Objectives
Durum Breeding Project Objectives
The primary goal of the breeding program is to develop improved durum wheat cultivars for characteristics such as grain yield, maturity, disease resistance, and quality. A successful breeding program should have clearly defined objectives that are realistic and based on the industry demand for the crop. The objectives of the Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics Project at North Dakota State University are:
- To develop improved durum wheat cultivars that maximize the economic return to the producer and provide excellent durum quality for the domestic pasta industry and the international export market, and
- To conduct basic genetic studies of important traits in durum wheat to facilitate cultivar development.
The industry demands are based on the needs of the producer, miller, processor, consumer, and exporter. The demands of the industry are listed in the table below. Based on these industry demands the objectives of the breeding program can be more specific and can be divided into breeding for agronomic, disease resistance, and end-use quality traits.
Durum Wheat Industry Demands
| Industry | Traits |
|---|---|
| Producer | High grain yield Medium plant height and maturity Disease resistance High grade |
| Miller | Large kernel size and uniformity High semolina yield Good semolina color Low semolina specks |
| Processor | Strong gluten High protein concentration Good spaghetti color |
| Consumer | Good spaghetti color Spaghetti firmness Low cooking loss |
| Exporter | High test weight High protein concentration Strong gluten Good spaghetti color |
