Starch Granule Size Distribution and Pasting Properties from 14 Soft Wheat Varieties in Huaihe River Basin

Starch granule size distribution plays a vital role in determining the physicochemical properties and processing quality of soft wheat. This study analyzed fourteen soft wheat varieties cultivated in the Huaihe River Basin, an agriculturally important but underrepresented region, to evaluate starch granule size distribution, pasting properties, and their interrelationship. The starch granules were categorized into four size classes, with the volume dominated by A-type granules (>10 μm), while numerically, the majority were <2.8 μm. Pasting characteristics measured by the Rapid Visco Analyzer revealed substantial variation among genotypes. Varieties with a higher proportion of A-type granules exhibited stronger pasting profiles, including higher peak and final viscosities, whereas those with more B-type granules showed lower values. These observations indicate a clear relationship between granule morphology and starch functionality. In the present study, there was a significant positive correlation between peak viscosity, final viscosity, and set-back viscosity. The volume % of granules > 10 μm showed a positive correlation with peak viscosity (r = 0.53 *), final viscosity (r = 0.57 *), and set-back (r = 0.53 *), while the volume percentage of granules < 10 μm was significantly negatively correlated with peak viscosity (r = −0.53 *), final viscosity (r = −0.57 *), and set-back (r = −0.53 *) value. It indicated that the higher the percentage of granules > 10 μm, the higher the peak viscosity, final viscosity, and set-back value in soft wheat grain.