Durum wheat is a type of wheat primarily used for pasta production. North Dakota is the leading producer of durum wheat in the US with average yields of 2700 kg ha-1. Durum wheat price discounts are common and occur due to disease, heavy metal contamination, and environmental issues that impact grain quality. Studies were conducted in order to determine how agronomic approaches might impact durum quality. Experiments were conducted in order to determine what impact planting date, cultivar, and seeding rate had on the agronomic performance and quality of end-use traits. In general, a delay in planting date resulted in a significant decrease in yield and test weight for all cultivars. Cultivars differed for many of the end-use traits evaluated such as protein content, falling number, and vitreous kernel. Seeding rate had little impact on the traits evaluated. No combination of planting date and cultivar was identified that consistently resulted in grain marketed as US Grade 1 hard amber durum (HAD), or ‘choice durum’. Cultivar selection remains the best option for maintaining end-use traits. The effect of Zn fertilizer source and placement on grain Cd were evaluated. Treatments evaluated had no negative impact on grain yield or test weight. The foliar application of 1.1 kg Zn ha-1 Zn-EDTA in combination with 33 kg N ha-1 in the form of UAN applied at Feekes 10 growth stage (boot stage) resulted in the lowest grain Cd, and highest grain Zn, Fe and protein and represents an approach of biofortification for durum wheat.