WHEAT: How to Tell the Difference Between Hard & Soft
Is it possible to tell the difference between winter wheat seeds and spring wheat seeds?
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100424175255AAVdNRj
Do the seeds look different? How do you tell them apart.
Best Answer: Yes it can be done, but, it takes a good eye, training and some field experience.
Hard White Wheat (know as HW )- HW varieties are most similar to soft white wheat but they have a harder texture and produce chunky versus floury particles when crunched. Hard white wheat kernels have a golden color and lustrous appearance, like hard red winter wheat, when cut open. Higher protein types can have a glassy internal appearance.
Hard Red Winter (known as HRW) - HRW kernels are brick red in color and have a lustrous appearance when cut open. Kernel texture is hard and crushed kernels produce chunky particles. HRW kernels are typically larger than hard red spring wheat kernels.
Hard red spring (known as HRS) -HRS kernels are brick red in color and have a glassy appearance when cut open. HRS kernels tend to be smaller than HRW kernels, have a deeper red color and glassier texture. Kernel texture is hard and crushed kernels produce chunky particles.
Soft white (know as SW) -SW kernels are golden in color and have a dull, chalky appearance when cut open. Kernels have a soft texture and crushed kernels produce floury particles.
Soft red winter (known as SRW)- SRW kernels are orange-red in color and have a dull, chalky appearance when cut open. Kernels have a soft texture and crushed kernels produce floury particles. The color difference between soft white and soft red wheat is due to a single layer of colored cells in the bran layer of the kernels