RESEARCHES IN WHEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19882, 28 February 1928, Page 9

RESEARCHES IN WHEAT.

WORK OF THE INSTITUTE. PERSONNEL DECIDED UPON[B¥ TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] » WELLINGTON. Monday. The personnel of the Wheat Research Institute, which is to investigate all phases of the wheat industry in New Zealand, has • been decided upon. Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf, of Canterbury, has been asked to act as general supervisor and he will have under him a chemist, an expert technical miller and an expert technical baker. Applications are at present being called in England for the position of chemist and the appointee will be selected by a committee consisting of Sir J. Humphries, founder o! the Wheat Besearch Institute of England, Dr. Engledaw, a prominent plant breeder, and Dr. E. A. lusher, director of the British Flourmillers' Research Association, St. Albans. ' Advice has been received by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research that Dr. Fisher's association is anxious to collaborate with the institute in the present investigations. The first duty of the institute is to establish a wheat research laboratory in association with Canterbury College, tield work will be conducted in wheatgrowing areas and m complete plan of investigation has be 1311 decided as follows:

For Wheatgrowers.—Determination of the best varieties of wheat for different climates and soils; estimating the influences of cultivation, manuring, weather, disease, etc., upon the quality of wheat; disease control; problems connected with the time of cutting wheat, its threshing and storage; breeding and selection and testing of improved strains of wheat. All those activities will involve both field and laboratory.

.Researches for Millers.—Determination of the best blends of wheat for milling, by devising definite scientific tests of component wheats; investigation of the influences of different processes upon the various .classes of wheat; investigation of such technical troubles as arise from time to time in flour mills.

For Bakers. —Indicating the special treatment necessary for various flours, e.g., water absorption; fermentation, baking and use of improvers; treatment of such problems as mould, twangs, fungi and bacteria.

All investigations will benefit the general public by making possible provision of more wholesome bread and other foodstuff#.