Impact of yield component alleles from durum wheat on end‐use quality of spring wheat

Background and objectives Hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (HRSW) is used for bread baking while durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum) is used for pasta production. This study investigated the impact of alleles from durum wheat for yield component traits on HRSW end‐use quality traits. Near‐isogenic lines for four quantitative trait loci, QGw.mst‐3B, QGw.mst‐7A, QTn.mst‐5B, and QYld.mst‐2B, were evaluated in rainfed and irrigated environments. Findings Durum alleles were found to significantly impact end‐use quality at all four loci. The durum allele QGw.mst‐3B for increased kernel weight (KWT) positively impacted end‐use quality traits with increases in kernel protein and loaf volume. The durum allele at QTn.mst‐5B delayed heading date, impacting productive tiller number and KWT and additional end‐use quality traits. The durum allele at QYld.mst‐2B for GY showed both positive and negative effects on end‐use quality. The durum allele for reduced spikelet number per spike at QGw.mst‐7A had little to no impact on end‐use quality. Conclusions Results from the present study indicate that the alleles from durum wheat are potential sources of cultivar improvement; however, interactions between yield component and end‐use quality traits may influence utilization. Significance and novelty This study demonstrates the potential utility of introgressed durum yield component alleles for genetic improvement in HRSW.