One hundred and eighty-two bread wheat cultivars developed in India were characterized for low molecular weight (LMW) glutenins using SDS-PAGE and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assess allelic diversity encoded by Glu-3 loci, as well as their utility for correctly identifying different alleles. SDS-PAGE indicated Glu-A3c is present in 64.6% of the cultivars, Glu-A3b in 13.8%, Glu-A3d in 12.7% and Glu-A3e/f in 8.8%. Seven types of alleles were present at the Glu-B3 locus: Glu-B3b (29.3%), Glu-B3g (27.0%), Glu-B3h (13.8%), Glu-B3i (16.1%), Glu-B3j (12.1%), Glu-B3c (0.6%) and Glu-B3d (1.1%). SDS-PAGE found three types of Glu-D3 alleles: Glu-D3a (30.2%), Glu-D3b (67.1%) and Glu-D3c (2.7%). However, PCR found two different alleles in cultivars classified as carrying Glu-D3a and three alleles in those identified as carrying Glu-D3b cultivars, indicating a more complex nature of the Glu-D3 locus. In conclusion, the data found greater consistency between the SDS-PAGE and PCR amplification patterns of alleles such as Glu-A3c, Glu-A3d, Glu-B3g, Glu-B3h and Glu-B3i, and less consistency between those same patterns in the Glu-A3b, Glu-A3e/f and Glu-B3b alleles. More studies are needed in order to achieve unambiguous identification of the Glu-3 alleles and thereby allow their greater utility in germplasm evaluation and breeding.
