Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #223535
Title: Optimized PCR Primer Set for Determining Gluten Strength Quality in Soft Wheat Germplasm

Author
item GUTTIERI, M - OSU
item Sturbaum-Abud, Anne
item Souza, Edward
item SMITH, N - OSU
item SNELLER, C - OSU

Submitted to: Plant and Animal Genome Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2007
Publication Date: 1/16/2008
Citation: Guttieri, M.J., Sturbaum, A.K., Souza, E.J., Smith, N., Sneller, C. 2008. Optimized PCR Primer Set for Determining Gluten Strength Quality in Soft Wheat Germplasm. Plant and Animal Genome Conference, Jan 12-16, San Diego, CA.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Wheat gluten strength for effective cracker (biscuit) formation and textures was traditionally achieved mixing 5-15% hard winter wheat with soft wheat in commercial U.S. bakeries. Flour from hard winter wheat has the undesirable effect of increasing dough water absorption. In the 1990’s, a soft red winter wheat cultivar, “Pioneer 25R26” with uniquely strong gluten was identified, eliminating the hard winter wheat requirement in cracker flour. Selection of breeding wheat based on protein electrophoretic patterns of Pioneer 24R26, including the Glu-D1d “5+10” allele, failed to produce cultivars with equal gluten strength. PCR marker selection for Pioneer 25R26 identified the presence of the Glu-B1a1 allele for over expression of the Bx7 high-molecular weight glutenin, as well as the Glu-D1d allele and the absence of the 1BL:1RS translocation. Genetic mapping in the populations Pioneer 25R26/Foster and Pioneer 25R26/Hopewell indicated that GluB1a1 contributes gluten strength comparable to the effect of the Glu-D1d allele. We developed PCR primers to screen for the Glu-B1a1 allele in breeding populations. The allele is found sporadically in eastern North American soft red winter wheat germplasm, usually in combination with the 1BL:1RS translocation and/or the Glu-D1a allele. These primers and primers for low molecular weight glutenins were also applied to an association mapping set of soft winter wheat cultivars. Development of such quality markers improves the selection mechanism for commercially and nutritionally desirable breeding traits in nontraditional breeding material.