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Soft wheat varieties are worse. What is the difference between soft and durum wheat varieties? Preparations with wheat germ

Wheat m "yaka

Triticum aestivum L., Tritiom vulgare Vill Poaceae family - Gramineae

Historical reference. Wheat- one of the oldest cultivated plants - was known to the ancient peoples of Europe, Asia, and North Africa already in the Neolithic era. 4 thousand years BC. e. it was cultivated in China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and on the territory of modern Switzerland. This culture has a long and rich history among many peoples, including the Slavs. The word “wheat” is common Slavic. It is based on another well-known word - “millet”. The name is given on a “production” basis: “millet” is a derivative of “pyhati” - pound, shove. Thus, the original meaning of two ancient words: “millet” - crushed, “wheat” - a grain that is pounded. It is interesting that the ancient Latin “triticum”, which became a scientific botanical name, is close in meaning: “tritus” - rubbed, worn out.

The nutritional and healing properties of cereals and wheat were highly valued in Ancient Rus'. Decoctions of crushed grain, crumbs and bread crusts were used in the treatment of many ailments. “It strengthens all the insides and strengthens bodily strength” - this is what was said about wheat in the Russian folk herbal book of the 17th century. "Cool helicopter city."

Description.- an annual herbaceous plant with erect stems. The leaves are flat, broadly linear. The inflorescence is a complex spike. The spikelets are located on the projections of the spike shaft, five-flowered. The plant can reach a height of 1.5 m. It blooms in June - August.

Spreading. The plant is widely cultivated in fields, mainly in the steppe and forest-steppe zones.

Scientists have long been interested chemical composition this most important cereal. As a result of scientific research, it was found that wheat contains starch and other carbohydrates (more than 60%), various proteins - leukosin, glutenin, gliadin (up to 22%), as well as fat, fiber, ash substances - phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and others (up to 2%), various enzymes. The nutritional and medicinal value of this plant comes from vitamins B1, E, choline and a number of other substances found in significant quantities.

Application. A part of the plant is used - the grain. Grain, flour, cereals, and bran are obtained from it. There is hardly any need to talk about the importance of wheat as a food product. However, not everyone probably knows that this ancient agricultural crop has long been used in Russian folk medicine. Most often, it is a decoction of wheat grains, which has general strengthening and emollient properties. The decoction is prescribed to restore strength after severe, long-term illnesses. A decoction of bran with the addition of honey - for respiratory diseases, cough. A decoction of wheat bread crumb - for simple and bloody diarrhea. To speed up the maturation of abscesses or to resolve tumors, apply a crumb of wheat bread dipped in hot milk. A decoction and poultice made from bran is a proven cosmetic product for softening the skin, this is not a complete list... Preparations from soft wheat have found application in scientific medicine. In particular, a thick extract from wheat germ “Cholef” (fecholine), prescribed for the treatment of patients with various forms of muscular dystrophy. Another preparation was obtained from wheat grains - a thick, resinous liquid of dark brown color with the smell of burnt grain, known as “Mitroshin liquid”. This is a very effective remedy for skin diseases - eczema, scaly lichen, neurodermatitis, inflammation of the hair follicles (sycosis).

As studies have shown, when wheat grains are sprouted, the amount of vitamins B6 and C increases by more than 5 times, vitamin B1 by more than 1.5, B2 by 13.5, and folic acid by 4 times. The concentration of natural antibiotics and growth stimulants in grain increases sharply. That is why scientists classify sprouted wheat grains as the most valuable health products, especially necessary for people working in the Far North, for people engaged in heavy physical labor.

Grain sprouts are easy to prepare at home. Cleanly washed grains are wrapped in a cloth previously moistened with warm water and left in a room at a temperature of 22-24 ° C. The top layer of fabric is periodically moistened until sprouts appear.

Sprouted grain is an excellent healing food. They eat it without seasoning. Fruits are a good addition. However, the grain itself can serve as a seasoning. It must be dried, ground in a coffee grinder and added to food in this form. Sprouts are recommended to be consumed within 1-2 weeks for breakfast and lunch, the daily dose is up to 50 g. The most acceptable time of year is the end of winter and the beginning of spring.


The earliest finds of wheat date back to the seventh millennium BC. And they found it on the territory of modern Turkey. Soft wheat is used to make all kinds of baked goods and also produces malt.

