Genetic Variation and the Effectiveness of Early‐Generation Selection for Soft Winter Wheat Quality and Gluten Strength

Abstract

ABSTRACTSelection for milling and baking quality in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) head‐rows could increase the efficiency of most soft winter wheat (SWW) breeding programs. We evaluated whole grain‐wheat meal (WM) assays for their ability to select lines with acceptable SWW quality and high gluten strength in early‐generations and estimated heritability of SWW quality and gluten strength. One hundred fourteen lines from a cross of strong and weak gluten parents was assessed over three location‐years. Flour quality and gluten strength were measured using flour and WM measures. Correlations between WM assays on head‐rows and flour‐based assays conducted on replicated trials from two locations were significant (P < 0.05). Wheat meal sedimentation volume (WM‐SED) was correlated with flour lactic acid solvent retention capacity (SRC; r = 0.37). Wheat meal sodium carbonate SRC (WM‐SRC) was correlated with flour sucrose (r = 0.37), flour sodium carbonate (r = 0.46) and flour water (r = 0.47) SRC and negatively correlated with wire‐cut cookie diameter (r = −0.33) and flour yield (r = −0.40). Soft winter wheat quality and gluten strength improved when selections were based on WM‐SRC and WM‐SED, respectively. Early‐generation selection for SWW quality and gluten strength using WM tests should increase the frequency of SWW selections with desirable quality characteristics in replicated yield trials.