Genetic and Agronomic Variation in Arabinoxylan and Ferulic Acid Contents of Durum Wheat (Triticum durumL.) Grain and Its Milling Fractions

Abstract

Total arabinoxylan (AXt), water-extractable arabinoxylan (WeAX) and ferulic acid (FA) from five cultivars of durum wheat ( Triticum durum L.), grown under four different agronomic conditions, were measured. Among the varieties analysed, AXt, WeAX and FA contents ranged between 4·07%–6·02%, 0·37%–0·56% and 0·784 mg/g–7·98 mg/g, respectively. High genetic and agronomic variability was detected for AXt, WeAX and FA. AXt and FA increased sharply in milling products for extraction rates above 60%. FA was quantified in durum wheat milling fractions. High concentrations of FA esterified to cell-wall arabinoxylans were found in the aleurone layer (69% of total FA), germ and seedcoat (26·6% of total FA). Only trace amounts were detected in the starchy endosperm (1·4% of total FA). A highly significant correlation appeared between AXt and FA contents.