Properties of soft wheat

Bread wheat is an annual plant, often self-pollinating. The fruit is a bare or membranous grain of elongated, oval, ovoid, elliptical or spherical shape. There is a longitudinal groove on the ventral side.
Soft varieties are represented by winter, spring, semi-winter forms. There are also two-handled trees that produce crops during autumn and spring sowing. Winter wheat has two growing seasons: autumn, when vegetative organs develop; spring and summer, when the plant produces a harvest. Spring varieties of soft wheat are sown in spring or autumn (in areas with mild winters).

Cultivation areas

Among grain crops, soft wheat occupies the largest area in the world. Its prevalence is explained by a wide range of soil and climatic conditions and its ability to produce crops in the vast majority of agricultural zones. However, two “wheat belts” can be distinguished: from 25 to 40° S. and from 30 to 55° N. In these zones, annual precipitation varies from 300 to 1100 mm. In cold areas, the growth of the crop is limited by 250-1000 mm of precipitation, in hot areas - no more than 500-1800 mm.
Wheat is classified as a steppe crop. In Europe, its crops occupy steppes and forest-steppes, in South America - pampas, in North America - prairies, in Australia - steppe spaces. Soft wheat crops are found in the foothills and some mountainous areas.

Features of cultivation

For spring varieties of soft wheat, the growing season lasts 70-115 days, for winter varieties - 260-365 days. Spring wheat seedlings can withstand temperatures down to -10°C for a short time, but during the heading period they can die at -1°C. Winter seedlings can withstand frosts down to -35°C provided there is sufficient snow cover. Snowless winters threaten death even at -16°C.
Soil moisture and fertility play an important role in common wheat. Winter crops require sufficient moisture during germination. In the future, they tolerate drought better than spring varieties, since they have already developed a powerful root system.
Soft wheat takes place in the crop rotation in full and black fallow, after one- and perennial grasses, flax, legumes, corn, cotton, potatoes, sugar beets, sunflowers, and melons. Acidic soils require liming.
Sowing of spring soft wheat begins in early spring. In Siberia, Trans-Urals and the northern regions of Kazakhstan, climate features allow for high yields during late sowing.
The timing of sowing winter varieties is determined based on the fact that by the onset of frost the plants should bloom well. During drought, rolling is effective. In winter, snow retention is carried out to accumulate moisture and protect the wheat from frost. In spring, winter crops require fertilizing with saltpeter or urea, since the soil is still poor in nitrogen. Fertilizing can be carried out from an airplane even in the snow.

Nutritional properties of wheat grain

Wheat grain contains a large number of elements necessary for nutrition: fats, proteins, carbohydrates, enzymes, vitamins, minerals.
Gluten is a rubber-like mass that is washed from finely ground grains with water. It contains proteins (glutenin and gliadin), starch, a small amount of fat and fiber. Proteins make up up to 80%, starch – up to 20% gluten.
Carbohydrates in wheat grain are mainly represented by starch (48-63%). In addition, the grain contains 2-3% fiber and up to 7% sugars (the main part is in the germ). Fat averages 2% and is contained in the aleurone layer and the embryo.

Classification of soft wheat
The main value of wheat is its ability to form gluten, which makes it possible to obtain high-quality bread. Wheat is used to make cereals, pasta, starch, and alcohol. Grain, bran, and straw are used as animal feed.
To determine the suitability of a crop for a specific purpose, wheat is classified. Depending on the mass fraction of gluten and protein, gluten quality, typical composition, falling number, glassiness nature, grain and weed impurities, soft wheat is divided into five classes. The class is determined by a table where all indicators are summarized.
Determination of belonging to a certain class is carried out on drying and cleaning technological lines. The worst indicator is decisive.

Milling properties

For grain, the milling value determines the possibility of obtaining a high yield of flour of a certain type with minimal energy consumption for grinding. The milling properties are assessed using the following indicators:

Flour yield;
duration of grain grinding;
energy consumption for grinding;
size, color, ash content of flour;
specific energy consumption for grinding grain.

