Diversity in grain, flour, dough and gluten properties amongst Indian wheat cultivars varying in high molecular weight subunits (HMW-GS)

•Quality of Indian wheat cultivars varying in HMW subunits was evaluated.•The cultivars with subunits of 20 and 2 + 12 exhibited very weak dough strength.•Cultivars having 17 + 18 with 2 + 12 or 5 + 10 and of 7 + 8 with 5 + 10 were strong.•Gluten index (GI) did not relate to protein content and dough stability.•GI should be cautiously used when evaluating baking quality of Indian wheat.

Physico-chemical and rheological properties of Indian wheat cultivars varying in HMW-GS were evaluated. Cultivars having subunits of: 20 (GLU-B1) and 2 + 12 (GLU-D1) exhibited very weak dough stability (DS) i.e. 1.7-1.9 min; 2 + 12 (GLU-D1) and 7 + 9 (GLU-B1) as well as 5 + 10 (GLU-D1) with 7 or 7 + 9 (GLU-B1) were weak (2.8-4.4 min) and 17 + 18 (GLU-B1) with 2 + 12 or 5 + 10 (GLU-D1) and 7 + 8 (GLU-B1) with 5 + 10 (GLU-D1) were strong (8.8-13.8 min). Hardness showed negative correlation with flour recovery and fine particles. Gluten index (GI) did not show any relationship with protein and DS however was negatively correlated with gluten content (GC). GI and GC should be cautiously used while evaluating Indian wheat quality. DS was positively correlated with sedimentation value (SV) and negatively with GC. Water absorption was positively correlated with protein and dry gluten while negatively with SV and gluten scores. Fine particles affect significantly DS and development time. G′ and G″ of gluten was positively correlated with SV and DS.