Research leader: Peter Shewry

Despite the success of UK breeders and grain processors in producing and utilising UK wheat, the quality for breadmaking is frequently inadequate and it is necessary to fortify with imported grain which can incur import tariffs. A particular problem is that the end-use quality varies greatly across years and environments, due to effects on both grain development and pre-harvest sprouting. This is being addressed by using a combination of transcriptomic and biochemical approaches and measurements of grain processing quality. Wheat is an ideal vehicle to deliver health benefits to large numbers of consumers, and so our focus is on improving the dietary fibre component of white flour used for breadmaking.

For wheat, development of tools and technologies focuses on novel approaches to improvement including mutagenesis, TILLING (targeted selection of mutations) and improved transformation systems. In order to dissect the pattern of grain development and the molecular basis for specific quality traits, we are establishing the ability to tag and modify lines. This builds on the first demonstration of Agrobacterium mediated wheat transformation in the public sector. Having established the relationship between structure of high molecular weight (HMW) glutenins and mechanical properties of bread dough, work on grain quality is increasingly focused on nutritional enhancement and understanding the interactions between environment and genetic factors during grain development.

Various aspects of the programme are described in the following sections:

• A technology platform for wheat improvement
  Huw Jones homepage
  www.bract.org
  IGF
• Genetic analysis of nitrogen nutrition in wheat
  Malcolm Hawkesford homepage
  Martin Parry homepage
  Dimah Habash homepage
• Mechanism of protein trafficking and deposition in the wheat endosperm
  HGCA
• Wheat gluten structure and functionality
• Transcriptional analysis of wheat grain development
  Rowan Mitchell homepage