In conclusion, 97Emmer19 has superior LV over the durum
wheat checks and performed similar to the bread wheat check AC
Superb. The improved baking potential observed in progeny
derived from 97Emmer19 suggests that this trait is heritable.
Although no one quality factor could be attributed to the enhanced
baking quality observed in 97Emmer19 and its derivatives, our data
suggests that a balance of gluten strength and dough extensibility
(L) is an important requirement when breeding durum for
improved baking quality. In practice, this balance may be difficult to
achieve and durum may not reach the loaf volume potential seen in
bread wheat cultivars. However, this may not be a deficiency for
artisan and hearth-type breads. Breeding to improve the breadmaking
quality of durum wheat seems to be feasible, and
97Emmer19 and its derivatives can be used as a germplasm source
for breeding programs targeting this trait. However, more work is
needed to properly assess the pasta quality of emmer-derived
durum breeding lines to ensure that there is no negative associations
between improved bread making quality and pasta quality