8th INTERNATIONAL WHEAT CONFERENCE

INTeRACTIoN effeCTS of eNVIRoNmeNTAL CoNdITIoNS
ANd geNeTICAL BACkgRouNd oN AmouNT ANd SIze
dISTRIBuTIoN of PoLymeRIC PRoTeINS IN WheAT
CuLTIVARS
Malik, A.H 1 , Prieto-Linde, M.L 1 , Kuktaite, R 1 ,
Andersson, A 1 , Johansson, E 1
1 Department of Agriculture-Farming Systems, Technology and Product Quality, Faculty
of Landscape Planning, Horticulture and Agricultural Sciences, The Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, SE-23053, Alnarp, Sweden
E-mail Address of presenting author: Ali.Malik@ltj.slu.se
The importance of wheat as a staple food crop is quite well known and understood. The
quality of wheat is influenced by the storage proteins. The amount and size distribution
of polymeric proteins in wheat grain is largely influenced by the interaction of genetical
background and environmental conditions. Temperature and nitrogen fertilizer are
among the most important environmental factors influencing wheat protein composition.
Specific protein composition and grain maturation time are factors related to genetical
background that influence amount and size distribution of polymeric proteins in
wheat. In our study four spring wheat cultivars were grown in the green house, having
different genetic composition of proteins. Two of the cultivars contained the high molecular
weight glutenin subunits 5+10, while the other two contained 2+12. Four different
nitrogen regimes were applied to create differences in nitrogen application at anthesis and
spike formation. Two temperature levels, low and high were used. The results showed the
importance of interactions among cultivars, nitrogen and temperature for creating differences
in amount and size distribution of polymeric proteins at maturity. The shift in order
to end up with high versus low %UPP at maturity happened early during grain maturation
e.g. between 4 and 8 days after anthesis. Influences of cultivars on %UPP was found
early during the grain maturation period while influence of temperature and nitrogen
regimes was seen much later during the grain maturation period. The results will help in
understanding the relationship between quality parameters of wheat flour and how these
are influenced by different environmental and genetical factors.
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