Bhalia wheat

Last updated May 11, 2019

Bhalia Wheat, also known as Daudkhani Wheat is a type of long grain Wheat cultivated in Bhal region in the north of Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, India. It received registration as Geographic Indication in 2011.^[1]

Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain which is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus Triticum; the most widely grown is common wheat.

The Bhāl region (Hindi: भाल प्रदेश, is spread across the political boundaries of three districts; namely Bhavnagar district, Ahmedabad district, and Anand District. The Bhal region is situated on the deltas of the Sabarmati, Bhogawo, Bhada, Lilka and other rivers that flow east and southeast off the Kathiawar peninsula into the Gulf of Cambay. The word Bhaal seems to have been derived from the Sanskrit word भाल which means forehead. Such a name is given to this region probably because it is mostly as flat as a forehead with almost entire region's soil without any stones, pebbles or gravel.

The Gulf of Khambhat, also known as the Gulf of Cambay, is a bay on the Arabian Sea coast of India, bordering the state of Gujarat. The Gulf of Khambhat is about 200 km (120 mi) long, about 20 km (12 mi) wide in the north and up to 70 km (43 mi) wide in the south. Major rivers draining Gujarat are the Narmada, Tapti, Mahi and Sabarmati that form estuaries in the gulf.

Location

Bhal region is situated between Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar districts^[2] where this wheat are cultivated starting much before independence of India.^[3] They are widely cultivated in Dhandhuka, Dholka and Bavla talukas of Ahmedabad district; Limbdi of Surendranagar district; Vallabhipur of Bhavnagar district; Tarapur and Khambhat of Anand district; Matar of Kheda district; Jambusar and Vagra of Bharuch district.^[4]

Ahmedabad ( is the largest city and former capital of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmadabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,633,927 makes it the fifth-most populous city in India, and the encompassing urban agglomeration population estimated at 6,357,693 is the seventh-most populous in India. Ahmadabad is located on the banks of the Sabarmati River, 30 km from the state capital Gandhinagar, which is its twin city.

Bhavnagar is a city in the Bhavnagar district of the Saurashtra region of the Gujarat state of India. It was founded in 1724 by Bhavsinhji Gohil (1703–1764). It was the capital of Bhavnagar State, which was a Princely state before it was merged into the Indian Union in 1948. It is now administrative headquarter of the Bhavnagar district.

Dhandhuka is a city and a municipality in the Ahmedabad district in the state of Gujarat, India. Moreover, it is a part of the Bhal region.

Bhalia Wheat were registered as Geographic Indication in 2011 with help of state-run Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation and Anand Agricultural University. They are widely used for preparing semolina which is used for making pasta, macaroni, pizza, spaghetti, vermicelli, noodles etc. Gujarat Wheat-1, a variety of Bhalia Wheat, is popular in Gujarat.^[4]

Anand Agricultural University (AAU) is located in the western Indian state of Gujarat between the cities of Vadodara and Ahmedabad. This was formerly the Anand Campus of Gujarat Agricultural University, which is now independent. It has three constituent colleges, for agriculture, veterinary science and animal husbandry and dairy science. The jurisdiction of the university covers Kheda, Anand, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Dahod and Panchmahal districts. It was set up to provide education support to the farming community in areas such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Engineering, Information technology and Business Studies.

Semolina coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat

Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat mainly used in making upma, pasta, and couscous. The word semolina can also refer to sweet dessert made from semolina and milk. The term semolina is also used to designate coarse middlings from other varieties of wheat, and from other grains, such as rice and maize.

Pasta is type of noodle typically made from an unleavened dough of durum wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Rice flour, or legumes, such as beans or lentils are sometimes used in place of wheat flour to yield a different taste and texture, or as a gluten-free alternative. Pasta is a staple food of Italian cuisine.

