What is soft wheat, how does it differ from hard wheat and where is it used?

Wheat is divided into two groups: durum and soft varieties. When buying flour products, it is useful to know what type of flour they are made from. We will tell you what the main differences are between soft wheat and hard wheat and whether there is a difference in their agrotechnical characteristics.

Features of soft wheat

Soft wheat is also called summer wheat. This is an annual species of herbaceous plants of the genus Wheat, family Poaceae, or Poaceae. This type of plant was actively grown in the USSR. Despite the name, soft wheat is difficult to thresh, but the flour produces high-quality, tasty bread. It is divided into two types - winter and spring.

Botanical description

An annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Poaceae family. The root system is developed and can go to a depth of 1 m. The stem is hollow inside, bare, with a height of 45 to 200 cm. Breeders deliberately breed low-growing varieties that spend less nutritional energy on straw and more on grain formation. Another advantage of low-growing varieties is resistance to lodging.

The spikes of this species are two-row, sessile, three- to five-flowered; the upper flower is mostly not developed. The grains are oval-shaped, with a longitudinal groove, white, yellow, bronze or red. Wheat is a self-pollinating plant.

Historical reference

Archaeological excavations prove that soft wheat appeared about 6-8 thousand years ago in the countries of the Near and Middle East - in the territory of modern Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Turkmenistan.

Wheat appeared in Rus' in the 5th century.BC e. On the territory of modern America and Australia - much later: in South America - in 1528, in the USA - in 1602, in Australia - in 1778, in Canada - in 1802. Despite this late appearance, bread wheat is in great demand everywhere.

For reference. In 1989, the total crop area was 220 million hectares.

What is the difference between soft wheat and hard wheat?

The main purpose of soft wheat is to make flour. The crop has a wide but short ear and a short awn, which is absent in some varieties. The main advantage is the high protein content in the composition.

Durum wheat is much denser in structure; the grains do not spill out when ripe. The outside of each spikelet is covered with an elastic film, which gives a rich yellow tint and a pleasant smell. Most often, these varieties of wheat are used to make pasta and semolina.

The differences between soft and durum wheat are presented in the table.

Grain composition

The composition of soft wheat grain includes water, nitrogenous substances, proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates - insoluble (starch, fiber, pentosans) and soluble (sugar, dextrins). The table shows the chemical composition of wheat grain as a percentage.

The chemical composition depends on various factors: the type of grain, its ripening, climatic conditions, soil composition and fertilizers used. 100 g of unprocessed soft wheat grain – 305 kcal.

Classification

The main value of soft wheat varieties is their ability to form gluten. This property allows the production of high-quality baked goods. To determine the scope of grain use, at the drying and cleaning stage, classification culture according to several criteria. The worst result becomes decisive. Depending on the main characteristics, wheat is divided into 5 classes.

Milling properties

The millability of grain determines the possibility of obtaining an increased yield of flour after grinding with minimal energy costs. The milling capacity is assessed based on the following indicators:

• flour yield after grinding;
• duration of the grinding process;
• energy consumption;
• grain size, color, ash content of flour;
• specific energy consumption.

Food

For the production of bakery and pasta products, high-quality and stable gluten is required. Its texture should be elastic and not crumbly. Gluten that is too strong may not stretch, but weak gluten, on the contrary, will stretch.

Reference. Pasta is made from hard and soft varieties of wheat.

The production of pasta requires elastic, elastic dough, so the wheat used for grinding flour must have a high nature, glassiness, as well as a high content of protein and gluten.

Areas of application

Basically, soft wheat flour is used as a component in the preparation of bread and bakery products. In addition, malt is produced from grain - wheat beer is obtained. Not only grains are used, but also by-products from processing the ears. For example, the bran remaining after grinding is used as livestock feed.

Soft wheat is used in the industrial production of starch and alcohol. But these areas are not paramount in terms of the use of grain raw materials.

Economic

Despite the fact that food use is the main area of ​​use of soft wheat, it is also suitable for economic purposes. Hay is used to make winter bedding for livestock and roughage.

Starch and gluten make it possible to use this crop in the manufacture of cardboard, paper, and packaging material. Folk craftsmen weave straw hats and baskets from dry stems.

Medicinal

The culture has no less medicinal properties than food and economic ones. Not only baked goods made from flour are considered healthy, but also sprouted grains, cereals, tinctures, and oils. Soft wheat removes toxins from the body, treats various diseases: gastrointestinal disorders, diseases of the respiratory system, skin abscesses, etc.

Geography of cultivation

Soft wheat is the most common grain crop. It gained its popularity due to its undemanding nature to the soil. Some varieties have climatic restrictions (temperature - from 25 to 40°C).

