Spraying exogenous regulators improves breadmaking quality and modifies the spatial distribution of gluten protein

ABSTRACT Bread is one of the most important processed foods of wheat flour worldwide. Breadmaking quality is determined by grain protein content and its composition and is highly influenced by fertilization management. This study investigated the effects of spraying different combinations of exogenous regulators on breadmaking quality of the flour. Three spraying schemes including Potassium glutamate+Zinc+Urea (G), Methionine+ Zinc+Urea (M), Cysteine+ Zinc+Urea (C) were screened out to improve the yield and total protein contents in the flour. In addition to protein, the amounts of gliadin, glutenin, glutenin subunits, and gluten were elevated in the treatments listed above. Exogenous regulators, on the other hand, increased bread volume by 14% to 17%. In comparison to G and C, M treatment more efficiently increased the protein quality of inner endosperm rather than aleurone, resulting in superior gluten quality and breadmaking quality of the flour. Our results provide an optimizing combination for improving the quality of bread wheat and demonstrate the varied modulations of exogenous regulators on the spatial distribution of protein in wheat grain.