Flour milling value can be determined by indirect indicators of wheat quality.
Nature– the mass of a certain volume of grain, for example, a liter. The indicator determines the thinness of the grain. The lower the nature, the lower the flour yield.
Weight of 1000 grains. Large grains have fewer hulls and more endosperm. Therefore, the higher the flour yield, the greater the mass of 1000 grains.
Grain size uniformity reflects the grain size. Leveled grain makes it possible to correctly adjust the equipment. The presence of small grains in the grain mass reduces the flour yield.
Vitreousness. The denser the grain in the section, the higher the glassiness. The presence of microscopic voids makes the grain dull and mealy. Grinding it requires less energy, but with high glassiness, the yield of flour is higher.
Ash content shows the percentage ratio of the amount of ash obtained by burning grain to its mass. High ash content means low yield of high grade flour. The greatest contribution to this indicator is made by the grain shells, the least - by the center of the endosperm. Accordingly, the ash content of puny and small grains is higher, since it contains more shells.

Baking properties

For suitability for baking, soft wheat is checked for the quantity and quality of gluten and protein content. These parameters are decisive in obtaining quality bread.
To obtain high-quality bread, you need elastic, non-crumbling gluten - not too strong (non-stretchy) and not too weak (highly stretchable).
The structure of the dough is determined by gluten. The carbon dioxide released during fermentation stretches the gluten. When baking, the loosened dough is fixed in this form. Carbon dioxide cannot stretch gluten that is too strong, and weak gluten does not retain carbon dioxide.
Flour produced from pest-damaged, frost-damaged grain has poor gluten, sticky, tearing and dark. In addition, during germination, the baking qualities of wheat deteriorate. This flour produces bread with an inelastic, sticky crumb that has a sweetish taste.
The extent to which soft wheat has sprouted can be judged by the decrease in the viscosity of the water-flour suspension. Hagberg's method comes down to measuring the time of free movement of the stirrer rod under the influence of its mass in a gelatinized water-flour mixture.

Pasta properties

Durum wheat is more suitable for the production of pasta due to its special carbohydrate structure. However, durum soft wheat is also used in the manufacture of pasta. The wheat used for these purposes must be of high nature and glassiness, contain a lot of proteins and good quality gluten.
The production of pasta requires a dense and elastic dough.

Classification by flour strength

The ability to form dough that retains its spatial structure during baking is determined by the strength of the flour. It depends on gluten and enzyme activity.

According to the strength of flour, soft wheat is divided into three groups:
Strong wheat has a high protein content (above 14%), elastic elastic gluten, high glassiness, nature. Strong grains produce voluminous bread with high porosity. Such wheat can improve the quality of weak grains.
Medium-strength wheat is characterized by good baking properties, but cannot be an improver for weak wheat.
Weak wheat has low baking properties. The bread comes out small in volume and with rough porosity. Weak soft wheat contains little protein and gluten. Flour from this grain is used to make cookies and cakes.

There are thousands of varieties of wheat. This cereal is extremely common throughout the world. It is characterized by spring or winter sowing. It is interesting that of the 22 plant varieties involved in production, only soft wheat with the foreign name “Triticum sativa” and hard wheat, called “Triticum durum”.
A herbaceous annual plant, which is grass up to 150 cm and has an erect, knotty stem, is called bread wheat. Chemical composition:
  • fats – 1.5%;
  • starch and other carbohydrates – about 66%;
  • fiber – 3%;
  • proteins (glutenin, leukosin and gliadin) – from 13 to 22%;
  • ash inclusions (potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium) – 1.7%;
  • various enzymes.
The plant blooms from June to August, harvesting is carried out from July to September. The systematization of the cereal is formed depending on the color of the grains and the general glassiness, which is associated with the level of fullness of the cells. This indicator tells about the physical properties of the grain and the chemical component. It indicates the percentage of protein content.
Commodity classification, depending on botanical characteristics, provides for the division of wheat into the following types:
  1. hard;
  2. soft;
  3. white grain;
  4. red grain
Referring to biological characteristics, spring and winter wheat can be distinguished. The latter is sown in the autumn and harvested the following summer. This is the most common wheat on Earth. It develops and ripens at incredible speed and produces a rich harvest. Spring plants survive in those climatic zones where winter is harsh. The exception is durum wheat.
To grow wheat, you need well-drained, nutritious soil. The plant is propagated in the spring by sowing seeds, which germinate in a few days.

