Durum is the hardest of all
wheats with high protein content, yellow endosperm, white bran. Used to make
pasta, couscous and some Mediterranean breads.
210 Samples Collected from fields, farm bins and local elevators by the
National Agricultural Statistics Service
The Durum Quality Lab, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND,
conducted the quality analyses.
Official grade, test weight,
vitreous kernel, thousand kernel weight, protein and falling number were
determined on each sample. The remaining tests were conducted on 6 composite
samples categorized by growing region for Northern Durum. Northern Durum
production area is highlighted on the map on page 28. The methods are described
in the Analysis Methods section of this blog.
NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS
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| Northen Durum Grade Distribution |
WEATHER AND HARVEST
Durum production in the U.S. Northern Plains is down by more than 50%
from 2016 due to a small decline in acreage and sharply lower yields caused by
severe drought. Planting began in the third week of April, progressed rapidly
due to warm conditions and few rain delays, and was finished by the end of May.
Overly dry soil conditions were an increasing concern throughout the
growing season. Emergence was slow in areas due to lack of moisture, and yield
potential across the region was quite low with some acres abandoned. The dry
conditions pushed crop development ahead of normal, but kept disease pressures
minimal.
Harvest began in early August, moved quickly due to dry conditions and
lower yields, and finished by late September. Scattered rain delays toward the
end of harvest affected the color of a portion of the crop.
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| Durum Production |
WHEAT AND GRADE DATA
The 2017 Northern durum crop average grade is U.S. No. 1 Hard Amber
Durum (HAD). However, a larger portion of the samples than in 2016 graded U.S.
No. 1 or 2 Amber Durum due to color loss in some areas. Average test weight of
60.9 lb/bu (79.4 kg/hl) is slightly below last year.
Dry conditions allowed
very little disease pressure and kept kernel damage below previous years at
only 0.1%. The average total defects of 1.2% is slightly higher due to higher
shrunken and broken kernel values.
Average vitreous kernel content (HVAC) is
88%, with 45% of samples having levels of 90% or higher. A larger portion of
the samples (25% versus 11% last year) fall into the 60% to 74% HVAC range,
reflecting the impact of rain on some of the crop.
Hot, dry conditions pushed protein levels higher, with the 2017
regional average at 14.5% (12% moisture basis). Average thousand kernel weight
is 38.4 g, compared to 40 g in 2016; the largest declines were in extremely dry
areas of Montana and southwest North Dakota.
Higher-than-average dockage of
1.1% resulted from challenging threshing conditions with heavier-than-normal
weed growth in thin crops. Due to limited disease pressure, DON is barely detectible
in this year’s crop. Moisture of 11.3% reflects mostly dry harvest conditions,
and average falling number of 380 sec represents a mostly sound crop.
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| Test weight, Hectoliter wheat, Vitreous kernels, Protein (12% mb), 1000 kernel weight and Falling Number of Northern Durum Distributions |
SEMOLINA AND PROCESSING DATA
The Buhler laboratory mill average total extraction is 72.2%, slightly
lower than last year, but above the 5-year average. Semolina extraction of
68.5%, however, is higher than last year and the 5-year average.
The decline in
total extraction is related to overall smaller kernel size, while the dry
harvest conditions promoted kernel hardness and high HVAC, for improved
semolina extraction. The milled product ash is 0.69%, compared to 0.71% in
2016, and the speck count is lower.
Wet gluten of 34.5% is higher than last
year and similar to the 5-year average. The average gluten index of 86.3% is
notably higher than last year’s 60.8%. This reflects a combination of varietal
changes and conducive growing conditions.
Semolina properties are quite similar to last year. The b* (yellow)
color score of 29.4 is slightly lower than 2016 and similar to the 5-year
average. Mixing properties are stronger than last year and the 5-year average.
Evaluation of the cooked spaghetti shows lower cooking loss than last year and
higher cooked firmness. Pasta color scores are also improved this year, with an
average color score for the region of 9.
SUMMARY
Buyers will be pleased with this year’s excellent
grading crop boasting strong protein levels, overall high vitreous kernel
levels, higher semolina extraction and improved mixing and pasta quality characteristics.
With reduced supply and isolated areas with lower vitreous kernel levels,
lighter thousand kernel weights and some DON detections, buyers should always
remain diligent in their contract specifications.
DESERT DURUM®
17 Samples Collected
by a Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) licensed inspection agency or
submitted by handlers to a licensed agency.
California Wheat Commission Laboratory
conducted the quality analyses. Milling of Desert Durum® samples is done by the
Durum Quality Lab, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.
All tests were conducted on each sample.
Production-weighted results are reported. The Desert Durum® production area is
highlighted on the map on page 28. The methods are described in the Analysis
Methods section of this booklet.
Desert Durum® is a registered certification mark of the Arizona Grain
Research and Promotion Council and the California Wheat Commission, which
authorize its use only to designate durum grown under irrigation in the desert
valleys and lowlands of Arizona and California.
Desert Durum® can be produced and delivered “identity preserved” to
domestic and export markets, which allows customers to purchase grain with
quality traits specific to their processing needs. Annual requirements can be
pre-contracted with grain merchandisers ahead of the fall-winter planting
season for harvest in late May through early July. Varietal identity is
maintained by experienced growers planting certified seed and merchandisers who
store and ship according to customers’ preferred delivery schedules.
2017 Desert Durum® production acreage was less than in 2016, largely
due to lower prices available at planting time. Yields were average, and
quality was uniformly good.
WHEAT AND GRADE DATA
In 2017, the average grade is U.S. No. 1 Hard Amber Durum (HAD). Test
weight averages 62.2 lb/bu (81.0 kg/hl). The average vitreous kernel content
(HVAC) is 97.6%, a high average typical of Desert Durum®. Average damaged
kernels are 0.2% and total defects are 1%. Low moisture content is
characteristic of Desert Durum®; this year’s average is 6.6%. Protein content
averages 13.5% (12% mb).
SEMOLINA AND PROCESSING DATA
Semolina color improved in 2017. The semolina b* value is 30.9, higher
than both 2016 and the 5-year average. Wet gluten of 33% and gluten index of
76% are similar to the 5-year averages. Semolina mixograph score is 7 and
alveograph W value is 266 (10-4 J), both of which indicate high strength. Pasta
color b* value is 44 and score is 10, significantly higher than the 5-year
average. Pasta cooked firmness is 5.5.
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| Mixograms and Alveograms of Northern Durum and Desert Durum |
SUMMARY:
Desert Durum® exhibits consistently large kernels and
low moisture, traits that contribute to efficient transportation costs and high
extraction rates. The 2017 crop will deliver the valuable milling, semolina and
pasta quality traits that customers have learned to expect and appreciate.
EXPORT CARGO SURVEY
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| Percentage of Total US Durum production by Region |
The export cargo data represent 24 individual sublot samples provided by USDA’s Federal Grain Inspection Service for crop year 2016 (collected from October 2016 through June 2017) and 22 samples for 2015. Grade data are the official grades on the individual sublots. North Dakota State University conducted the milling and processing analyses
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| Harvest and Export Data Durum |
Title : Durum (US Wheat Associates 2017 Crop Quality Report)
Originally Post At : www.uswheat.org
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