How to Test Wheat In-field

Using in-field testing to test wheat enables farmers and growers to improve their quality control and ensure maximum returns for their crops.

There is now an advanced handheld testing instrument for in-field testing, measuring important parameters such as protein and moisture content.

Why is it Important to Test Wheat?

As with other grains and food products, wheat must meet specified standards. At harvesting time, quality control is critical.

There will also be varying standards from different customers, depending on what they are using the wheat for.

Most flour is made from wheat. Millers assess and blend different wheat varieties to produce flour to exact specifications for each customer and end-purpose. The flour used in one product could be very different from the flour used in another.

There is a government-backed testing system for wheat, which approves all varieties grown in the UK. Flour manufacturers work with growers to assess new wheat varieties for their suitability.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) produces a recommended list for cereals and oilseeds.

Wheat Field Protein Testing

Protein is a major parameter and differentiator of grain quality.

For example, wheat with a stable protein content will meet milling requirements, providing this content is at the desired percentage. Wheat that has the highest protein produces the durum wheat used in making pasta. The lowest protein wheat can be used in animal feed.

Wheat growers need to know who they're growing for so that they can market their grain most effectively and maximise what they can get from each yield.

To the consumer, wheat may appear as a single type of crop, but for food producers, and for wheat growers, different qualities of wheat will have very different applications.

Meeting these different specifications will make all the difference to profit levels at harvest time.

Advantages of Testing In-field

Good quality control requires the careful monitoring of crops in wheat fields, as well as measuring yields accurately and storing grain carefully.

The quality of the wheat crop will determine its marketability. To meet demanding standards, farmers must harvest wheat carefully and at the optimum time to maximise their returns.

Creating high-protein wheat can be challenging, the soil must have sufficient nutrient resources to meet the crop's growth requirements. Nitrogen increases the grain's protein content, but high yielding wheat varieties tend to produce less protein-rich grain.

Therefore, testing in-field can give wheat growers an early advantage by clarifying the quality of the crop before harvesting.

Traditionally, however, testing grain for protein has been challenging. Farmers have relied on laboratory testing, which involves practical as well as cost-based difficulties.

Now, however, there are highly practical and accurate in-field testing tools that give growers much more control over their testing processes and procedures.

Methods for Testing Wheat In-field

Several key qualities enable effective and efficient wheat field testing:

Portability
Rapidity
Simplicity.

A portable grain tester uses near-infrared technology to test wheat grain. The GrainSense is a handheld grain and moisture meter which will test wheat in-field for:

Protein
Nitrogen
Moisture
Oil.

Near infrared (NIR) analysis uses a spectroscopic technique, directing near infrared light onto grain samples. This penetrates deep into the grain but doesn't affect it in any way and prevents the need for grinding a sample. The device reads the light reflected from the grain sample, which indicates its absorbent qualities.

It translates this into readable, measurable data. The method is highly accurate and rapid, giving results in seconds.

All the data is cloud-based, making it easy for users to access it instantly through smartphones or other mobile devices.

The amount of grain required for analysis is only small. This minimises the impact of testing on the entire wheat crop.

Rapid Decision Making and Efficient Quality Control

Farmers using in-field testing for wheat are giving themselves a strategic advantage in the marketplace.

Deciding which field to harvest first, for example, is easier with instant sample data to back it up. The farmer no longer needs to rely on an off-site third party to test grain.

Portable testing in the wheat field provides clarity for optimising grain storage and selecting batches for different markets depending on their properties.

It gives farmers the data they require to tailor their wheat production and target it at specific customers. They can use this to maximise their returns. At the same time, it supports rigorous quality control to meet exacting food industry standards.

Timing is critical, and in-field testing helps farmers get this right for harvesting wheat according to its moisture levels.