End‐Use Quality and Agronomic Characteristics Associated with the Glu‐B1al High‐Molecular‐Weight Glutenin Allele in U.S. Hard Winter Wheat

High‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) conferred by alleles at the, Glu‐B1 , and Glu‐D1 loci confer unique end‐use quality properties for wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). The Glu‐B1al allele at the Glu‐B1 locus has not been widely used for cultivar development in the U.S. hard winter wheat region. We evaluated four groups of near‐isogenic lines (NILs) with different combinations of alleles at Glu‐B1 , allele b (encoding subunits Bx7 + By8) or a1 (subunits Bx7 OE + By8), and at Glu‐D1, allele a (subunits Dx2 + Dy12) or d (subunits Dx5 + Dy10), to assess direct and indirect effects attributed to the Glu‐B1al allele. Kernel characteristics, dough‐mixing properties, and agronomic traits were determined from field experiments in Colorado in 2012 (six environments) and 2013 (five environments). Lower grain hardness was observed in several environments for the Glu‐B1al/Glu‐D1d NIL group. Greater dough‐mixing strength (midline peak time) and mixograph tolerance (bandwidth 2 min after peak) were conferred by the Glu‐B1al allele, particularly when in combination with the Glu‐D1d allele. No consistent agronomic advantages or disadvantages were conferred by the Glu‐B1al allele, although significantly earlier heading was observed with the Glu‐B1al/Glu‐D1a NIL group. Deployment of the Glu‐B1al allele in U.S. hard winter wheat cultivars would appear to offer several end‐use quality attributes with little or no adverse effects on other characteristics.