Characteristics of soft wheat

The plant has a loose ear, awned or awnless. The spines are of medium length and face the shaft. The grain is oval in shape, the stem is an empty straw. A groove is visible at the top of the grain, which creates a cavity in the center. The color of the grain varies from red-brown to light yellow. Thus, soft wheats have a full, thin-walled culm, while English wheats have a thick-walled culm, which is filled with a spongy mass. Polish and durum wheat are always filled with a similar mass.
The grain is used to make various types of confectionery and baking flour. A food product made from “soft” wheat is characterized by large starch grains, friability, and low gluten content. Bread made from such flour can crumble and quickly become stale. Soft varieties are usually used for baking baked goods. This flour absorbs less water than flour made from durum wheat.
Soft wheat is also called ordinary wheat. It is the most popular variety along with dwarf and hard. Wheat contains low amounts of protein and gluten. Soft varieties are not picky about weather conditions and soil. That is why almost 95% of crops are allocated to this crop. It can rightfully be called the most drought-resistant, winter-hardy and early-ripening on the globe. The variety grows in regions with normal moisture.

Soft wheat grains: varieties

According to GOST, if we take into account technological, nutritional and market values, natural properties (color and glassiness), then several varieties of wheat can be identified.

  • Subdivided into several subtypes with colors from scarlet (vitreousness from 75%) to yellow with less than 60% vitreousness - red-grain spring wheat.
  • White grain spring with a couple of subtypes that differ in glassiness indicators (less than 60% and more than 60%).
  • Red grain winter - these are 4 subtypes from dark red to “golden” category with a glassiness percentage of at least 75% and less than 40%.
  • White grain winter crop does not have any subtypes.
White-grain and red-grain wheat are the main raw materials for the production of confectionery products and baking flour. They are classified according to the color of the grain. Wheat grain, depending on growing conditions and varieties, can have a semi-vitreous, completely glassy and mealy consistency. The color spectrum of its surface ranges from white to dark red.
Let us dwell in detail on the description of types.

Spring red grain
Wheat varieties that characterize the type are virgin with numbers 60 and 21, Altai 81, Omsk with numbers 17 and 9, Saratov 29, Ershov 32, Novosibirsk 81, botanical 2. The content of other types of grain is allowed in percent - no more than 10, as well as no more than 5 hard grades.

Characteristics of subtypes
The first subtype is dark red. The presence of yellow-sided, “golden”, darkened and colorless grains is possible. However, they should not spoil the basic tone of the wheat. The total glassiness is not less than 75%.
The red color of inclusions is observed in the second subtype. There are yellow-sided, yellow, dark, colorless inclusions. The total glassiness is not less than 60%.
The third category is grains with the following shades: light red or yellow-red. The inclusions described above may be present. Vitreousness is not less than 40%.
The fourth subtype with a predominance of yellow-sided and “golden” grains. The batch is characterized by a yellow color. Glassiness less than 40%.

Spring white grain
The list of varieties that characterizes the type is Novosibirskaya 67, Saratovskaya under numbers 42, 46. Inclusions of wheat of other varieties are no more than 10%.

Winter red grain
Varieties representing the type are Olympia, Bezostaya 1, Obriy, Tarasovskaya 29, Odesskaya 51, Donskaya Bezostaya, Mironovskaya 808, Krasnodarskaya 57. The permissible inclusion of other types of wheat is 10%, including 5% of durum wheat.
The first subtype has dark red grains; yellow-sided, yellow, dark and discolored grains are allowed. The main thing is that they do not spoil the main tone of the party. The glassiness of the subtype is not less than 75%.
The second subtype is distinguished by red grains; inclusions of grains of different colors, characteristic of the first subtype, are acceptable. Glassiness indicators are not less than 60%.
The third subtype is grains with light red and yellow-red colors. It is possible to have different grains that do not disturb the basic tone of the wheat. Vitreousness – not less than 40%.
In the fourth subtype, yellow-sided grains predominate, which color the batch yellow. Vitreousness – less than 40%.

