EFFECT OF MOISTURE CONTENT ON WHEAT HARDNESS: AN SKCS-BASED STUDY

This study aimed to analyze wheat hardness at varying moisture (10%–18%) using SKCS equipment and to establish regressions for relationship between moisture content and hardness index (HI). For this purpose, three bread wheat cultivars, Kınacı, Altay, and Selimiye, each with different hardness, were used. Differences between cultivars in terms of various physical and chemical properties were significant (P < 0.05). HI for Kınacı, Altay, and Selimiye decreased significantly from 18.7%, 31.5%, and 66.4% at 10% moisture to 10.9%, 16.5%, and 41.3% at 18% moisture, respectively (P < 0.05). In the regression equations, moisture content was used as the independent variable and HI as the dependent variable. Determination coefficients (R²) of equations were 0.9669 for soft wheat Kınacı, 0.9906 for medium wheat Altay and 0.9278 for hard wheat Selimiye. Consequently, regression equations are feasible and can be used to determine HI based on moisture for different hardness groups in wheat.