THE PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HOR-3 NULL LINES OF BARLEY PROVIDES NEW INFORMATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF D-HORDEIN TO MALTING PERFORMANCE

Six pairs of near isogenic lines, differing in the presence of absence of D hordein, were produced in backgrounds with different B and C hor dein alleles by introducing a Hor 3 null gene discovered in a barley g ermplasm collection. Biochemical and cytochemical studies were perform ed on the harvested and malted grains. Statistical comparisons of the composition of the grains and their malting performance revealed that neither presence or absence of D hordein, nor gel protein levels relat ed to differences in malting performance of the different lines. Howev er, differences in hordein amount and in the grain ultrastructural cha racteristics could be related to some differences in malting performan ce between and within some pairs of lines. (C) 1998 Academic Press.