Soft wheat: description, cultivation, application

Soft wheat varieties refer to a variety of annual herbaceous plants. The most common families are grasses and meadow grass . The earliest copies of soft wheat were found thousands of years ago on the territory of today's Turkey. Today, cereals are mainly made from this cereal, although there are other ways of using this agricultural product. The conditions in which soft wheat is grown do not have high requirements for climate, so it is quite common in Russia.

Description of the plant

The height of wheat reaches 100 cm, while the average index varies within the range of 60-80 cm. In the early stages, the nodes of the plant are bare or pubescent, and the inside of the straw is hollow and thin. Leaves reach a width of 16 mm, growing in the process of hardness. Actually, wheat ears determined its name - their soft structure does not differ fragility, but is characterized by elasticity. There are no bundles of hairs at the joints of the ears of the second row with the central axis.

On the upper part of the inflorescence, the intervals from the neighboring spicatelets are, on average, -7 mm. At the same time, the ears have approximately equal parameters along the length and width. Scales, in which wheat ears are encased, is about 10 mm long, with a sharp keel at the end. This is a short prong that faces the outside - a kind of protective device for the plant.

Where is it cultivated?

In the list of the most famous cereal crops, this species is the record holder for the area occupied in the world. Such a spread was facilitated by the undemanding nature of the soil and climatic conditions in which culture can grow. However, some varieties still have some limitations. For example, summer wheat optimally develops in conditions from 25 to 40 °. These are the so-called wheat regions, where agricultural zones with a favorable climate prevail.

If we talk about specific territories, it will be Europe and Australia. In the case of European regions, one can speak of growing in steppes and forest-steppe zones. Australian farmers also focus on the organization of wheat fields in the steppe spaces. This culture is also widespread in the Americas, where it is cultivated on the prairies and pampas. Do not deprive this plant and Russian farmers. This is evidenced by the productivity of wheat, which on average is 26-28 c / ha per season.

Basic classification of soft wheat

The main quality of wheat is its ability to form gluten. It is on this property that the characteristics of bakery products depend. Wheat after the initial treatment is sent to the production of pasta, cereals and starch. To determine the suitability of the crop for a particular purpose, the main classification of wheat based on protein and gluten content and its quality was introduced. By the combination of qualities of a typical composition, and also by the presence of impurities, soft wheat is divided into five categories. At the same time, solid wheat is still the leading indicator of gluten, but it requires compliance with more stringent agro-climatic conditions, and this is not possible in all regions.

Classification by quality of flour

Determination of the strength of flour is made on the basis of two main indicators - the activity of enzymes and the quality of gluten. There are three classes that differ in the totality of the indicators of these properties. The first class is a strong wheat, which is characterized by high protein content, elastic and elastic gluten, as well as pronounced vitreousness. From flour, produced on the basis of such grains, porous and bulk bread is obtained. Like wheat, solid, such a basis for bakery products can improve the weak grain. The second group is represented by medium strength grains, which just can not act as modifiers of weak wheat, but they have the optimum qualities for making bakery products. The third category is weak wheat, which has the lowest baking qualities. It produces small bread products, which differ in rough porosity. In soft, weak wheat, as a rule, there is a minimum amount of gluten and proteins. Such flour is used for making confectionery.

Cultivation

In Russia, both winter and spring wheat are cultivated. At the same time, soft varieties account for about 95%. About 45% of this part is represented by winter wheat, which is mainly grown in southern and central regions. Such varieties get better, because they are resistant to frost. They are able to withstand up to -35 degrees. However, snowless winters are fatal for such wheat.

For all varieties, the fertility and moisture of the soil cover are of great importance. Winter crops require sufficient moistening during sprouting. With a drought, they cope better than spring wheat. As an additional feeding, liming is used - as a rule, this method of fertilization is used on soils with high acidity. With regard to the timing of sowing, winter wheat should be at the moment of frost when the experienced agriculturists are oriented. In drought conditions, packing is also practiced. In spring, urea and nitrate are introduced into the soil, but only if the land is depleted in nitrogen.

Flour milling properties of wheat

The process of grinding requires the connection of special machines, expending in the course of work a certain amount of energy. Depending on the effort expended, the flour value of the grains is determined. It is derived on the basis of several qualities of culture, including grinding time, size, energy consumption, etc. Indirect characteristics are also taken into account, among them equalization, nature and ash content. Nature is an indicator of the mass of the volume of grain, which can be expressed in liters. The lower this value, the lower the volume of flour. Also, soft wheat is characterized by an evenness, which, in essence, means grain parameters. Medium sized grains of regular shape contribute to more efficient and quality grinding.

Nutritional properties of grain

Grain spikelets contain many useful elements, including fats with proteins, carbohydrates and minerals. Particularly nutritious is gluten, the content of which is the most valuable varieties of wheat. This is a rubber-like mass produced from finely ground grains. The technological process provides for its washing with water, resulting in a high concentration of protein components in the form of glutenin and gliadin. In addition, soft wheat in processed form can contain starch, as well as fiber with fat in small amounts. The proportion of protein elements accounted for 80%, and starch accounts for about 20% of gluten.

Application

Most often such wheat is used as a cereal for obtaining bakery products. Also from this culture produce malt, which is known as wheat beer. Use and by-products - for example, after threshing, bran remains, which can be used in livestock feeding. Soft wheat varieties are also used for industrial production of starch and bioethanol. However, these industries are not paramount, in terms of the use of wheat raw materials. At least, there are many cereal crops that are more common in industrial production. Wheat is still more focused on the food segment.

Conclusion

Widespread distribution of wheat was facilitated by its unpretentiousness to agroclimatic conditions and optimal flour-milling properties, which make it possible to receive high-quality bakery products in the process of processing. In this respect, soft wheat is the most profitable raw material for the food industry. The developed practice of farming has brought to the fore the spring varieties as the most suitable for cultivation in the Russian climate. But winter crops also occupy a considerable share in the total volume of cultivated areas. Such wheat is suitable for growing under less favorable conditions, therefore it is used for the most part in the northern regions of the country.