Preharvest sprouting and α-amylase activity in soft winter wheat

The wheat value chain is vulnerable to reduced grain quality caused by preharvest sprouting. The Great Lakes region and the Pacific Northwest are particularly vulnerable to sprouting related quality issues because precipitation events near or at the time of harvest are common and are the leading cause of sprout related losses. Both visual preharvest sprouting (PHS) and alpha-amylase activity (alpha Amy) influence grain quality. In this study, standardized methods for phenotying PHS and alpha Amy have been implemented in soft winter wheat varieties and advanced breeding lines. The methods utilized here for rating visual PHS and alpha Amy using a scaled down Ceralpha method produce consistent and reliable results across years and can be implemented in screening large wheat breeding populations. The populations phenotyped for PHS and alpha Amy were also genotyped at grain color (R), photoperiod (Ppd), and reduced height (Rht) genes to determine their influence on PHS and alpha Amy. Phenotypic variation for PHS and alpha Amy is present in both soft red and soft white wheat market classes. Soft red winter wheat genotypes were identified that have PHS susceptibility and moderate levels of alpha Amy. Conversely, genotypes of soft white winter wheat were identified that have PHS resistance and low levels of alpha Amy. As variation exists for PHS and alpha Amy in soft wheat germplasm, progress can be made using phenotypic selection for these traits in breeding programs. Development of varieties with improved sprouting resistance will mitigate the risk of sprouting and increase the production of high quality wheat. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.