Low falling numbers in wheat is a growing concern in North Dakota. NDSU Extension cereals agronomist Joel Ransom says the falling number test is an indication of possible sprout damage in wheat. “They take a whole wheat sample, grind it up, put it in a test tube and warm it. Then, they drop a rod through it,” says Ransom. “If the starch is in a good state, as it warms it thickens like gravy. What’s happened is the enzymes breakdown the starch, essential to germination. These enzymes, when they become active, impact the quality of starch and cause falling numbers.” Ransom says the end users want a good, quality starch. “It’s hard to make a nice loaf of bread if there are degraded starches.”
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