An Analysis to Visualize Influence of Global Warming on Wheat Grain Quality with High Molecular Weight Glutenin Subunits at <i>Glu D1</i> Locus

Abstract

Frequency of high yielding bread wheat genotypes with 5+10 and 2+12 banding patterns at Glu D1 locus was observed in 558 bread wheat entries evaluated during 2003-2013 in national wheat programme of India under different agro-climatic conditions. Frequency of 2+12 type wheats was much higher in the stressed environments suggesting preponderance of this category wheat under global warming. It could lower strength and quality of gluten but wet gluten per unit protein might improve, consequently, bread quality might decline. Chapati and biscuit qualities, protein content and flour yield might remain unaffected. More variations in end-products, flour recovery, protein and gluten contents and grain hardness are anticipated but variability in sedimentation volume and gluten index might squeeze. Shift in the route to product quality and flour yield is suggested under elevated temperature conditions with need to devise selection criteria for identifying product superior varieties of 2+12 category wheats.