Evaluation of the Interaction of Water Stress and Superabsorbent on the Characteristics Related to the Quality of Bread Wheat Cultivars (Triticum aestivum)

In order to study the effect of the superabsorbent polymer and manure fertilizer on the baking characteristics of wheat cultivars under different water deficit conditions, an experiment was carried out in a factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design in three replications at Agricultural Research Center, West-Azerbaijan (Saatlo station) during 2017-2018 growing seasons. The factors included irrigation at two levels (normal and water stress), superabsorbent polymer: 200 kg ha-1, manure fertilizer: 40 tons ha-1, their dual application and control (non-application fertilizer), and wheat cultivars (Mihan, Heidari and Zarineh). The measured traits included grain yield, wheat grain moisture content, hectoliter weight, flour moisture content, ash content, glutenin, gliadin, dry gluten, gluten index, protein percent, Zeleny number, falling number and protein yield. The results of the analysis of variances showed that the effect of drought stress, superabsorbent and cultivar on the studied traits was significant. Grain yield, protein yield, flour moisture, glutenin, dry gluten, gelatin index and Zeleny number were decreased under drought stress conditions, but the falling number, grain protein and gliadin content were increased. Application of the superabsorbent polymer of chemical and manure fertilizer increased the grain yield, protein yield and gluten index. The highest grain yield (6636.77 kg ha-1) and protein yield (1093.79 kg ha-1), and the lowest hectoliter weight (75.81 kg/100 liters) were obtained from Mihan cultivar. The highest Zeleny number was obtained from the Zarineh cultivar (26.35%) under the conditions involving the dual application of the manure and superabsorbent and the Heidari cultivar (26.32%) with the application of the manure fertilizer. The highest falling number was obtained from Heidari (461.50 seconds). The lowest falling number was obtained from Zarineh (443.73 seconds). The highest correlation was observed between glutenin and gluten indexes (0.97**). To mitigating the reduction of grain and protein yield under drought stress and improve the baking characteristics, such as dry gluten, falling number, glutenin and gluten index, in wheat cultivars, the use of manure and superabsorbent could be effective.