Soft winter
The type of wheat is characterized by such varieties as Armenian 60 and Albidum 114. Other varieties of grains are found in the batch, approximately 10%. General glassiness is not limited.
Applications of wheat

The plant is used as a cereal for making buns. Wheat is also involved in the creation of malt, the preparation of drinks such as wheat beer. A byproduct of threshing is bran, which is used in animal husbandry. They are used to make animal feed or eat them. To produce starch, they take a little durum and soft wheat. The plant is also useful for the production of bioethanol.
Wheat is a valuable and high-yielding crop that is cultivated on many continents of the world. It is a key food product for a third of the world's population.

Calories, kcal:

Proteins, g:

Carbohydrates, g:

Soft (or otherwise ordinary) wheat is one of the three most popular and sought-after varieties (along with dwarf wheat), which is characterized by a relatively small amount of protein (from 6 to 10%) and lower gluten content. Soft varieties are less demanding on soil and climatic conditions, which is why 95% of wheat crops in Russia fall on them.

Types of soft wheat grains

GOST R 52554-2006, depending on technological, nutritional and commercial advantages, as well as on changing natural characteristics (color and glassiness), distinguishes the following soft wheat varieties:

  1. Soft spring red grain, which is divided into four subtypes from dark red (vitreousness of at least 75%) to yellow (vitreousness of less than 60%).
  2. Soft spring white grain, which is divided into two subtypes and differs only in the percentage of glassiness (at least 60% and less than 60%).
  3. Soft winter red grain, which, like spring varieties, is divided into four subtypes from dark red (vitreousness of at least 75%) to yellow (vitreousness of less than 40%).
  4. Soft winter white grain, which is not divided into subtypes.

Soft wheat grains differ from hard wheat in color, shape and consistency of the endosperm (calorizator). Its grain mass is less glassy and is characterized by a surface from white to dark red. Bread wheat grains may have a mealy, semi-vitreous, or glassy consistency.

Flour from soft varieties is characterized by greater friability, whiteness, larger starch grains and lower gluten content. These qualities became the main reason for its use specifically for baked goods. It absorbs less water (than), and the bread from it quickly becomes stale and crumbles.

Dividing soft wheat according to baking quality

In accordance with the same GOST R 52554-2006, according to baking quality (or strength of flour), soft wheat is divided:

  1. Strong varieties characterized by high gluten content and good quality. Flour from such wheat has high properties: elastic-elastic, stable, capable of retaining carbon dioxide (during fermentation, proofing and baking). This flour is used for baking expensive types of bread, as well as for improving flour with weak gluten.
  2. Medium strength varieties (valuable for quality) that also have good baking properties. It produces quite high quality bread. It does not require the addition of strong wheat at all, but it is not possible to use it to improve weak wheat.
  3. Weak varieties, which are characterized by either low gluten content (below 18%) or reduced quality gluten. Flour made from it has low baking properties and, as noted, requires the addition of strong wheat.

Calorie content of soft wheat grains

The calorie content of soft wheat grains is 305 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Composition of soft wheat grains

The chemical composition of soft wheat grains includes all the elements necessary for nutrition: proteins (from 8 to 22%), carbohydrates (represented by starch, sugars, fiber), fats (about 2%), vitamins (,

Wheat(lat. Triticum) is one of the oldest cereal plants of the flowering department, class monocotyledons, order Gramineaceae, family Poaceae.

Description of wheat and photographs.

All wheat varieties have basic characteristic features. The height of the wheat stem reaches 30-150 centimeters. The stems themselves are hollow and erect, with clearly visible nodes. One plant usually grows up to 12 stems. wheat leaves reach a width of 20 mm, they are flat in shape and most often linear, with parallel veins, fibrous, rough to the touch. Wheat leaf sheaths are pronounced and well developed. The vaginas, split to the very base, have lanceolate ears at the top. Their tongues are bare and membranous, from 0.5 to 3 mm long. The wheat plant has a fibrous root system.

The structure of wheat, ears.

The inflorescence of wheat is a straight, complex spike from 4 to 15 cm long, and can be oblong or ovoid. On the axis of each ear there are spike scales 6-15 mm long. The ears of wheat are solitary and adjacent to the axis in two identical rows 5-18 millimeters long, with several closely spaced flowers, most often from 2 to 7. The axis of the wheat ear does not contain articulations. A wheat flower has 2 scales and 2 films, 3 stamens, a pistil and 2 stigmas. This structure is typical of flowers of cereal plants. When wheat ripens, it produces grain fruits.

