Measurement of Wheat Hardness by Seed Scarifier and Barley Pearler and Comparison with Single‐Kernel Characterization System

Abstract

A new procedure based on a seed scarifier (SS) for measuring wheat hardness was described and investigated along with methods using a barley pearler (BP) and the single kernel characterization system (SKCS). Hardness measured by SS and BP is expressed as a percentage of kernel weight remaining after abrading and defined as abrasion resistance index (ARI). For a given sample weight, increased abrading time decreased ARI but improved the ability to differentiate variation among samples. The effect of sample moisture was also statistically significant. For improved performance of SS and BP, based on distinct patterns of relationships between surface removal rates and surface removal levels among soft and hard wheats, a combination of parameters that produces ARI values in the range of 80–20, and a run for a set of reference material are recommended. Differences in measured hardness values from SS, BP, and SKCS existed within a wheat group, but they were very much method‐dependent. Nevertheless, all methods were able to differentiate variations between soft and hard wheat groups. Because of low cost, durability, simplicity, repeatability, and aforementioned ability, SS and BP, although limited by lack of standardization and calibration procedures, can still be useful for grain hardness measurement, particularly when and where instruments for contemporary popular methods such as SKCS and near‐infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy are not readily available.

Development of a Single Kernel NIR Barley Protein Calibration and Assessment of Variation in Protein on Grain Quality

“…A number of applications have been reported using SKNIR in wheat and maize for quality and fungal infection [4][5][6][7][8]14,21,22,25 , as well as for protein 4,26 and hardness 4,17 in wheat. In barley, there have been a number of recent reports on SK measurements for grain hardness 2,13,[15][16][17]19 .…”

Rheological Hardness Index for Assessing Hardness of Hexaploids and Durums

“…Historically, various indirect measures have been used to assess grain hardness, such as the particle size distribution and index (Symes 1961(Symes , 1965Gaines 1986;Greffeuille et al 2006), the pearling index (Liu 2008), and the NIR hardness index (Norris et al 1989). The particle size distribution and index assessments are based on the measurement of some specific size property of the granular structure of the flour after milling (Symes 1961(Symes , 1965Gaines 1986;Devaux et al 1998;Greffeuille et al 2006).…”

Germination and Seedling Growth of Desmanthus illinoensis and Desmodium canadense in Response to Mechanical Scarification

“…Although uniform repeatability was associated with the Forsberg scarifier (Liu, 2008), we found FGP variation at incubation temperatures of 20 to 30°C after a 3-s scarification treatment in which Illinois bundleflower had 92% or 80% FGP and showy ticktrefoil had 72% or 58% FGP (Tables 1-3). Nonetheless, IL bundleflower seed benefited from a short scarification procedure.…”

“…Scarifier (Forsberg, Thief River Falls, MN) equipment is simple to operate and consists of a horizontally mounted rotary propeller within a steel drum lined with 40-grit sandpaper (Liu, 2007). Although mechanical abrasion by using the scarifier is a low-cost method with good repeatability, there is a lack of methodological standardization, including running time, seed moisture content, amount of surface damage, and reference materials (Liu, 2008). Mechanical scarification using a scarifier is a more practical method of scarification than other techniques (Hicks et al, 1989).…”