Effect of Timing of Heat Stress During Grain Filling on Two Wheat Varieties Differing in Heat Tolerance. II. Fractional Protein Accumulation

Abstract

Short periods of very high temperature (> 35ºC) are common during the grain filling period of wheat, and can significantly alter mature protein composition and consequently grain quality. This study was designed to determine the stage of grain growth at which fractional protein accumulation is most sensitive to a short heat stress, and to examine whether varietal differences in heat tolerance are expressed consistently throughout the grain filling period. Two varieties of wheat differing in heat tolerance (cvv. Egret and Oxley, tolerant and sensitive, respectively) were exposed to a short (5 day) period of very high temperature (40ºC max, for 6 h each day) at 5-day intervals throughout grain filling, from 15 to 50 days after anthesis. Grain samples were taken throughout grain growth and analysed for protein content and composition (albumin/globulin, monomer, SDS-soluble polymer and SDS-insoluble polymer) using size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography. The timing of heat stress exerted a significant influence on the accumulation of total wheat protein and its fractions, and protein fractions differed in their responses to the timing of heat stress. Furthermore, wheat genotype influenced both the sensitivity of fractional protein accumulation to heat stress and the stage during grain filling at which maximum sensitivity to heat stress occurred.