A A C C   2 0 0 0   A n n u a l   M e e t i n g

The new AACC method 56-11, the solvent retention capacity (SRC) profile, relates the ability of flour to retain solvents to specific flour components, including gluten strength, damaged starch, and pentosan content. Twenty-six soft white spring wheat cultivars and advanced breeding lines were grown in five irrigated environments in southeastern Idaho in 1998 and 1999. Grain from each genotype in each environment was milled, and solvent retention capacity was determined using water, 5% lactic acid, 5% sodium carbonate, and 50% sucrose. Sugar snap cookies also were prepared from each genotype (AACC method 10-52). SRC profiles were reproducible and effectively discriminated the genotypes. Genotype x environment interaction was minimal. Sucrose SRC, which predicts pentosan content, was strongly negatively correlated with sugar snap cookie diameter. The best predictive models for sugar-snap cookie diameter were based upon sucrose SRC. Sodium carbonate SRC, which predicts damaged starch, also was strongly negatively correlated with cookie diameter. Sodium carbonate SRC also was negatively correlated with flour extraction, indicating that genotypes that milled easily had less starch damage. Within these adapted soft wheats, water SRC was not associated with cookie diameter. It appears to be more important to examine and select individual components of water retention rather than the global measure of water retention. Method (56-11) is labor-intensive. However, our laboratory has modified some of the equipment in the method to increase sample throughput to the level of the sugar snap cookie test.