WHEAT RESEARCH

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 127, 27 February 1928, Page 8

WHEAT RESEARCH

INDUSTRY CO-OPERATES WITH SCIENTISTS SCOPE OF INVESTIGATIONS REGULATIONS GAZETTED All phases of the wheat industry in New Zealand, from the seed to its ultimate use in bread, are to be investigated by the Wheat Research Institute, which receives its official status as a result of regulations published in a special Gazette on Saturday. The scheme was originated by those interested in the industry, and is to be financed by a levy on the production of wheat and flour, which, though enforced under statute, is really voluntary in its origin. The resultant funds, subsidised by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, will be used for the benefit of the industry. Wheatgrowers, flourmillers, and bakers will contribute at similar rates to the funds, the wheatgrowers’ levy being l|d. per fifty bushels sold to a merchant or miller (this weight being approximately that needed to produce one ton of flour), while the millers will pay l|d. per ton on the flour produced from the mill, and the bakers the same amount on the flour purchased. Millers and merchants are empowered under the new regulations to deduct the grower’s proportion from the price paid for the wheat, while flourmillers will render pavment on their monthly output, and bakers on their purchases. The Research Plans. The scheme enables wheatgrowers, flourmillers, and grain merchants, on the one hand, to co-operate with the scientific interests represented by Lincoln College, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Industries and Commerce, and Board of Scientific and Industrial Research to promote the better growing of wheat, better milling, and better baking. It is expected that scientific help will bring advantage to all concerned at small cost. The Wheat Institute Research Committee, which is representative of all the interests concerned, will deal with wheat-breeding and selection, as is being done at Lincoln College. It will carry out field work in the wheat-grow-ing areas by the officers of the Department of Agriculture, and conduct laboratory researches at the wheat laboratory to be established in Christchurch in association with Canterbury College. Attention is first to be paid to the staffing and equipment of the laboratory, which will issue reports giving the results of its researches. The plan of investigation has been decided as follows :— For Wheatgrowers. (1) Determination of the best varieties of wheat lor different climates and soils. (2) Estimating influences of cultivation, manuring, weather, disease, etc., upon the quality of wheat. Disease coutrol. (3) Problems connected with the time of cutting wheat, its threshing and storage. (4) Breeding and selection and testing of improved strains of wheat. All these activities will involve both field and laboratory researches. For Millers. (1) Determination of the best blends of wheat lor milling, by devising definite scientific tests of the component wheats. (2) Investigation of the influences of different processes upon the various classes of wheat. (3) Investigation of such technical troubles as arise from time to time in flout mills. For Bakers. (1) Indicating special treatment necessary for various flours, e.g., water absorption. (2) Fermentation, baking, ami the use of improvers. (3) Treatment of such problems as mould, twangs, fungi, and bacteria. All investigations which will benefit the general public by making possible the provision of more wholesome bread and other foodstuifs. The gazetting of the regulations enables the levy to be collected forthwith, and the proceeds will be paid direct into the Wheat Research Fund. Similar wheat research institutes are functioning with success in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.