Abstract
Phytoene synthase 1 (Psy1) and lipoxygenase 1 (Lpx-1) are key genes involved in the synthesis and catalysis of carotenoid pigments in durum wheat, regulating the increase and decrease in these compounds, respectively, resulting in the distinct yellow color of semolina and pasta. Here, we reported new haplotype variants and/or allele combinations of these two genes significantly affecting yellow pigment content in grain and semolina through their effect on carotenoid pigments. To reach the purpose of this work, three complementary approaches were undertaken: the identification of QTLs associated to carotenoid content on a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, the characterization of a Mediterranean panel of accessions for Psy1 and Lpx-1 genes, and monitoring the expression of Psy1 and Lpx-1 genes during grain filling on two genotypes with contrasting yellow pigments. Our data suggest that Psy1 plays a major role during grain development, contributing to semolina yellowness, and Lpx-1 appears to be more predominant at post-harvest stages and during pasta making.
Highlights
Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops worldwide [1,2], as about 725 million tons of grain are produced globally every year [3]
Understanding the synthesis and degradation of carotenoid pigments is a vital aspect of durum wheat breeding programs aiming to produce superior cultivars with higher yellowness
Eight QTLs related to yellowness were identified, with different degrees of involvement in yellow index (YI) variation, and lipoxygenase gene (Lpx) was linked to a QTL found in chromosome 4B, which showed lower expression in a high yellowness cultivar in comparison to a low yellowness wheat
Summary
Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops worldwide [1,2], as about 725 million tons of grain are produced globally every year [3]. Major breeding programs were focused on improving the durum productivity traits of wheat, such as grain yield and biotic and abiotic stress resistance. In this century, the attention on food quality over quantity has switched the research aims to increasing wheat nutritional value, estimated through different parameters like protein content, water absorption, and flour color. The attention on food quality over quantity has switched the research aims to increasing wheat nutritional value, estimated through different parameters like protein content, water absorption, and flour color The latter is due to carotenoid pigments, which have an enormous importance for nutritional value in human health [8]
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