Comparative Study between Three Sudanese Wheat Varieties Grown in Wad Madani, Sudan

The objective of this study is to assess and compare the chemical composition of grain and flour of three Sudanese heat tolerant wheat varieties grown in Wad Madani, Sudan, namely; Imam, Gumria and Zkia. Heat stress in sub-Saharan Africa is a major constraint on wheat production. Heat-tolerant wheat varieties, developed by scientists at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and Sudan's Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC), are helping farmers to adapt this situation, bringing higher and more stable yields. Farmers across the wheat-producing regions of Sudan are now achieving up to sixtyha over successive growing seasons. Proximate analysis was performed by determining of the moisture content, crude protein, ash content, crude fat, crude fiber and carbohydrates content. Rheological analysis was performed by determining of wet, dry and index of gluten, and alpha– amylase activity. The results showed that Wheat moisture content was highest in Zkia (7.69) followed by Gumria (7.55) and Imam (7.35). Flour moisture content was highest in Gumria (8.6) followed by Zkia (8.3) and Imam (8.1). Wheat protein content was highest in Gumria (14.098) followed by Zkia (13.699) and Imam (13.566). Flour protein content was highest in Gumria (11.92) followed by Imam (11.837) and Zkia (11.837). Wheat ash content was highest in Gumria (1.66) followed by Zkia (1.48) and Imam (1.45). Flour ash content was highest in Imam (1.1) followed by Gumria (1.01) and Zkia (0.90). Wheat oil content was highest in Gumria (2.90) followed by Zkia (2.40) and Imam (2.01). Flour oil content was highest in Gumria (2.03) followed by Zkia (1.80) and Imam (1.71). Wheat crude fiber content was highest in Imam (1.90) followed by Gumria (1.70) and Zkia (1.50). Flour crude fiber content was highest in Gumria (1.18) followed by Zkia (1.08) and Imam (0.95).Wheat carbohydrates content was highest in Imam (73.724), followed by Zkia (73.231) and Gumria (72.092). Flour Carbohydrates content was highest in Zkia (78.83) followed by Imam (76.303) and Gumria (75.26). Rheological analysis such as wet gluten of wheat was higher in Imam (38.5) followed by Gumria (34.8.) and Zakia (34.1), similar to the flour, Imam (36.2) was higher followed by Gumria (34.4) and Zakia (33.71), dry gluten of wheat was higher in Imam (15.2) followed by Gumria (11.3) and Zakia (10.3), similar to the flour, Imam (14.1) was higher followed by Gumria (10.8) and Zakia (10.4), Gluten index of wheat was higher in Imam (75.8) followed by Zakia (62.0) and Gumria (60.6), similar to the flour Imam (72.2) was higher followed by Gumria (63.0) and Zakia (60.3), Falling no. of wheat was higher in Gumria (586) followed by Zakia (578) and Imam (5378), while in flour Imam (680) was higher followed by Zakia (636), and Gumria (427). In conclusion all the three varieties are largely identical to standard of Sudanese Standard and Metrological Organization (SSMO 037/2007).