Seed storage protein diversity in triticale varieties commonly grown in Portugal

A collection of 14 triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) varieties commonly grown in Portugal were analysed using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to describe allelic diversity in the storage proteins encoded at the Glu-1 (Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-R1), Gli-1 (Gli-A1 and Gli-B1), Glu-3 (Glu-A3 and Glu-B3), Glu-B2 and Gli-R2 loci. Several alleles were identified: 10 at the loci encoding for high molecular weight(HMW)subunits (seven for glutenin and three for secalins), eight for low molecular weight glutenin subunits, four for γ-gliadins and three for 75K γ-secalins. These results showed that triticale varieties grown in Portugal exhibit great genetic diversity. Knowledge of the diversity of these storage proteins, which are the major gluten components, will greatly increase our understanding of the quality differences that might exist between triticale varieties.