The purpose of this work was to evaluate the phenotypic variability of grain quality indicators and to identify the set of the most informative indicators for the selection of different use varieties of winter rye. The research was carried out in Tatar Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture – Subdivision of the “Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences” in 2001–2015 on 15 varieties of winter rye. Twenty parameters defining quality of grain and raw value were estimated: technological indicators (thousand grain mass, full-scale weight and grain uniformity), parameters preharvest sprouting (falling number, rate of amylogram, temperature of peak of starch gelatinization), kinematic water extract viscosity (WEV) of grain meal, baking properties (organoleptic assessment of trial baking bread). The greatest influence of genotype was found on WEV (34.8 %) and protein content (27.8 %). These features should be primarily the subject of phenotypic evaluation in the breeding process. Phenotypic variability of criteria of carbohydrate-amylase complex, α-amylases activity and technological parameters was determined predominantly (68.6…82.5 %) by environmental factors. There was no significant relationship between falling number and protein content. The falling number correlated with the rate of amylogram and the temperature of gelatinization. Positive conjugation of the average power of WEV with the rate of amylogram and falling number was found. On the basis of a prolonged phenotypic evaluation using principal component analysis we have optimized the analyzed indicators of quality properties of winter rye grain. For breeding evaluation of winter rye it is proposed to use four integral indi cators having the greatest weight load: protein content, falling number, water extract viscosity and thousand grain mass. This complex of features will provide objectivity and completeness of the evaluation of the breeding material. It was shown that the kinematic viscosity of the water extract should become an important selection index, both for determining the baking qualities of rye, and for revealing the fodder grain advantages.
Optimization of grain quality parameters for winter rye breeding