The association between high molecular weight glutenin subunit compositions and the bread-making quality of Chinese and Japanese hexaploid wheats

Variation in the electrophoretic banding patterns of high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunits of 274 hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties from China was examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Twenty-seven different major glutenin HMW subunits were identified. Each variety contained 3-5 subunits and 29 different glutenin subunit patterns were segregated. Seventeen alleles were identified based on comparison of subunit mobilities with those previously found for hexaploid wheat. Chinese hexaploid wheats exhibited particular allelic variation in glutenin HMW subunit composition and this variation differed from that found in wheats from Japanese and other countries. Average Glu-1 quality scores of 274 Chinese wheat varieties in the present study have been shown to be higher than that of Japanese wheats. Considerable genetic variation in the HMW glutenin subunit compositions of the Chinese wheats was observed in the present study and previously. Alleles from Chinese hexaploid wheat varieties have not been extensively introduced into Japan and other countries. The present data may indicate possible applications of Chinese germplasm in wheat breeding programs. To improve the wheat quality, genetic variation should be attempted through the introduction of genes of Chinese varieties into varieties in Japan and other countries.