Lysine and Protein Characterization of Spontaneous Shrunken Endosperm Mutants of Barley1

Abstract

Compana sex1, seg3 and seg4, Betzes seg1 and seg2, Ingrid seg6 and seg7, Glacier seg5, High Amylose Glacier amol and Hiproly lysl, spontaneous shrunken endosperm or low kernel weight mutants of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), were compared to their normal isotypes for kernel weight, protein, and lysine contents. All mutants were lower in kernel weight and most were higher in protein and lysine contents than respective normal isotypes indicating that at least seven new mutants should be added to the list of known “high lysine” mutants of barley, and confirming the observation in barley that low seed weight and high lysine are closely associated. Mutants sex1, seg4, amol and perhaps Hiproly show the most promise of overcoming the detrimental high lysine‐low kernel weight association in a breeding program.