MICROSCOPIC SCREENING TEST FOR PREDICTING GRAIN PROTEIN VARIABILITY IN TRITICALE SEEDS

摘要

The difference in grain protein content between triticale cultivars reaches 50%. It has not been known in what tissue of a kernel the additional protein is stored. The authors' simple histochemical microscopic method helped to confirm its location inthe subaleurone region of endosperm. Among the morphologically similar grains of a single triticale plant differences were noted in the number of subaleurone protein structures, which proved to be positively correlated with the grain protein content. High protein seeds occured with variable frequency on different ears of the same plant, which resulted in the inter-spike variation. The low protein ears constituted a remarkable proportion, even in plants with the highest protein content. It is hoped the microscopic test could be useful in selection of the high protein lines of triticale.