Partial Characterization of Starch in Flours of Ancient Wheat and Wild Progenitor Accessions

Abstract

The starch properties of 17 ancient wheats and wild progenitors (Triticum monococcum L. var. monococcum, T dicoccum Sch., Aegilops speltoides Tausch. var. ligustica, A. speltoides Tausch var. speltoides, T monococcum L. var. boeoticum, and T monococcum L. var. urartu) collected in Turkey were evaluated. The study demonstrated that some of the starch properties (birefringence, X-ray diffraction patterns) were comparable to those of durum wheat. There was large variation in the Rapid Viscoanalyzer viscosity values among the ancient wheat samples. The gelatinization temperatures (onset and midpoint) of the ancient wheat samples were slightly higher than those of the durum wheat sample as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The results might be useful for breeders and industry.