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Kernel and Spike Character Influence on Test Weight of Soft Red Winter Wheat

Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS 66506
Dep. of Agronomy
Agric. Stat. Lab., Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701

^* Corresponding author.

Although genotype affects test weight in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), little is known about how physical kernel characteristics affect this quality parameter. The influence of seed and spike characteristics on test weight was investigated in 24 soft red winter wheat (SRWW) cultivars grown in six environments. Seed characters and test weight were measured using gram samples from which shriveled kernels had been removed. Removal of the shriveled kernels increased test weight an average of 36 kg m^–3 and reduced the total variation in test weight due to environment and environment by cultivar interaction. Of the seed and spike characters measured, only flour protein content and the average number of seed within a spike were significantly correlated to test weight (r = 0.56 and r = –0.41, respectively) at P = 0.05. Average kernel length and width and the average number of seed per spikelet showed weak negative correlations with test weight (r = –0.38, r = –0.35 and rs = –0.35, respectively) at P = 0.10. Increasing kernel density was weakly associated with increasing test weight (r = 0.39, P = 0.10). Thousand-kernel weight, diversity of seed size, kernel length to width ratio, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, and spike density were not directly related to test weight. Results of this study indicate that among the characters measured, the amount of shriveling and the protein content of the grain were the most important determinants of test weight in SRWW cultivars.

Received for publication February 25, 1994.

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