WAS: Computer Software for Wheat Quality Data Management

Abstract Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar development programs benefit from the efficient assessment of end‐use quality of experimental lines. Efficiency of assessment is enhanced when quality testing data are accurately collected, recorded, interpreted, and reported. The Wheat Analysis System (WAS) software specifically addresses this management need by providing a user‐friendly, menu‐driven system that generates data collection forms and reports, structures data entry, and maintains a cumulative database which is amenable to statistical analysis and interpretation. Data are managed in two master files according to a nursery‐sample system of organization. Quality tests and analyses are grouped into processes that accommodate all of the common methodologies used for soft and hard wheat evaluation, including grain and flour analyses, milling, and baking. A supplemental process, in addition to user‐defined variables, provides flexibility and broad applicability. The WAS software is compiled in Borland C, version 3.0, and operates on DOS‐based computers with 640K RAM, hard and floppy disk drives, and a printer. A color monitor, though not required, greatly enhances the use of the menu‐driven features. WAS is simple to use, requires no programming, and directly and specifically addresses the needs of wheat quality testing and evaluation programs—thereby aiding the overall cultivar development process.