The high and low molecular weight glutenin subunits and omega-gliadin composition of bread and durum wheats commonly grown in Portugal

A collection of 63 bread wheats (Triticum aestivum L.) and 21 durum wheats (Triticum durum Desf.) commonly grown in Portugal since 1982 were character ized for the composition of wheat storage proteins (WSP), high molecular we ight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS), low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LM W-GS) and omega-gliadins. The composition of HMW-GS, LMW-GS and omega-gliad ins, encoded at loci Glu-1, Glu-3 and Gli-1, respectively, was revealed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. WSP allelic com positions of bread and durum wheat patterns were given. In the bread wheats , a total of 24, 24 and 18 patterns were observed for HMW-GS, LMW-GS and om ega-gliadins, respectively. Forty-two different alleles were identified for the nine loci studied, Glu-A1 (3), Glu-B1 (7), Glu-D1 (4), Glu-A3 (5), Glu -B3 (7), Glu-D3 (2), Gli-A1 (2), Gli-B1 (8) and Gli-D1 (4). In the case of durum wheats, 19 alleles were identified: one allele at Glu-A1, two at Glu- B3, Glu-B2 and Gli-A1, three at Glu-B1, four at Glu-A3 and five at Gli-B1. For HMW-GS, LMW-GS and omega-gliadins, three, six and six different pattern s were revealed, respectively. This study represents the first attempt to d iscriminate the bread and durum wheat varieties commonly grown in Portugal by the allelic variation of storage proteins. The database is useful for va rietal identification and far plant breeders who seek to devise effective p rogrammes aimed at improving wheat quality.