Comparison of the chemical composition of spring durum wheat grain (Triticum durum) and common wheat grain (Triticum aestivum ssp. Vulgare)

The research was conducted at the Experimental Farm in Felin, property of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, in 2007–2009. The experiment was located on soil of good wheat complex. The research included the spring form of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) – breeding line LGR 896/23 (selected at ULS, Lublin) and cultivars Lloyd (American), Chado and Kharkivska 27 (Ukrainian), which were compared with spring common wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. vulgare) cv. Torka. In the study, the chemical composition of durum wheat grain and common wheat grain was analysed. The content of total protein, fibre, fat, ash, nitrogen–free extracts, macronutrients (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium) and micronutrients (copper, iron, manganese, zinc) was determined. Variation coefficients and coefficients of correlation were also calculated. All the lines and cultivars of spring durum wheat were characterised by a higher content of total protein and zinc compared to common wheat. Common wheat showed a higher content of copper and manganese in grain compared to durum wheat. Among the quality traits of wheat grain, regardless of the species, the content of nitrogen–free extracts was the least variable (cv=1.5%), whereas the highest variability (cv=37.2%) characterised the content of manganese. Significant correlations were shown in wheat grain for the following pairs of quality traits: protein–nitrogen–free extracts, protein–ash, and ash–protein–free extracts. The results of the qualitative evaluation of the wheat species show that the line and cultivars of durum wheat as well as the cultivars of common wheat fulfil the protein content norms set for raw material for pasta production. Higher ash levels in flour may cause a risk of obtaining darker colour pasta.