Northern Brewer lists it at 40-43 as well. Guessing their source is the same as mine. Actually, the first result in a google search of “DME PPG” was Northern Brewer for me. 45 is simple as well, 43 not as simple.
From what I can ascertain, the dry basis, fine grain (DBFG) percentage values provided by maltsters are based on the percentage of the total weight that can be extracted from a given product. Briess specs their 2-row malt has having a DBFG value of 80.5% (Extract FG, Dry Basis, Find Your Perfect Malt - Brewing With Briess). Assuming that 100% barley corn conversion would yield 46 PPG (the reference value for pure sugar) leads to the equation 0.805 x 46 = 37 points per pound per gallon (PPG). If one searches the popular maximum theoretical extract tables for American 2-row, one finds that most spec the malt as having a maximum yield of 37 PPG.
With that said, I would like to know where some people are getting their maximum theoretical extraction rate tables. Many of these tables contain values that are a point high or a point low if calculated using the data provided by the maltster and 46 PPG as the reference for 100% conversion of a barley corn to extract. The inaccuracy found in many maximum theoretical extraction rate tables is why I spec my recipes using mixed-grist PPG values, not efficiency percentages. Not only are mixed-grist PPG values easier to calculate (batch_gravity_in_points x batch_volume_in_gallons / grist_weight), they are more accurate because they are actual measured values. With efficiency percentages, the accuracy of a stated efficiency percentage is dependent on the lookup tables of maximum extraction values used by a recipe creator and a recipe user. This possible impedance mismatch is not a problem if the recipe creator and recipe user are using the same brewing software. However, as the number of brewing software packages grows, so does the possible number of impedance mismatches.
Re-reading Palmer, the reference is 100% sucrose (didn’t remember that). DME would be close or at 46 pppg. There seems to be some variance when you look on the net for what DME is. I need to make some starters, so time for some measurements later on. http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-3.html