WHEAT RESEARCH

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1931, Page 2

WHEAT RESEARCH

STATE ACTIVITY. ALL INTERESTS AIDED. CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT. A good example of what can be done by co-operative- research is provided by the Wheat R<-Seareli Institute at Christchurch, where highly important work is being carried out under the supervision ul the Department ot Scientific and Industrial Research. The activities of this branch of the department, extending over about two and a half years, were reviewed recently in an interview by 011 c of the headis of the department. The institute was established by representatives of wheat growing, flour milling and baking interests, who combined for the purpose of pursuing investigations into wheat growing, milling and baking. The funds to enable researches to he made are raised by means of small levies from the wheal growers when their grain is sold,' and from the millers and bakers when selling or buying their flour, 1 lielevy is very small, amounting to a penny half-penny per 50 bushels ot wheat and a similar amount for each ton of flour sold. This money is subsidised by the Research Department on a pound for pound basis, with the result that about £3,200 is made available annually for research work at the direction of the Wheat Research Committee. LINES OF ACTIVITY, The institute lias two main lines of activity. The first deals with the breeding and selection of varieties of wheat likely to prove suitable for New Zealand conditions. This work is carried out at Lincoln College by Dr 0. H. Frankel, a plant geneticist trained under the celebrated Sir Roland Bift’en at Cambridge. Jll the present season Dr Frankel has over 4,000 trials under his charge. These consist of new varieties of wheat imported from all parts of the world, various hybrids which have been established in recent years, and other wheats that have been subjected to careful selection.

SELECTION AND CROSSING. In the spring of each year, during the flowering period, Dr Frankcl makes large numbers of crosses between different wheats with a view to improving the quality of flour yield, resistance to disease, and other features which, concern the wheat grower. As a result of past work done by Dr F. Y . Hilgendorf, director of the institute, the variety of Hunters wheat known as “College Hunters” has now become universal throughout Canterbury. Naturally, work of tins kind develops slowly, as, in order to secure the results, it must be commenced with single ears of wheat. It will be readily realised that it takes som< years to secure by propagation from a single head of wheat sufficient to plant many acres. Nevertheless, this has been done in other countries. In Canada, for instance, the variety Marquis was reared and now covers v'ido areas of the wheat-growing districts. A further instance is provided bv tbe A oeman wheat introduced by Sir Roland Biffen in England.

Further field work is done by tlm Department of Agriculture, wbicb undertakes variety and manorial trials of various varieties of wheat, on typical areas throughout the wheatgrowing districts. One important insult of the department’s activities is that it has been shown that the implication of between lewt. of nitrogenous manure to the wheat crops in September or October gives on the average, under Canterbury conditions, an increased yield of five bushels an acre. Such an increased yield makes tbe application ol this top-dressing highly economical. CROP CERTIFICATION. The department further assists the wheat growers by certification of crops which may lie kept specially for seed purposes. Those crops are inspected and certified as lving true to name, free from weeds and such diseases as smut and rust, while the- crops themselves are to tv machine dressed before sale to the growers. This means

that 'the gl'owers have- available 11 istipplv of seed of guaranteed quality. Farmers as ii rule do not realise the serious inroads made upon their crop yields by using seed of had germination which is further contaminated by weeds and affected by disease spores. The. /second division of t.be instilute’K activities centres in the laboratory at Canterbury College. This laboratory is staffed by a chemist who has for his assistants a baker of long experience and a miller. The laboratory is completely equipped to enable thorough chemical analyses of grain to be matte. A small experimental Hour mill is installed, and 'there is a complete baking equipment which eiialilcs samples 0/ wlmal. to be examined from every viewpoint. A certain amount ol largescale work is possible through cooperation with a local commercial bakerv.

Air H. E. West, the chemist in charge, lias been trained in Winnipeg, Canada, and lie is wholly conversant with all me Lift ids for the appraisal ol wheat, flour and bread. At the present time of year samples oi grain artsent in in large numbers by fanners, millers, and merchants for moisture and protein determinations. Farmers arc thus advised the most opportune time to harvest their crops, and millers receive information as to the suitability of all samples for milling purposes. In suincs cases complete tests are made, the samples of wheat being ground to flour and baked in the ovens attached to the laboratory, so that if necessary, advice as to the correct procedure to be adopted with any particular line of flour can he offered to millers and bakers. TASK OF DRIED MILK. The protein cmitetit of grain is a very useful index of its possible quality for bread-making purposes, and as the result of determinations made by the laboratory millers can be guided in the use of the most suitable grist lor milling. A more or less standardised flour can thus be made available to the bakers.

As an instance of the inter-relation-ship of the researches affecting different parts of New Zealand, the institute has devised a treatment whereby dried milk, which was previously unsuitable for making dough, can now lie manufactured by a process which renders it suitable. As a result there is every likelihood that the use of dried milk powder by bakers will extend considerably and in the cud make for a more nutritious loaf.