VARIATION OF SEED STORAGE PROTEINS WITHIN HARD RED SPRING WHEAT CULTIVARS AND EFFECT ON END-USE PROPERTIES

The baking properties of hard red wheats (Triticum aestivum L.) are in fluenced by the gluten endosperm proteins in the kernel. In this study , we found that five of 22 spring wheat cultivars contained intraculti var variation of endosperm proteins as revealed by sodium dodecyl sulf ate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We defined each gluten variant as a biotype and derived pure lines from each biotype for four of the cultivars. The purified biotypes were grown for two years in replicat e trials. They were compared to each other and to the original cultiva r for agronomic and quality differences. Agronomic differences were as sociated with a gliadin variant in the cultivar Sheridan, while biotyp es of Wampum showed dough quality differences primarily associated wit h variation at the glutenin locus Glu-D1. Our results suggested that, in most instances, purification of cultivars based on gluten compositi on may be possible without altering agronomic and end-use properties. In the event of biotype differences, the superior type could be select ed.