Abstract
Organic farming faces challenges providing sufficient nutrient supply as manure and crop rotations are often the major nutrient inputs. Larger row distances and fewer seed densities can support nitrogen availability by giving more space to the single plant. As free asparagine (Asn) the main precursor of acrylamide (AA) in plants is closely related to nitrogen uptake and storage, the question arose whether free Asn will be affected by row distance and seed densities in organic farming. This study investigated the effect of row distance and seed density on yield, yield components, baking quality, and free Asn in organic farming. A two-year field trial was carried out including two winter wheat cultivars, two row distances, and two seed densities. Year and cultivar highly influenced all traits. The impact of both treatments was mainly caused by interaction. Nevertheless, enlarged row distances raised baking quality, while free Asn was changed to a minor extent. Thus, we recommend larger row distances for raising baking quality without increasing free Asn. Seed density is of minor relevance. The close relation found between free Asn and grains per spike (R2 = 0.72) indicates that smaller grains contain more Asn than bigger grains. This opens new insights into Asn synthesis during grain development and offers a potential prediction of Asn amounts.
Highlights
Securing of food quality is currently a major task for the scientific community
The study aimed to assess the impact of row distance and seed density on grain quality, yield components, and yield in organically grown wheats
All traits were influenced by year and mostly by cultivar, increasing the row distance increased the baking quality traits of the crude protein level and the sedimentation value, while free Asn concentration was affected only to a minor extent
Summary
Securing of food quality is currently a major task for the scientific community. In this context, ensuring the absence of harmful substances in foods that can cause cancer is of high relevance. Until the year 2000, the food born toxicant Acrylamide (AA) was not known to be present in food products. Nearly two decades after the first discoveries of AA in food, the European Commission [2] announced a regulation which restricts AA contents in cereal food products and forces the implementation of harm minimization strategies if benchmark levels are exceeded. The food industry has faced the major challenge of reducing the risk of AA appearing in their food products
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