The Genetic Resources of durum wheat and their use in quality improvement

A world wheat collection is preserved at the CNR Germplasm Institute of Bari. In particular, the collection consists of more than 30,000 accessions and nearly 30 taxonomic species. Though most of the entries belong to cultivated wheat (Triticum durum, T. aestivum, T. dicoccum, T. spelta, etc.), there are several samples of wild relatives collected in the their centres of origin. The majority of the accessions are represented by populations and landraces, but with the presence of cultivars, lines and few mutants and crosses. The aim of the present study was to analyse the genetic diversity of storage proteins in cultivated and wild tetraploid wheat present in the mentioned world collection. For this purpose electrophoresis and chromatographic analyses of gliadins, glutenins and waxy proteins were extensively carried out for a large portion of the germplasm collection. Particular emphasis was put on qualitative aspects of proteins and their genetic control. The results of these studies will be presented showing the genetic diversity and new unusual protein composition with a great potential for improving wheat quality under conventional, conservative and sustainable agricultural systems.