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Comparison of Different Methods for Phenotyping Preharvest Sprouting in White‐Grained Wheat
Author(s) -
Singh Rajender,
MatusCádiz Maria,
Båga Monica,
Hucl Pierre,
Chibbar Ravindra N.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
cereal chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.558
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1943-3638
pISSN - 0009-0352
DOI - 10.1094/cchem-85-2-0238
Subject(s) - preharvest , germination , sprouting , amylase , dormancy , horticulture , seed dormancy , falling number , population , chemistry , agronomy , cultivar , biology , enzyme , postharvest , biochemistry , demography , sociology
The objective of this study was to identify a suitable method for phenotyping preharvest sprouting (PHS) resistance in white bread wheat. Forty doubled‐haploid (DH) lines derived from a cross between two white‐grained spring wheats ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Argent (nondormant) and wheat breeding line W98616 (dormant) were evaluated for germination frequency, Falling Number (FN), and α‐amylase activity in dry and water‐imbibed seeds and spikes. The α‐amylase activity in dry seeds or spikes did not differ significantly between parent lines or lines of the DH population. Wetting of seeds or spikes for two days caused a five‐ to sevenfold increase in α‐amylase activity but only in Argent and the nondormant subgroup (49–100% germination) of the DH lines. A positive association ( r = 0.60***) was detected between germination frequency and α‐amylase activity in imbibed seeds and spikes. Germination frequency could not be correlated to FN or α‐amylase activity in dry‐harvested seeds. FN showed a strong correlation ( r = –0.83***) to α‐amylase activity in the dry‐harvested seeds but could not be correlated to α‐amylase activity in the imbibed seeds. The germination test was the most reliable method for measuring PHS resistance because seed dormancy provides potential resistance to PHS, whereas high α‐amylase activity may occur in grains without causing PHS.