High frequency of abnormal high molecular weight glutenin alleles in Chinese wheat landraces of the Yangtze-River region

A total of 485 common landraces of bread wheat were collected from the Yangtze-River region of China. Their high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) composition was analyzed by Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Among all landraces tested, 453 were homogeneous for HMW-GS, 32 were heterogeneous, and 37 contained abnormal subunits. A total of 22 alleles were detected, including 3 at Glu-A1, 13 at Glu-B1 and 6 at Glu-D1, respectively. Higher variations occurred at the Glu-B1 locus compared with Glu-A1 and Glu-D1. Glu-A1c (74.0%), Glu-B1b (40.4%), Glu-D1a (84.9%) appeared to be the most frequent alleles at Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-D1, respectively. Two alleles ("null" and 1) at the Glu-A1 locus, three allele compositions (7 + 8, 7OE + 8, 7 + 9) at the Glu-B1 locus, and two (2 + 12 and 5 + 10) at the Glu-D1 locus appeared to be the common types in the 485 landraces. Sixteen new alleles represented by abnormal subunits were identified at the Glu-B1 and the Glu-D1 locus.     

Effect of nitrogen application rate on content of glutenin macropolymer and high molecular weight glutenin subunits in grains of two winter wheat cultivars

Two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars differing in grain protein content were selected to study the effect of N application rate on changes in contents of glutenin macropolymer (GMP) and high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) during grain filling. Contents of GMP and HMW-GS were much higher in the high GPC cultivar, Xuzhou 26, than those in low GPC cultivar, Ningmai 9. N increased contents of GMP and HMW-GS in Xuzhou 26 with N rate between 0 and 300 kg ha⁻¹, while at the very high N rate of 300 kg ha⁻¹ the contents of GMP and HMW-GS in Ningmai 9 decreased. The high contents of GMP and HMW-GS at maturity were closely related to the rapid increase in contents of GMP and HMW-GS during the initial period of their synthesis. HMW-GS and GMP content were closely correlated. The total HMW-GS content was important in determining GMP content than the content of any HMW-GS pair or any individual HMW-GS present in the selected cultivars. The pattern of response of GMP content to N application rate was closely related to the regulatory effect of N on HMW-GS synthesis.     

Effect of high molecular weight glutenins and rye translocations on soft wheat flour cookie quality

The influence of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) on wheat breadmaking quality has been extensively studied but the effect of different Glu-1 alleles on cookie quality is still poorly understood. This study was conducted to analyze the effect of HMW-GS composition and wheat-rye translocations on physicochemical flour properties and cookie quality of soft wheat flours. Alleles encoded at Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-D1 locus had a significant effect over physicochemical flour properties and solvent retention capacity (SRC) profile. The null allele for Glu-A1 locus presented the highest cookie factor observed (CF = 7.10), whereas 1BL/1RS and 1AL/1RS rye translocations had a negative influence on CF. The three cultivars that showed the highest CF (19, 44 and 47) had the following combination: Glu-A1 = null, Glu-B1 = 7 + 8, Glu-D1 = 2 + 12 and no secalins. Two prediction equations were developed to estimate soft wheat CF: one using the HMW-GS composition and the other using physicochemical flour parameters, where SRCsuc, SRC carb, water-soluble pentosans, damaged starch and protein turned out to be better CF predictors. This data suggests that grain protein allelic composition and physicochemical flour properties can be useful tools in breeding programs to select soft wheat of good cookie making quality.     

Effect of high molecular weight glutenins and rye translocations on soft wheat flour cookie quality

The influence of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) on wheat breadmaking quality has been extensively studied but the effect of different Glu-1 alleles on cookie quality is still poorly understood. This study was conducted to analyze the effect of HMW-GS composition and wheat-rye translocations on physicochemical flour properties and cookie quality of soft wheat flours. Alleles encoded at Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-D1 locus had a significant effect over physicochemical flour properties and solvent retention capacity (SRC) profile. The null allele for Glu-A1 locus presented the highest cookie factor observed (CF = 7.10), whereas 1BL/1RS and 1AL/1RS rye translocations had a negative influence on CF. The three cultivars that showed the highest CF (19, 44 and 47) had the following combination: Glu-A1 = null, Glu-B1 = 7 + 8, Glu-D1 = 2 + 12 and no secalins. Two prediction equations were developed to estimate soft wheat CF: one using the HMW-GS composition and the other using physicochemical flour parameters, where SRCsuc, SRC carb, water-soluble pentosans, damaged starch and protein turned out to be better CF predictors. This data suggests that grain protein allelic composition and physicochemical flour properties can be useful tools in breeding programs to select soft wheat of good cookie making quality.