Analysis of genetic factors determining grain hardness in Australian wheat cultivars

TL;DRAbstract

Grain texture or hardness is arguably the single most important factor that determines the end-use quality and world trade of wheat. In general, hard wheat is used for breads, while soft wheat is used for cakes and pastries. While mutations in two genes (pinA and pinB) have been associated with grain hardness, currently there is insufficient understanding regarding genetic factors associated with grain texture. Information on Australian wheats is particularly scanty, with only a handful of varieties having been analysed. This study focuses on Australia's leading wheat varieties, and addresses the nature of puroindoline mutations in hard wheats. Of the thirty six hard wheat cultivars we have analysed, eighteen have been found to contain a glycine-to-serine mutation in pinB, and fifteen to contain the total deletion of pinA; both of these mutations being commonly associated with hard grain texture in wheat. Two cultivars have also been identified as a mix of seeds containing both the har

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