WHEAT CULTIVAR IDENTIFICATION BY GLIADIN ELECTROPHOREGRAMS. II. EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL FACTORS ON THE GLIADIN ELECTROPHOREGRAM

Abstract

Effects of a number of factors on the gliadin electrophoregram were investigated relative to the use of the electrophoregram for cultivar identification. Effect of seed source was investigated by examining grain of five Canadian cultivars grown at 10 locations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and grain of five Australian cultivars grown in Canada and Australia. These experiments showed that the electrophoregram is not affected by the area of growth. Six grain samples of the Canadian hard red spring wheat cultivar, Neepawa, grown at six different fertilizer levels under irrigation, ranging in protein content from 9.3 to 16.4%, were used to demonstrate that the electrophoregram is qualitatively independent of protein content. The effects of several experimental factors on the gliadin electrophoregram were determined using five Canadian cultivars: three hard red spring wheats, one soft white winter wheat, and one durum wheat. Experimental factors investigated were grain sample preparation, method of gliadin extraction, and method of staining. The only factor that produced qualitative deviations in the electrophoregram was inefficient extraction of the gliadin protein with ineffective solvents. If appropriate gliadin extracts are used, the electrophoregram is a true genotypic character that can be used to identify the cultivar.