Jackie B. Campbell, J.M. Martin, F. Crutcher, F.D. Meyer, and M.J. Giroux. Dept of Plant Science and Plant Pathology, 119 Ag BioScience Bldg, Montana State Univ, Bozeman, MT 59717
Wheat grain hardness affects many end product quality traits and is a simply inherited trait controlled by the Hardness (Ha) locus that contains the puroindoline a and b genes (pina and pinb, respectively). Mutations in either pina or pinb have been found in all hard wheats examined. All soft hexaploid wheats, however, invariably carry the same pina and pinb alleles. In our research, we are testing whether increased pin dosage or function in soft wheats can improve soft wheat quality. Previous experiments have suggested that grain softness and end product quality can be increased by increasing Ha locus dosage via chromosome substitutions or by the introduction of novel pin alleles from synthetic wheats. Here, we tested the heritability and effects on grain hardness of increasing Ha dosage or functionality (novel alleles). Segregation data from crosses of substitution lines with three doses of the locus (A, B, and D genomes) to locally adapted soft wheats indicated that the added Ha locus from the B genome donor was not heritable and that the Ha locus from the A genome donor behaved as a simple Mendelian gene. Recombinant inbred lines with the added Ha locus on the A genome were softer and had lower milling yield and ash content. They also had significantly lower average particle size and starch damage after milling. Initial experiments to examine the inheritance, grain hardness, and quality effects of novel pin alleles from synthetic wheats are underway. The early results examining F2 progeny from crosses of synthetic x adapted wheats indicate normal Mendelian segregation data with no significant differences in grain hardness.
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