Characterization of A-and B-type starch granules in Chinese wheat cultivars

Starch is the major component of wheat flour and serves as a multifunctional ingredient in food industry. The objective of the present study was to investigate starch granule size distribution of Chinese wheat cultivars, and to compare structure and functionality of starches in four leading cultivars Zhongmai 175, CA12092, Lunxuan 987, and Zhongyou 206. A wide variation in volume percentages of A- and B-type starch granules among genotypes was observed. Volume percentages of A- and B-type granules had ranges of 68.4–88.9% and 9.7–27.9% in the first cropping seasons, 74.1–90.1% and 7.2–25.3% in the second. Wheat cultivars with higher volume percentages of A- and B-type granules could serve as parents in breeding program for selecting high and low amylose wheat cultivars, respectively. In comparison with the B-type starch granules, the A-type granules starch showed difference in three aspects：（1） higher amount of ordered short-range structure and a lower relative crystallinity,（2） higher gelatinization onset（To） temperatures and enthalpies（ΔH）, and lower gelatinization conclusion temperatures（Tc）,（3） greater peak, though, and final viscosity, and lower breakdown viscosity and pasting temperature. It provides important information for breeders to develop potentially useful cultivars with particular functional properties of their starches suited to specific applications.

Formation and Developmental Characteristics of A- and B-Type Starch Granules in Wheat Endosperm

Wheat grain natural transverse sections of 12 periods were observed and analyzed using scanning electron micrographs technology and Bio-Quant system IV image analyzer in order to detect the developing process of A- and B-type starch granules. In addition, the chemical composition and starch granule-bound proteins （SGPs） of A- and B-type starch granules were tested and analyzed. The results showed that A-type starch granules in wheat began from 3 d post anthesis （DPA） till grain maturing and B-type starch granules occured after 15 DPA till grain maturing. Approximately 98.5% of chemical compositions in both A- and B-type starch granules were amylose and amylopectin, and more than half of which were amylopectin. The amylopectin contents, average chain length, and chain length distribution （degree of polymerization〉 40） of amylopectin in A-type starch granules were significant higher than that of B-type starch granules. SGP-145, SGP-140, and SGP-26 kD were associated with A-type starch formation in wheat grain.

QTL mapping of starch granule size in common wheat using recombinant inbred lines derived from a PH82-2/Neixiang188 cross

Starch is a crucial component determining the processing quality of wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)-based products. Wheat starch generally contains A-type and B-type starch granules, having different effects on starch properties and end-use qualities. In the present study, 240 recombinant inbred lines(RILs) derived from a PH82-2/Neixiang 188 cross were grown in Anyang, Henan, China, during three cropping seasons. A-type and B-type granule contents were determined using a laser diffraction particle size analyzer, defined as the percentage of total starch volume. A total of 195 SSR and STS markers were used to construct a genetic map. QTL analysis was performed by composite interval mapping. Three QTL for A-type starch granule content were mapped on chromosomes 1DL, 7BL and 4AL, explaining5.6%, 5.2% and 3.8% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. These results provide useful information for improving starch quality in common wheat.