In the context of climate change, high temperature is one of the main abiotic stresses hampering durum wheat production. Through the characterization of an international panel of 271 genotypes, this study investigates the effects of heat stress on quality traits and identifies which glutenins (Glu‐1, Glu‐2 and Glu‐3 loci) alleles are the most important to obtain high gluten strength under optimal and high temperature conditions. In parallel with the wide variability observed in the panel, the genotype and environmental effects, including their interaction, showed highly significant effect on test weight, thousand kernel weight, grain protein content (GPC), sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation volume (SDSS) and SDSS index. Only one genotype maintained test weight and thousand kernel weight under heat‐stress conditions whereas for GPC, SDSS and SDSS index, most genotypes increased values. All Glu loci had significant effects on grain protein content (with the exception of Glu‐B2), SDSS and SDSS Index. None of the Glu loci interacted with the environment or years under study. Among the identified alleles, Glu‐A1b, Glu‐B1an, Glu‐B1a, Glu‐B2a, Glu‐A3a.x, Glu‐A3d, Glu‐B3a and Glu‐B3ax (including the LMW‐2 pattern) were associated with high values for SDSS and SDSS Index. Genotypes identified in this study, with good performances under optimal and high temperature growing conditions, could be useful for breeding programs. The non‐interaction of the Glu loci with the environment facilitates the introgression of desired alleles regardless of high growing temperatures.

BACKGROUND: Durum wheat is the raw material used to produce pasta, and its price is determined by grain physical characteristics, gluten strength and semolina yellowness. Gluten strength is mainly determined by high‐ and low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS and LMW‐GS). Semolina yellowness is determined by loci that control carotenoid content and lipoxygenase activity. Arabinoxylans are the major dietary fibre component within the durum wheat endosperm. Twelve durum wheat cultivars were grown in five locations over two cropping seasons. The objectives of this study were to determine the variability in the aforementioned traits; to assess the influence of genotype, environment and their interaction; and to determine the allelic variation of the main genes associated with gluten strength and semolina yellowness.RESULTS: Grain physical characteristics were mainly determined by the environment. However, the genotype exerted a strong influence on gluten strength, semolina yellowness and arabinoxylan content. There was wide variation in all traits, but arabinoxylan content was limited. For HMW‐GS the most common alleles were Glu‐A1c and Glu‐B1b, while for LMW‐GS they were GLU‐A3a, GLU‐B3a and GLU‐B2a. Regarding carotenoid synthesis genes, Psy‐A1l, Psy‐B1o, Pds‐B1b and TdZds‐A1.1 were the most frequent alleles; while Lpx‐A3 UC1113 and Lpx‐B1.1a were predominant for lipoxygenase genes.CONCLUSIONS: Although the best alleles for gluten quality and yellow colour are present, they are not combined in a single cultivar, which limits the maximisation of overall quality. This study also highlights the importance of searching for arabinoxylan donors due to the limited genetic variability for this trait in commercial durum wheat cultivars. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.