Effect of post-anthesis waterlogging on biosynthesis and granule size distribution of starch in wheat grains

Waterlogging is one of the most common abiotic stress types in wheat production in many rainy areas of the world. Two locally widely grown winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Yumai 34 and Yangmai 9) were subjected to post-anthesis waterlogging in a pot experiment to investigate the impacts of waterlogging on the starch synthesis and the physiochemical properties. Post-anthesis waterlogging significantly decreased grain weight and affected the content of starch components. Waterlogging down-regulated the activity and expression of genes encoding soluble starch synthase [SSS (EC 2.4.1.21)], while up-regulated those of the granule bound starch synthase I [GBSSI (EC:2.4.1.242)]. This further resulted in decreased amylopectin content and increased amylose content. Waterlogging also caused a reduction in the number of starch granules, while increased the mean diameter of starch granules in mature grains, which was mainly due to an increase in the volume frequency percent of the A-type starch granules. Waterlogging also lowered the peak viscosity and trough viscosity of starch, but did not affect the breakdown viscosity and peak time. We concluded that the modified expressions of the starch synthase encoding genes were responsible for the changed size distribution of starch granules, which finally affected the starch pasting properties of wheat growing under post-anthesis waterlogging conditions.