Polymorphism of waxy proteins in Spanish durum wheats

A collection of 547 durum wheats (103 cultivars and 444 landraces) from Spa in was analysed for waxy protein composition. The electrophoretic patterns showed low polymorphism. At the Wx-Al locus, 99.8% of the wheats had the Wx -Ala allele and only one had the null Wx-Alb allele. The Wx-Bl locus was mo re polymorphic and four different alleles were detected: Wx-Bla (41.3 %), W x-Blc' (42.6%), a new allele, not detected before in bread wheat and named Wx-Blf (16.0%), and the null Wx-Blb allele, found for the first time in one durum wheal. Eleven durum wheals with different allelic composition at the Wx-l loci were analysed for amylose content. Wheats with the Wx-Bla allele had a lower amylose content than those with Wx-Blc' or Wx-Blf. The lowest amylose content was found in the only durum wheat having the null Wx-Blb al lele.