Genetic variation of hordein polypeptides in grains of mutants of hulless spring barley [Hordeum vulgare L.] breeding line

Hordein polypeptides patterns of 146 mutants in M7 from a hulless spring barley breeding line were examined. The mutants were obtained after treatment of grains of Polish hulless spring barley breeding line, 1N/86, with the chemomutagens N-nitroso-N-methylurea and sodium azide. The mutants were distinguished from the parental line with regard to morphological and yield structure traits. SDS-PAGE of the main hordein fractions, B and C, showed that the electrophoretic patterns of the majority of the analysed mutants were similar to the hordein polypeptide spectrum of the parental line. However, specific hordein patterns were obtained from six of the mutants. In the previous study, the same mutants showed a significantly better feeding value as compared to hulled cultivars and the rest of the analysed mutants.