The grain hardness of 100 current and 24 old superior Slovak winter wheat cultivars was studied at molecular level. Using polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), normal and null alleles of both puroindoline Pina and Pinb genes were identified. Three different genotypes were found: 1) normal allele of both genes (dominant wild type with soft endosperm) − Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1a; 2) normal allele of the Pina gene and null allele of the Pinb gene – Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1b; and 3) null allele of the Pina gene and normal allele of the Pinb gene Pina-D1b/Pinb-D1a. No Slovak current as well as old wheat cultivar had together null allele of both puroindoline genes. The frequencies of wild-type Pinb-D1a and null Pinb-D1b allele in current cultivars were 62.0% and 38.0%, respectively, whilst in old cultivars, 8.3% and 91.7%, respectively. Regarding null allele Pina-D1b of puroindoline Pina gene, only in Rheia current cultivar, one was found. All other cultivars had wild-type Pina-D1a allele. Alacris, Alana, Axis, Balada, Blava, Bona Dea, Bruta, Charger, Hana, Ilona, IS Karpatia, Ludwig and Sulamit current cultivars were selected as donors of the null Pinb-D1b allele for molecular breeding in order to improve the grain hardness as important wheat quality trait. Statistically significant correlations between null Pinb-D1b allele and grain size as well as colour were found. In comparison with wild type, cultivars with this null allele have paler and longer grain with higher length-to-width ratio and lighter grain colour.
