Effects of pre-harvest glyphosate use on protein composition and shikimic acid accumulation in spring wheat

During wheat cultivation, glyphosate-based herbicides are recommended to be applied a week prior to harvest during the ripe stage of physiological maturity. However, some grains may not be at this physiological stage due to non-uniform maturation within the field. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of glyphosate-based herbicide timing on the chemistry of wheat gluten proteins and shikimic acid accumulation. The results of the study indicate that pre-harvest glyphosate application does not impact the amino acid composition, protein secondary structure or gluten protein composition. However, pre-harvest glyphosate application decreased the molecular weight of SDS extractable and unextractable proteins, and significantly increased the amount of shikimic acid accumulation, especially when applied early. Thus, this study indicates that pre-harvest use of glyphosate-based herbicides can cause significant differences in wheat protein chemistry and shikimic acid levels, especially when applied earlier than recommended, emphasizing the importance of timely application.