Positive influence of Lophopyrum ponticum derived Y gene on yellow pigment content - A major durum wheat quality trait

Abstract

The Lophopyrum ponticum chromosome segment 7EL is known to carry rust resistance genes Lr19 and Sr25 besides a gene (Y) for yellow pigmentation of the flour. This chromosome segment, originally translocated to hexaploid wheat (chromosome 7D) and later retranslocated to durum wheat (Chromosome 7A) and was available for present study in form of durum wheat variety UC1113 (Y). Intenser yellow colour of durum wheat products is an important quality parameter on account of consumer preference and nutritional significance. The utility of L. ponticum chromosome segment was assessed for improvement of durum wheat quality, in view of availability of molecular marker tags for this segment and the need to raise yellow pigment content of Indian durum wheats. The molecular marker analysis of 188 F3 progenies derived from a cross UC1113 (Y) X PDW291 was performed to identify progenies homozygous for presence and absence of L. ponticum segment carrying the Y gene. The two sets of progenies were then used to ascertain the influence of the Y gene on various quality parameters. Presence of yellow pigment gene resulted in an average increase in yellow pigment content of 24.03%, but lowered 1000 grain weight, test weight and grain hardness. Yellow pigment was positively correlated with sedimentation value. The presence of several Y gene positive F3 progenies combining most of the desirable durum wheat quality traits showed that Y gene can be easily utilized to increase the yellow pigment content without unfavourably impacting other quality parameters.