Varieties and types of wheat.

There are many varieties of wheat. These plants have a rather complex classification, including sections, species and subspecies, as well as about 10 hybrids, both intrageneric and intergeneric. The following types of wheat are distinguished:

  • annuals
  • two-year

Spring and winter wheat - differences.

According to the sowing period, the following are distinguished:

  • Spring wheat – sown from March to May, ripens within 100 frost-free days, and is harvested in early autumn. More drought-resistant than winter wheat, it has excellent baking properties.
  • Winter wheat - sown in late summer to mid-autumn, produces a harvest in early to mid-summer of the following year. Gives a higher yield, but prefers areas with a mild climate and snowy winters.

Wheat is soft and hard.

Types of wheat according to grain hardness:

  • soft wheat– has a wider and shorter ear and a shorter or absent awn. This type is high in protein and gluten. Flour is made from soft wheat.
    • soft spring red grain wheat - this type includes wheat varieties Altaiskaya 81, Voronezhskaya 10, Lyuba, Moskovskaya 35, etc.
    • soft spring white grain wheat - this type includes wheat varieties Novosibirskaya 67, Saratovskaya 55, etc.
    • soft winter red wheat - this type includes the varieties Donskaya Bezostaya, Obriy, Volgogradskaya 84, Yuna, etc.
    • soft winter white wheat - this type includes varieties Kinsovskaya 3, Albidum 28, etc.
  • durum wheat– has spikelets that are more tightly covered with outer films; the grains from them do not fall off, but they are more difficult to isolate. It has a rich yellow color and a pleasant smell. Durum wheat is used to make pasta.
    • Durum spring wheat (durum) - this type includes varieties Almaz, Orenburgskaya 2, Svetlana, etc.
    • durum winter wheat - this type includes varieties Vakht, Mugans, Parus, etc.

Where does wheat grow?

Wheat grows everywhere except the tropics, since the variety of specially created varieties allows it to take advantage of any soil and climate conditions. The plant is not afraid of heat if there is no high humidity, which contributes to the development of diseases. Wheat is a plant so cold-resistant that it is surpassed only by barley and. Soft wheat prefers a humid climate and is common in Western Europe, Russia, Australia. Durum wheat loves drier climates and is grown in the USA, Canada, North Africa, and Asia. Winter wheat predominates in those areas where it is not damaged by frost, for example, in the North Caucasus, in the Central Black Earth region of Russia. Spring wheat is grown in the Southern Urals, Western Siberia, and Altai.

Rye and wheat are different.

Rye and wheat are among the most popular and irreplaceable cereal crops. These cereals have external similarities, but also many differences.

  • Wheat varieties are much more diverse than rye varieties.
  • Wheat has wider uses than rye.
  • The grains have different appearance and chemical composition.
  • Wheat makes more demands on soil and climate than.

Growing wheat.

High wheat yields are achieved with proper preparation for sowing. The wheat field is cultivated with cultivators and the surface is leveled to ensure good contact of wheat seeds with the soil and obtain simultaneous seedlings. Wheat is sown at a depth of 3-5 cm with row spacing of 15 cm.

Wheat is a very moisture-dependent plant, and therefore a good harvest requires regular watering. For dry climates, durum wheat varieties are more suitable; they are less demanding in terms of moisture. Wheat growth is ensured by the application of fertilizers. The sown wheat is harvested by a combine when the grain is fully ripe.

How to germinate wheat grains?

It is very easy to germinate wheat grains at home. The grain must be placed in a 1 liter glass jar. It should occupy no more than 1/4-1/3 of the jar. Add water to the jar almost to the brim, soak the grains for 7-8 hours. After this, drain the water through cheesecloth, rinse the wheat and add fresh water for 3-4 hours. Thus, wheat grains must be washed 2-4 times a day, allowed to drain and then placed back in the jar. In a day, the seedlings will reach a height of 1-2 mm, and the sprouted wheat grains can already be eaten.

How to grow wheat at home?

Green wheat sprouts can be obtained by continuing to soak the grains for another 1-2 days. Seedlings measuring 1-2 cm must be transplanted into a container with soil. Sprouted wheat grains are placed on the ground and covered with a 1 cm layer of soil on top. The ground must be watered, but not too much. wheat sprouts ready to eat in a few days.