Soft wheat varieties are a variety of annual herbaceous plants. The most common families are cereal and bluegrass. The earliest instances of soft wheat were found millennia ago in today's Turkey. Nowadays, mainly bakery products are made from this cereal, although there are other ways to use this agricultural product. The conditions in which soft wheat is grown do not differ in high climate requirements; therefore, it is quite common in Russia.
Plant description
Wheat reaches a height of 100 cm in height, while the average indicator varies between 60-80 cm. In the early stages, the plant nodes are bare or pubescent, and the straw inside is hollow and thin. Leaves reach a width of 16 mm, gaining hardness during growth. Actually, ears of wheat determined its name - their soft structure is not brittle, but it is characterized by elasticity. At the junction of the ears of the second row with the central axis, there are no bundles of hairs.
On the upper part of the inflorescence, the gaps from neighboring spikelets are on average -7 mm. At the same time, the ears have approximately equal parameters in length and width. The scales, in which the ears of wheat are enclosed, are about 10 mm long, while having a sharp keel at the end. This is a short tooth, which is facing the outside - a kind of protective device for the plant.
Where is it cultivated?
In the list of the most famous crops, this particular species is the champion in the area occupied in the world. This spread was facilitated by the undemanding to the soil and climatic conditions in which culture can grow. However, some varieties still have some limitations. For example, summer wheat develops optimally in conditions of 25 to 40 °. These are the so-called wheat regions, where agricultural zones with a favorable climate prevail.
If we talk about specific territories, it will be Europe and Australia. In the case of European regions, we can talk about growing in the steppes and forest-steppe zones. Australian farmers also focus on the organization of wheat fields in the steppe spaces. This culture is also widespread in the Americas, where it is cultivated on the prairies and pampas. This plant and Russian farmers are not deprived of attention. This is evidenced by the productivity of wheat, which averages 26-28 kg / ha per season.
The main classification of soft wheat
The main quality of wheat is its ability to form gluten. The characteristics of bakery products depend on this property. Wheat after primary processing is sent to the production of pasta, cereals and starch. To determine the suitability of the crop for various needs, the main classification of wheat was introduced based on the protein and gluten content, as well as its quality. By the totality of the qualities of the typical composition, as well as by the presence of impurities, soft wheat is divided into five categories. At the same time, durum wheat still leads in terms of gluten, but its cultivation requires compliance with more severe agroclimatic conditions, and this is far from possible in all regions.
Flour quality classification
Determination of the strength of flour is based on two main indicators - enzyme activity and gluten quality. There are three classes that differ in the totality of indicators of these properties. The first class is strong wheat, which is characterized by a high protein content, elastic and elastic gluten, as well as pronounced vitreous. From the flour developed on the basis of such grains, porous and voluminous bread is obtained. Like durum wheat, such a bakery base can improve low grain. The second group is represented by medium-strength grains, which just cannot act as modifiers of weak wheat, but they have optimal qualities for the manufacture of bakery products. The third category is weak wheat, which has the lowest baking qualities. Small bread products are obtained from it, which are distinguished by rough porosity. In soft weak wheat, as a rule, a minimal amount of gluten and proteins is present. Such flour is used for the manufacture of confectionery.
Growing
In Russia, both winter and spring wheat are cultivated. At the same time, soft varieties account for about 95%. About 45% of this part is winter wheat, which is mainly grown in the southern and central regions. Such varieties take root better because they are resistant to frost. They are able to withstand up to -35 degrees. However, snowless winters are fatal for such wheat.
For all varieties, fertility and soil moisture are of great importance. Winter crops require sufficient moisture during seedlings. They cope with drought better than spring wheat. As an additional top dressing, liming is used - as a rule, this method of fertilizer is used on soils with high acidity. As for the timing of sowing, winter wheat should have time to unfold by the time of the onset of frost - this is what experienced agronomists are guided by. In drought conditions, rolling is also practiced. In spring, urea and nitrate are introduced into the soil, but only if the earth is depleted of nitrogen.
Milling properties of wheat
The grinding process requires the connection of special machines that consume a certain amount of energy during operation. Depending on the effort expended, the milling value of the grains is determined. It is derived on the basis of several cultural qualities, including grinding time, size, energy consumption, etc. Indirect characteristics are also taken into account, including flatness, nature and ash content. Nature is an indicator of the mass of grain volume, which can be expressed in liters. The lower this value, the lower the flour volume. Soft wheat is also characterized by uniformity, which, in essence, means the parameters of the grain. Medium-sized grains of regular shape contribute to a more efficient and high-quality grinding.
Nutritional properties of grain
Spikelets grains contain many useful elements, including fats with proteins, carbohydrates and minerals. Gluten is especially nutritious, the contents of which are the most valuable varieties of wheat. This is a rubbery mass produced from finely ground grains. The technological process provides for its washing with water, as a result of which a high concentration of protein components in the form of glutenin and gliadin is provided. In addition, processed wheat may contain starch, as well as fiber with fat in small quantities. Protein elements account for 80%, and starch occupies about 20% gluten.
Application
Most often, such wheat is used as cereal for bakery products. Malt, which is known as wheat beer, is also produced from this culture. By-products are also being used, for example, bran remains after threshing, which can be used to feed livestock. Soft wheat varieties are also used for the industrial production of starch and bioethanol. However, these industries are not paramount in terms of the use of wheat raw materials. At least there are many cereals that are more common in the areas of industrial production. Wheat is still more focused on the food segment.
Conclusion
The widespread distribution of wheat was facilitated by its unpretentiousness to agroclimatic conditions and optimal milling properties, which allow to obtain high-quality bakery products during processing. In this regard, soft wheat is the most profitable raw material for the food industry. The current agricultural practice has brought to the forefront spring varieties as the most suitable for cultivation in the Russian climate. But winter crops also occupy a considerable share in the total volume of cultivated areas. Such wheat is suitable for cultivation in less favorable conditions, so it is used mainly in the northern regions of the country.