Release of 19 Waxy Winter Wheat Germplasm, with Observations on Their Grain Yield Stability

Authors

Robert A. Graybosch, USDA-ARS & University of Nebraska- LincolnFollow
P. Stephen Baenziger, USDA-ARS & University of Nebraska- LincolnFollow
R. L. Bowden, Kansas State UniversityFollow
F. Dowell, USDA-ARS-CGAHR-SPIERUFollow
L. Dykes, USDAARS, NCSLFollow
Y. Jin, USDA-ARS-CD & University of Minnesota, St. Paul
D. S. Marshall, North Carolina State University
J.-B. Ohm, USDAARS, NCSLFollow
M. Cafe-Treml, South Dakota State University

Date of this Version

9-14-2017

Citation

Crop Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Comments

Journal of Plant Registrations 12:152–156 (2018). doi:10.3198/jpr2017.03.0018crg

Abstract

“Waxy” wheats (Triticum aestivum L.) produce endosperm starch devoid, or nearly so, of amylose. Waxy starch consists only of amylopectin, imparts unique cooking properties, and serves as an eicient substrate for the production of modiied food starches. To expand the genetic variation of waxy wheats useful to Great Plains breeding programs, the USDA-ARS, in cooperation with the University of Nebraska, developed and released 19 waxy winter wheats (Reg. No. GP-1003, PI 677864 to Reg. No. GO-1021, PI 677882) . Three of the waxy germplasm lines have soft endosperm texture; the remaining 16 lines have hard-textured grain. The grain yields of six of the waxy winter wheat germplasm lines were not signiicantly diferent from the highest yielding nonwaxy cultivar (‘Freeman’). All but four waxy germplasm lines had grain yields statistically equal to that of the waxy winter wheat cultivar Mattern. Grain yield stability (or response to changing environments) of the waxy germplasm lines demonstrated similar trends to those of the nonwaxy controls. Grain yield observations and responses to changing production potentials argue against any yield drag associated with waxy starch and indicate potential for the development of additional and competitive cultivars.