DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17406975
title: Flour quality of 8 wheat cultivars and their 2-components cultivar mixtures in Switzerland from 2021 to 2023

description: The dataset contains flour quality data for 8 Swiss winter wheat cultivars, grown in pure stands and in mixtures at 3 locations in Switzerland during 3 growing seasons (2021-2023). The dataset has been used to analyse the effects of cultivar mixtures on quality performance and stability, which is published in https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2025.104280. 

The dataset contains notably parameters obtained from extensograph and farinograph analyses, obtained after analysis by an external laboratory in Austria. 

The field trials were performed under the Swiss Extenso (low input) conditions, conducted by Agroscope and DSP. 

Methods 

 Field trials 

Field trials were set up over the course of three growing seasons – 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 – in three sites across the Swiss Central Plateau. The experimental sites were located in Changins (46°19′ N 6°14′ E, 455m a.s.l), Delley (46°55′ N 6°58′ E, 494m a.s.l) and Utzenstorf (47°97′ N 7°33′ E, 483m a.s.l.). 

Experimental communities consisted of pure stand plots, 2-cultivars mixtures, and one plot with the 8 cultivars mixed. We sowed every possible combination of 2-cultivar mixtures, amounting to a total of 28 2-cultivar mixtures treatments, to which we added the 8-cultivar mixture. Each community was grown in a plot of 7.1 m2 (1.5m∗4.7m). We used a complete randomized block design, with 3 replicates, the plots being randomized at each site within each block. Sowing was performed with a small plot drill (Wintersteiger plotseed TC). Density of sowing was 350 viable seeds/m2. For the mixtures, seeds were mixed beforehand at a 2 × 50 % mass ratio for 2-cultivars mixtures and 8 × 12.5 % for the 8-cultivar mixture. We chose this method of mixing as this is what is commonly done by farmers in Switzerland. Plots were sowed mechanically each autumn and fertilized with ammonium nitrate at a rate of 140 N/ha in 3 applications (40 N/ha at tillering stage/BBCH 22–29; 60 N/ha at the beginning of stem elongation/BBCH 30–31; 40 N/ha at booting stage/BBCH 45–47). The trials were grown according to the Swiss Extenso scheme, i.e. without any fungicide, insecticide, and growth regulator. Weeds were regulated twice or thrice per season with the application of herbicides commonly used in Switzerland.

Extensograph and farinograph analyses 

Flour rheological properties were assessed at the plot level with an extensograph and a farinograph according to ICC standard method 114/1 (ICC-Standard No. 114/1, 1992) and 115/1 (ICC-Standard No. 115/1, 1991). The analyses were performed by the accredited laboratory “Versuchsanstalt fur Getreideverarbeitung” based in Austria (https://www.vfg.or.at/). The extensograph measures dough resistance to extension (extensograph unit, EU), maximum resistance to extension (extensograph unit, EU), extensibility (mm), and energy (area under curve, cm2). The farinograph assesses the water absorption capacity of the flour (%) and the kneading characteristics of the dough, notably evolution time (min), dough stability (min), and dough softening (farinograph unit, FU).