A collection of 14 triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) varieties commonly
grown in Portugal were analysed using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamid
e gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to describe allelic diversity in the stora
ge proteins encoded at the Glu-1 (Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-R1), Gli-1 (Gli-A1
and Gli-B1), Glu-3 (Glu-A3 and Glu-B3), Glu-B2 and Gli-R2 loci. Several al
leles were identified: 10 at the loci encoding for high molecular weight (H
MW) subunits (seven for glutenin and three for secalins), eight for low mol
ecular weight glutenin subunits, four for omega-gliadins and three for 75 K
gamma-secalins. These results showed that triticale varieties grown in Por
tugal exhibit great genetic diversity. Knowledge of the diversity of these
storage proteins, which are the major gluten components, will greatly incre
ase our understanding of the quality differences that might exist between t
riticale varieties.