Effects on gluten strength of low M(r) glutenin subunits coded by alleles at Glu-A3 and Glu-B3 loci in durum wheat

The storage proteins of the F-2 generation from three durum wheal crosses were analysed. Three new alleles were found at three different loci: Gli-B1 (coding for gliadins), and Glu-B3 and Glu-A3 (coding for low M(r) glutenin subunits), respectively. The effects of the allelic variation at the Glu-B1, Gli-A1/Glu-A3 and Gli-B1/Glu-B3 loci on gluten strength, as measured by the SDS-sedimentation lest, were determined using F-3 seeds from the three crosses. None of the allelic differences at the Glu-B1 or Glu-A3 loci had a significant effect on gluten strength. Allelic variation at the Glu-B3 locus affected gluten quality significantly. A rank of the relative effect of the Glu-B3 alleles on quality is proposed. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited