title: High temperature during grain fill alters the morphology of protein and starch deposits in the starchy endosperm cells of developing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain.
abstract: High temperature during grain fill reduces wheat yield and alters flour quality. Starchy endosperm cell morphology was investigated in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. 'Butte 86') grain produced under a 24/17 or 37/28 °C day/night regimen imposed from anthesis to maturity to identify changes in cell structure related to the functional properties of flour. The duration of grain fill decreased substantially under the 37/28 °C regimen, but, like the 24/17 °C regimen, endosperm cells in the mature grain were packed with starch and protein. However, A-type starch granules increased in number, decreased in size, and exhibited pitting; B-type granules decreased in both number and size; and the protein matrix was proportionally greater in endosperm cells of grain produced under the 37/28 °C regimen. Such changes in starch granule number, size, and structure and in protein amount are known to contribute to variations in wheat flour quality.
authors.affiliation: Western Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Albany, California 94710, United States. william.hurkman@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hurkman
authors.forename: Delilah F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D056625:Endosperm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D013213:Starch