Effect of chromosome 7Hch from Hordeum chilense Roem. et Schultz. on carotenoid content and lutein esterification in common wheat

MATTERA, M. G.; HORNERO-MÉNDEZ, D.; ÁVILA, C. M.; ATIENZA, S. G.; CABRERA, A.

Wernigerode

Conferencia; EUCARPIA Cereal Section & ITMI Conference 2014; 2014

Colour is an important quality criterion for most wheat end-use products. Yellow colour has become an important selection criterion in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum spp. durum, 2n=4x=28, AABB) due to its importance for the production in pasta. On the contrary, white flour is traditionally preferred by consumers for the bread-making using common wheat (T. aestivum L. 2n=6x=42, AABBDD). However, lutein also contributes in part to the yellow colour of yellow alkaline noodles which is promoting the development of high lutein materials in Australia. Similarly, new end-use products using either einkorn (T. monoccocum L. ssp. monococcum L., 2n=2x=14, AA), or the new cereal tritordeum (×Tritordeum ch ch Ascherson et Graebner, 2x=6x=42, AABBH H ) are partly yellow due to the high carotenoid content of these species compared to common wheat. Hexaploid tritordeum is the amphiploid derived from the cross between the wild barley (Hordeum chilense Roem et Schultz., 2n=2x=14) and durum wheat. The addition of chromosome 7H to common wheat results in the increase of yellow pigment content. However, the effect of this chromosome in wheat has not been tested in euploid combinations. In this work, we have used five genotypes of common wheat with either translocations or substitutions involving the chromosome 7H . These lines were characterized using molecular markers and further confirmed using FISH (fluorescent in-situ hybridization). These lines were analyzed for carotenoid content at harvest. Chromosome substitution lines of H. chilense into ?Chinese Spring? wheat background available from other sources were used as controls along with durum wheat ?Kofa? and tritordeum ?HT621?. All the lines carrying Psy1 from H. chilense had a higher seed carotenoid content (mainly lutein) than the wheat control. However, the profile of lutein esterification differed among the lines and it depended on the interaction with the wheat genes.