Cereal Chem 68:305-312   |  VIEW ARTICLE

Relationships Between Gluten Protein Composition and Quality Characteristics in Four Populations of High-Protein, Hard Red Winter Wheat.

S. Primard, R. Graybosch, C. J. Peterson, and J.-H. Lee. Copyright 1991 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) were used to analyze the gliadin and glutenin protein composition of 286 experimental winter wheats. Tested lines were derived from four hard red winter wheat populations produced as part of a high-protein breeding program. Quality parameters (grain protein content, SDS sedimentation volume, and mixograph characteristics) were correlated with the presence and amounts of each measured protein component. Statistically significant relationships between quality characteristics and protein components were observed in all four populations, and all observed correlations were population- specific. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to identify the combination of protein variables that best explained variation in each quality parameter. Highly significant models were developed; however, the components of each model varied with the population. Quality characteristics also were correlated with genetic similarity indices (based on protein composition) between experimental lines and all parental lines; no meaningful relationships were identified. The results suggest that the quality characteristics of experimental wheat lines are a function of the interaction of numerous protein components, are influenced by a number of genetic factors in addition to endosperm protein composition, and cannot be predicted from the quality characteristics of parental lines.