CHARACTERIZATION OF THE HIGH ALPHA-AMYLASE LEVELS IN GRAIN OF THE WHEAT CULTIVAR BD-159

Abstract

TThe advanced wheat breeding line BD 159, from Victoria, exhibited a wide variation in falling number values at trial sites in 1990 when corresponding values for standard cultivars were uniformly high. The variable and unpredictable behaviour of BD 159 appears to be typical of a number of advanced lines and parental stocks from Australian breeding programs. The grain samples of BD 159 with low falling numbers had elevated levels of α-amylase which was distributed evenly in the proximal and distal halves of the grains. This distribution pattern, which was quite distinct from the steep gradient in α-amylase activity typical of germinated grains, and the absence of any evidence of sprouting ind..