The most favorable regions for growing - territory of Europe and Australia. On European lands these are steppe and forest-steppe zones. In Australia it is also mainly a steppe region. The crop is also in demand in South and North America, where it is planted in the prairies and pampas. In the vastness of the Russian Federation, 26-28 quintals are collected per 1 hectare.

Features of agricultural technology

Winter and spring varieties are planted in Russia. At the same time, soft wheat takes up about 95%, 45% of this figure is winter wheat. It takes root best in the central and southern regions and is resistant to frost down to –35°C.

Attention! Snowless winters can destroy crops.

For soft wheat, soil fertility and moisture are important when planting. Winter varieties are more demanding of moisture, especially during the germination period. After germination, the crop is more resistant to drought than the spring crop.

In fields with high soil acidity, limestone is chosen as a top dressing. In the spring, the soil is enriched with saltpeter and urea if it lacks nitrogen.

Collection and storage

Spring varieties are harvested by combining when the plant reaches 15-20% grain moisture.

Attention! It is impossible to be late in harvesting spring wheat, because if the crop is idle for 10-12 days, the quality of the grain deteriorates, the yield decreases, and the shelf life is shortened.

Winter varieties begin to be harvested by combining only after full ripening. Harvest dates vary depending on the region. Harvesting takes place after reaching 14-17% grain moisture. Winter plants can also be harvested separately, but this entails large crop losses.

After harvesting, the grain is sent to elevators, where storage is influenced by the following factors:

• humidity and air temperature in the storage;
• the intensity of biological processes that occur in different layers of grain;
• the presence or absence of harmful organisms, parasites, insects.

Before storing the crop in storage, the grain is thoroughly dried. The ideal temperature for storage is from +10 to +12°C. Compliance with these conditions allows you to minimize crop losses after storage.

Common wheat varieties

The ears of soft wheat varieties are shorter and thinner than those of solid. The dough made from this flour is less elastic and more loose, so it is ideal for making confectionery products.

Winter crops

Winter wheat varieties resistant to cold. They are recommended plant from the beginning of September to the end of October. As a rule, these varieties give high yields:

1. Antonovka. Height – 95 cm, white ears without signs of drooping. The culture adapts to different weather conditions, is resistant to drought and various diseases. Ripens in 280 days.
2. Bezenchukskaya. The weight of 1000 grains can reach 45 g, the grain is amber in color, and the ear is dense. The plant is resistant to the disease. The ripening period is 320 days.
3. Lennox. The plant rarely exceeds 20 cm in height, one spikelet contains up to 200 grains, the yield is 90 centners per hectare. Ripens in 300 days.
4. Podolyanka. Height – 1 m, egg-shaped grains contain a large amount of fiber. The crop is resistant to dry periods, the yield is 60 centners per 1 ha. The ripening period is 310 days.
5. Tanya. 1000 grains weigh 45 g. The crop has high nutritional value, does not crumble, tolerates unstable climatic conditions, and is resistant to diseases. The ripening period is 300 days.
6. Ilias. Plants do not exceed 1 m in height, the ears are awnless, are not subject to lodging, and tolerate low temperatures. Productivity – 75 centners per 1 ha. Ripens in 200 days.
7. Lars. It has a high protein content, is frost-resistant, and yields up to 70 centners per hectare. The weight of 1000 grains can reach 50 g. The ripening period is 320 days.
8. Favorite. Does not tolerate drought, requires timely watering, and tolerates frost. The grains contain about 35% fiber. Productivity – 90 centners per 1 ha. Ripens within 280 days.
9. Shestopalovka. Above 90 cm in height, the ears are pale green in color and are not subject to lodging or shedding of grains. The harvest per hectare of land is 80 centners per hectare. Ripens in 285 days.

Spring

Spring wheat varieties are sown in early spring. They do not require special soil treatment, but are vulnerable to climatic conditions. Popular varieties:

1. Iren has large grains and high nutritional value; grains contain large amounts of protein, fiber and vitamins. It bears fruit within 90 days.
2. Novosibirsk 31 has a high nutritional value, is resistant to various diseases, but its yield is small - 36 centners per 1 ha. The ripening period is 100 days.
3. Saratovskaya 7. Ears and grains are white, yield is 45 centners per 1 ha, not susceptible to diseases. The ripening period is 90 days.
4. Uralosibirskaya. Plants exceed 1 m in height, the maximum yield reaches 50 centners per 1 ha, and matures in 85 days.
5. Kharkovskaya 46. ​​The ears are bright red, the grains are white. Used in bakeries, moderately resistant to diseases, ripens in 85 days.

Conclusion

The wide demand for soft wheat is facilitated by the unpretentiousness of this crop to climatic conditions and flour-grinding properties, which make it possible to produce high-quality products. It is suitable for growing in unfavorable conditions, therefore it is used in many regions of our country.