We have built an archive of winter wheat straw material (1200 samples), derived from modern as well as historical cultivars, grown at different locations under varying climatic conditions and fertilizer regimes. This material has been pretreated and enzymatically hydrolysed using a high throughput well-plate technique. Our sugar yield dataset for wheat straw is unique in size and information as it is coupled with a suite of other measurements carried out on selected parts of the archive.
A NIR calibration to predict the sugar outcome of wheat straw based on 1150 samples which is capable of explaining 68% of the variance has been established.
Results demonstrate a variability of 30-40% in ruminant digestibility and up to 26% difference in sugar yield with significant effects of both environmental conditions and genetic traits. We assess that genetic selection for an improved biofuel feedstock within wheat straw is possible, with a sugar yield heritability of 57% and no disadvantageous correlations to other quality traits.
Preliminary results suggest a sugar yield optimum in nitrogen fertilization. Sugar yield correlations with straw and grain yield can be presented for 80 samples over 2 years with additional data displaying significantly higher sugar yield at later harvest stages.
Comparison between chemical composition measured with strong acid hydrolysis and the well-plate technique will be performed, where possible correlations will revolutionize procedures based on physicochemical characterization of wheat straw feedstocks, such as NIR calibrations.