Use of capillary electrophoresis to monitor wheat maturation

The maturation of wheat varieties with different harvest times has been examined by high-performance capillary electrophoresis. The unique proteins of the albumin, gliadin and glutenin fractions of Hungarian winter wheat cultivars Bánkúti 1201 (early harvest time), Martonvásári 23 (medium harvest time), and Martonvásári 15 (semi-late harvest time) were analysed. An acidic phosphate buffer containing a polymeric additive and organic modifiers was used in capillary zone electrophoresis mode. Formation of albumin followed the same time scale, and the patterns were quite similar, for all three cultivars. For gliadins and glutenins the time scale and patterns were different and some correlation was observed between harvest time and gliadin formation.