Physiochemical and rheological characterizations of Jordanian durum wheat cultivars and landrace

The demand for wheat in Jordan has risen in recent years due to the growing need for various cereal products. This study aimed to investigate different wheat cultivars grown in Jordan. The physicochemical and rheological properties of twelve Jordanian landrace and durum wheat cultivars were examined, including Acsad 1186, Hourani, Acsad 1105, Norsi, Maru 1, Acsad 1103, Sham 1, Acsad 1131, Acsad 1115, Acsad 1315, and Deiralla 6. These cultivars were cultivated at the National Agricultural Research Center in Maru, Jordan. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with three replications. A correlation analysis was performed to assess relationships among the measured parameters. The findings showed that the protein content ranged from 8.4% to 15.5%, and the moisture percentages ranged from 8.47% to 10.73%. The yield indicators for hectoliter and 1000-grain weight were reported as 82.66 kg/ha and 55.93 g for Maru 1 and Acsad 1105, respectively. All tested cultivars demonstrated a high falling number, indicating low alpha-amylase activity. The rheological properties of the samples were evaluated using Alveograph and Mixolab. Hourani had the highest water absorption (69.30%), dough extensibility, and swelling index, while Acsad 1315 showed the greatest dough tenacity and deformation energy. Dough stability varied across samples, ranging from 2.64 mins to 8.99 mins. Furthermore, correlation coefficients revealed strong links between water absorption and Mixolab starch-related parameters (C3, C4, C5), while no correlation was found between protein content and Alveograph metrics. Based on these results, Jordanian wheat cultivars exhibited significant variations in composition and rheology, offering valuable insights for breeding strategies aimed at improving functional properties.