Production

The sowing starts in late October to the first week of November after rain water gets drained to the gulf. The produce is reaped in March — April. Every year 1.7 to 1.8 Lakh (170,000 to 180,000 long tons) of wheat is produced across 2 lakh hectares (490,000 acres). Bhalia wheat does not require irrigation or rain as they are cultivated on conserved soil moisture.^[4]

A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written Lac or Lacs; Devanāgarī: लाख) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 10⁵). In the Indian convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. For example, in India 150,000 rupees becomes 1.5 lakh rupees, written as ₹1,50,000 or INR 1,50,000.

Nutrition

Bhalia Wheat are rich in Gluten, a type of amino acid. It is also rich in protein. It has high amount of carotene and has low absorption of water.^[4]^[5]

Gluten is a group of proteins, called prolamins and glutelins, which occur with starch in the endosperm of various cereal grains. This protein complex comprises 75–85% of the total protein in bread wheat. It is found in related wheat species and hybrids, such as spelt, khorasan, emmer, einkorn, and triticale; barley, rye, and oats as well as products derived from these grains such as breads and malts. Glutens, especially Triticeae glutens, have unique viscoelastic and adhesive properties, which give dough its elasticity, helping it rise and keep its shape and often leaving the final product with a chewy texture. These properties and its relative low cost are the reasons why gluten is so widely demanded by the food industry and for non-food uses.

Amino acid Organic compounds containing amine and carboxylic groups

Amino acids are organic compounds containing amine (-NH₂) and carboxyl (-COOH) functional groups, along with a side chain (R group) specific to each amino acid. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and nitrogen (N), although other elements are found in the side chains of certain amino acids. About 500 naturally occurring amino acids are known (though only 20 appear in the genetic code) and can be classified in many ways. They can be classified according to the core structural functional groups' locations as alpha- (α-), beta- (β-), gamma- (γ-) or delta- (δ-) amino acids; other categories relate to polarity, pH level, and side chain group type (aliphatic, acyclic, aromatic, containing hydroxyl or sulfur, etc.). In the form of proteins, amino acid residues form the second-largest component (water is the largest) of human muscles and other tissues. Beyond their role as residues in proteins, amino acids participate in a number of processes such as neurotransmitter transport and biosynthesis.

The term carotene (also carotin, from the Latin carota, "carrot") is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C₄₀H_x, which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals (with the exception of some aphids and spider mites which acquired the synthesizing genes from fungi). Carotenes are photosynthetic pigments important for photosynthesis. Carotenes contain no oxygen atoms. They absorb ultraviolet, violet, and blue light and scatter orange or red light, and (in low concentrations) yellow light.

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References

↑ Gautam Purohit (16 August 2011). "કેસર કેરી પછી હવે ભાલીયા ઘઉંને 'જીઆઇ' ટેગ અપાયો". દિવ્ય ભાસ્કર (in Gujarati). Retrieved 26 January 2016.
↑ "GI tag for Gir Kesar mango, Bhalia wheat". The Times of India. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
↑ George Watt (23 January 2014). A Dictionary of the Economic Products of India. Cambridge University Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-1-108-06881-9.
1 2 3 4 "Bhalia wheat gets GI tag". Business Line - The Hindu. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
↑ "Geographical Indication tag for Bhalia wheat". The Indian Express. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2016.

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[db-1] Gautam Purohit (16 August 2011). "કેસર કેરી પછી હવે ભાલીયા ઘઉંને 'જીઆઇ' ટેગ અપાયો". દિવ્ય ભાસ્કર (in Gujarati). Retrieved 26 January 2016.

[gm2011-2] "GI tag for Gir Kesar mango, Bhalia wheat". The Times of India. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2016.

[Watt2014-3] George Watt (23 January 2014). A Dictionary of the Economic Products of India. Cambridge University Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-1-108-06881-9.

[th-4] 1 2 3 4 "Bhalia wheat gets GI tag". Business Line - The Hindu. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2016.

[ie-5] "Geographical Indication tag for Bhalia wheat". The Indian Express. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2016.