Polymerization of glutenin during grain development in near-isogenic wheat lines differing at Glu-D1 and Glu-B1 in greenhouse and field

The polymerization of glutenin polymers was monitored by measuring the Unextractable Polymeric Protein (UPP) at 3-day intervals after anthesis for four pairs of near-isogenic wheat lines. Two pairs, the variety Lance, differing at the Glu-D1 locus (HMW-GS 5+10 or 2+12) and the variety Halberd, differing at the Glu-B1 locus (HMW-GS 7+9 or 20x+20y) were grown in the field (2000) and twice in the greenhouse (2000 and 2001). Two other pairs, the varieties Warigal and Avocet, differing at the Glu-D1 locus (HMW-GS 5+10 or 2+12) were grown in the greenhouse in 2001. The behavior of all lines was consistent from greenhouse and field plantings in that the lines possessing strength-associated HMW-GS (5+10 at Glu-D1 and 7+9 at Glu-B1) showed an increase in accumulation of larger glutenin polymers (measured by UPP) at an earlier stage during grain filling than the lines with allelic counterparts (HMW-GS 2+12 at Glu-D1 and 20x+20y at Glu-B1). In all cases, the increases were maintained until maturity, paralleling the greater dough strength of flour from these lines, measured by mixograph dough development time.