A study of silo samples for wheat protein in Victoria

Abstract

This study of wheat protein per cent for 92 silos in the Victorian Mallee and Wimmera from 1945-46 to 1964-65 gives indirect evidence of a general improvement in soil fertility in the region due to the introduction of barrel medic pasture into rotations in the late 1940's. Assuming a constant yield over the period, the analysis showed that mean protein per cent would have increased by 0.5 per cent in the first ten years and by 1.4 per cent during the second ten years. The yearly frequency distributions of protein per cent were also characterized by the standard deviation and coefficients of skewness and kurtosis. These characteristics showed no trend with time, but the coefficient of skewness was negatively associated with mean protein per cent.