Production of all eight genotypes of null alleles at 'waxy' loci in bread wheat, Triticum aestivum L.

Null alleles of the three loci coding for ‘waxy’ proteins in bread wheat have been identified. Plants carrying different null alleles were collected and segregation of the null alleles in both selfed and doubled haploid progeny of plants simultaneously heterozygous for the null alleles at each of the three loci were examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Mendelian segregation of these alleles in both types of progeny was shown, indicating that they can easily be utilized in breeding programmes. Iodine staining of the eight possible null phenotypes showed that only the triple null type had zero amylose in its endosperm starch.