VARIATION IN B-LMW GLUTENIN SUBUNITS IN EINKORN WHEATS

A collection of 50 Einkorn wheat accessions (26 of T. monococcum, 14 o f T. baeoticum and 10 T. urartu) was analyzed for low-molecular-weight (LMW) glutenin subunit composition. At the B-LMW glutenin region, T. monococcum possessed 1 or 2 subunits, and T. baeoticum and T. urartu f rom 1 to 3 subunits. Seven different electrophoretical patterns were d etected among T. monococcum and six in both T. baeoticum and T. urartu . T. monococcum was shown to be the less polymorphic, followed by T. b aeoticum and by T. urartu. The fact that more glutenin genes are expre ssed in Einkorn wheats than in polyploid cultivated wheats suggests th eir possible use in breeding for improving bread and durum wheat quali ty.