Combining the genes of blue aleurone and purple pericarp in the genotype of spring bread wheat Saratovskaya 29 to increase anthocyanins in grain

Abstract

Anthocyanins have health-promoting properties and are used to treat many diseases. Purple, blue and black wheat variety contain large quantities of anthocyanins in the outer kernel layers. Anthocyanins in wheat grains accumulate either in the pericarp, under the control of Pp genes, or in the aleurone layer (Ba genes). In black-grained (or deep purple) wheat, anthocyanins can be found in both the pericarp and the aleurone layer. Two lines of Saratovskaya 29 (S29) variety with a black grain color have been created to combine Pp and Ba genes controlling anthocyanins accumulation in one genotype. The lines have been obtained as a result of crossing near isogenic line i:S29Pp1Pp3PF and i:S29Pp1Pp3P with a blue-grain substituted line s:S294E(4B), and subsequent visual selection of plants with black grain coloring in the progeny F4-5. The presence of both pigments in the pericarp and aleurone layer was assessed using light microscopy. The total anthocyanin content in the bran fraction of the new obtained black-grained lines ranged from 145.5 to 241.3 μg/g compared to 135 μg/g of the blue-grain line s:S294E(4B), and 79.4 μg/g – i:S29Pp1PpP and 81.5 μg/g – i:S29Pp1PpPF. The developed lines may be of interest in breeding programs to increase anthocyanins in commercial varieties.