Late nitrogen fertilization boosts wheat bread quality, revolutionizing baking industry.
The study looked at how nitrogen fertilization and fungicide use on wheat affect the protein content and quality for making bread. They did field experiments in Italy over three years and found that late nitrogen fertilization increased protein content and dough strength, while fungicide slightly decreased them. The gluten composition wasn't significantly changed by these practices. The year had the biggest impact on the protein ratios and bread-making quality. In 2015, the wheat had lower dough strength, while in 2016, it had higher ratios of certain gluten proteins. Overall, the study shows how environmental and farming factors can affect the quality of wheat for making bread.