ChileanJAR

Thirty-nine Chilean wheat genotypes were characterized by analyzing the microsatellite alleles linked to a low molecular weight glutenin (LMWG) gene and a g -gliadin pseudo-gene. Eight alleles for LMWG and nine for g -gliadin loci were detected, including one null allele. Considering both allele groups, a considerable proportion of the analyzed varieties (44%) showed unique allelic combinations, suggesting this as an attractive fingerprinting method for genetic identification purposes. A portion of the genotypes characterized by SSR’s was analyzed using standard bread quality tests. These results were correlated with the alleles of determined SSR patterns, using a methodology designed to compare qualitative and quantitative variables. Statistically significant associations were found between LMWG and sedimentation (0.51**), gluten-index (0.42**) and dry gluten (0.35**) tests. In the case of g -gliadin alleles, statistically significant correlations were detected with all the bread quality tests conducted (0.54** for protein percentage, 0.47** for sedimentation, 0.52** for gluten-index and 0.49** for dry gluten). As well, a statistically significant association (0.48**) was found between LMWG and the "English Index" for bread quality, which is based on high molecular weight glutenin (HMWG) patterns. On the other hand, there was no association among LMWG and the "French Index", nor between g -gliadin and the French and English indexes.