Differences in accumulation of storage proteins between wheat cultivars during development

Abstract

AbstractThe concentration and composition of storage proteins in the developing kernels of five different wheat cultivars were investigated. The plants were grown in solution culture under strictly controlled conditions in climatic chambers and with long‐term limitation of external nitrogen availability. Thus, by growing these cultivars under the same defined treatments, reliable differences in the storage protein development could be determined. The total protein concentration was assayed using an automatic nitrogen analyser. The storage protein composition was examined by acidic polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis from 6 to 58 days after anthesis. The results showed that, in all stages of plant development, the ranking of the cultivars as to the storage protein concentration was the same as for mature field‐grown kernels. The differences in the storage protein concentration between the cultivars could not be explained by differences in protein composition. The start of storage protein formation during plant development did not differ between the tested cultivars, as determined by the electrophoresis pattern. The differences in the storage protein concentration between cultivars most likely depends on the relative balance between starch and nitrogen deposition in the grain, during the whole grain filling period.