Malting Characteristics and Protein Profile of a Few Breadand Durum Indian Wheat Varieties

Malting characteristics of 2 bread and 14 durum Indian wheat varieties were determined and the possible correlation between the physical parameters and chemical composition of these varieties with their malting qualities were examined. Wide variations with respect to 1000 kernel weight (33.4-53.8 g) and volume (24.7-38.0 ml), grain hardness (12.6-24.9 BU), protein (10.7-14.2%) and starch (64.8-72.3%) contents were observed among the cultivars. The amy1ase activity of the native wheat ranged from 6.8 x 103 -1.1 X 104 MU and it increased to 1.2 x 104 -2.8 104 MU on germination for 72 h.. The increase in amylase activity was negatively correlated with grain hardness (r = -0.8464***) as well as the starch content (r = -0.8298***) and its relationship with the protein content of the cultivars was non-significant. Based on the amylase activity of the malted samples, 'HD 2189' (bread wheat) and 'D 651' (durum wheat) varieties were classified as a good and a poor malt varieties, respectively. The fractionation of protein from the native, 72 and 120 h germinated 'HD 2189' and 'D 651' varieties showed that, considerable increase in albumin, moderate increase in globulin but a significant decrease in glutelin and gliadin proteins occurs on malting of wheat. SDS-PAGE pattern of albumin and globulin protein fractions of native and malt samples of both the good and the poor malt wheats were comparable but the band intensity of 55 and 97 KDa of albumin of malted 'HD 2816' was remarkably higher than that of 'D 651' malt.