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Characterization of the starch synthase under terminal heat stress and its effect on grain quality of wheat

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Abstract

Terminal heat stress (HS) is a key barrier for wheat grain yield and quality. Various physiochemical and molecular parameters such as photosynthetic rate, expression analysis and activity of starch synthase (SS), total starch, amylose and amylopectin content, total amylolytic activity, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were analysed in wheat cvs.HD3059 (thermotolerant) and BT-Schomburgk (thermosusceptible) at grain-filling stage under HS (32 °C and 40 °C, 1 h). The decrease in photosynthetic rate was observed under HS. Expression analysis of the SS gene at transcript level showed downregulation in both the wheat cvs.HD3059 and BT-Schombugk under HS (32 °C and 40 ºC, 1 h) as compared to the control. Although the downregulation of SS gene transcript expression was less in HD3059 than BT-Schombugk. Both the cultivars showed decrease in starch synthase activity and starch content under HS and the overall content was higher in HD3059, compared to BT-Schomburgk. Higher total amylolytic activity and amylose content were observed in BT-Schomburgk. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed un-structured starch granules under HS. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was found higher in HD3059 (14.07 mM FeSO4 gm−1 FW) compared to BT-Schomburgk (8.89 mM FeSO4 gm−1 FW) under HS (40 ºC, 1 h). Findings suggest that HS during grain filling stage had more severe impact on the overall physiochemical properties of the wheat grain. Thus the starch bisynthesis pathway associated gene(s) could be exploit to enhance the yield and quality of wheat under heat stress.

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Abbreviations

HS:

Heat stress

SS:

Starch synthase

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

TAC:

Total antioxidant capacity

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Funding

Authors sincerely acknowledge the financial assistance received from ICAR under NICRA project (sanction no. TG3079).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biochemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Arti Kumari, Ranjeet R. Kumar, Jyoti P. Singh, Shelly Praveen & Suneha Goswami

  2. ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

    Pooja Verma

  3. Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Karnal, India

    Gyanendra P. Singh

  4. Division of Plant Physiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Viswanathan Chinnusamy

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  1. Arti Kumari
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  2. Ranjeet R. Kumar
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  3. Jyoti P. Singh
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  4. Pooja Verma
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  5. Gyanendra P. Singh
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  6. Viswanathan Chinnusamy
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  7. Shelly Praveen
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  8. Suneha Goswami
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Correspondence to Shelly Praveen or Suneha Goswami.

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Kumari, A., Kumar, R.R., Singh, J.P. et al. Characterization of the starch synthase under terminal heat stress and its effect on grain quality of wheat. 3 Biotech 10, 531 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-020-02527-4

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