Influence of water deficit on durum wheat storage protein composition and technological quality
Author(s)
Flagella, Zina
Giuliani, Marcella M.
Giuzio, Luigia
Volpi, Chiara
Masci, Stefania
Date Issued
2010
Type
Article
Abstract
Two durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars (Simeto and Ofanto) were grown in field trials in Foggia (Southern Italy), under two water regimes and in three cropping seasons, to evaluate the influence of water regime on grain protein composition in relation to technological quality. On grain samples, the following quality analyses were performed: protein and gluten content, gluten index and SDS test. Furthermore, the different protein fractions were evaluated: gliadins, glutenins, high molecular weight subunits (HMW-GS) and low molecular weight subunits (LMW-GS) of the larger glutenin polymers, and percentage of unextractable polymeric proteins (%UPP). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D) of glutenins was also performed on selected samples. A year-on-year variation in gluten index was observed and its values were positively correlated (r = 0.71**) with the number of days with maximum temperature ranging from 30 to 35 °C during grain filling. This was consistent with an increase in glutenin fractions. Between the investigated cultivars, Simeto showed the better technological performance and the higher glutenin content, HMW-GS/LMW-GS ratio and %UPP. Water deficit was found to affect technological quality and protein composition differently depending on the timing of stress occurrence. An increase in protein content and in HMW-GS/LMW-GS ratio, consistent with a decrease in grain yield was observed when water deficit occurred throughout the growing season. When a terminal water stress occurred in grain filling an improvement in gluten strength was observed consistently with an increase in the glutenins present in the larger glutenin polymers associated to a general modulation of HMW-GS and LMW-GS levels, as indicated by 2D analyses. Probably water deficit associated to high temperature stress which generally occurs under Mediterranean environments during grain filling, may have caused a higher aggregation level of glutenin subunits that was reflected in an improvement of technological quality. Changes in protein composition was found not to be related to total quantity of nitrogen accumulated during grain filling.
Additional information
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Citation
Flagella, Z. et al. 2010. Influence of water deficit on durum wheat storage protein composition and technological quality. "European Journal of Agronomy" 33(3): 197-207
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Sponsor(s)
Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR project PRIN 2003 and MIUR FAR project AGROGEN)