especially because the decrease in protein content and consequentially, a reduction in bread making quality generally accompany the increase in grain yield. To compensate the reduction in quality caused by the above relation, the breeding programs can simultaneously exert selection pressure for the yield potential and for the protein quality of the gluten that determine the bread making properties in wheat. In order for the bread making quality to express in a variety, it is necessary to have a minimum quantity of protein in the grain. Increases in the grain protein during the commercial crop production are feasible and depend basically on the efficiency of the methods of N fertilization (levels and time of application). It can also be effected by several management factors such as seeding in the rows vs. seeding on the beds. An adequate attention in the breeding programs to simultaneous selection for yield and industrial quality of the grain as well as crop management conditions will compensate for the negative effects that the bread making quality may suffer because of the high yields.

Conservation Agriculture Program|Global Wheat Program

Spanish

9911|R99-00BOOK|R97-98PRESE|EE|AGRIS 0102

Jose Juan Caballero

INT1421|INT0368|CSAY01

CIMMYT Publications Collection