The physical mechanism responsible for differences in endosperm texture hardness

The physical mechanism responsible for differences in endosperm texture (hardness) 

The research efforts discussed in the previous sections of this chapter have steadily elucidated the genetic/molecular basis for variations in endosperm hardness. What is still not very well understood at this stage is the physical mechanism that causes soft wheat to become hard as a result of changes in the puroindoline proteins. In order to make progress in this challenging problem, the science of adhesion needs to be invoked. 

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