Evaluation of the 100-year evolution of TZARI bread wheat variety development program in terms of bread-making and nutritional quality

Abstract

This study examined genetic gain in the Eskişehir Transitional Zone Agricultural Research Institute (TZARI) bread wheat breeding program, which started in 1925 and has been continuing for about a century, in terms of grain physical characteristics, gluten quality, nutritional, dough rheology, and bread properties. The recent varieties had higher thousand kernel weights of about 35.0 g. During the breeding period, there was a 0.5 % decline in grain protein content and a 5 % decrease in gluten content. Conversely, a 10–15 ml increase in sedimentation, 20 % in gluten index, and 100–200 cm² in GlutoPeak aggregation energy (AGGEN) were observed. Mixograph peak area (TINT) values exceeded 100.0 % torque x min in the latest cultivars. Some of the most recent genotypes had bread volumes greater than 480.0 cm³/100 g. In general, high gluten-quality varieties presented reduced crumb firmness for a five-day duration. The phenolics, dietary fiber, and antioxidant activity did not significantly correlate with the released years. Some of the latest cultivars had high gluten quality and high antioxidant activity, phenolics, minerals, and amino acids. However, when assessed generally during the breeding stage, lysine, methionine, leucine, phenylalanine, and histidine contents significantly decreased in the varieties after the 2000s. Also, a significant decrease was determined in phosphorus, potassium, and zinc contents.