Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2010, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (3): 271-278.DOI: 10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.03.004

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of post-anthesis irrigation on degree of polymerization of storage protein and rheological properties in wheat

YAO Feng-Juan*(), HE Ming-Rong**(), JIA Dian-Yong, DAI Xing-Long, CAO Qian   

  1. National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong 271018, China
  • Received:2009-02-16 Accepted:2009-07-13 Online:2010-02-16 Published:2010-03-01
  • Contact: HE Ming-Rong

Abstract:

Aims Our objective was to verify the relationship between worsening dough rheological properties caused by pre-harvest irrigation and degree of polymerization of storage protein in wheat.

Methods We applied three irrigation regimes (none, 14 days after anthesis and both 14 and 28 days after anthesis) to the Jimai 20 cultivar of wheat and examined effects on grain yield, parameters representing polymerization of storage protein and dough rheological properties.

Important findings Grain yield was highest and both dough development time and dough stability time were longest with the single post-anthesis irrigation, while the second irrigation led to shortened dough development time and dough stability time and weakened gluten strength, as well as decreased glutenin polymerization index and average size of glutenin macopolymer (GMP). Stepwise correlation analysis suggested that the poorer dough rheological properties and weakened gluten strength with two post-anthesis irrigations resulted mainly from reduced GMP particle size.

Key words: dough rheological properties, polymerization degree, post-anthesis irrigation, storage protein, wheat grain