Iron Bioavailability in Field Pea Seeds: Correlations with Iron, Phytate, and Carotenoids

Abstract

Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a nutritious pulse crop consumed as food and animal feed in many countries. The present study was performed to determine the potential effects of Fe, phytate, and carotenoid concentrations on Fe bioavailability (FeBIO) of field pea seeds. Selected PR‐07 (recombinant inbred line [RIL] population derived from the cross ‘Carrera’/‘CDC Striker’) lines, which segregated for Fe concentration and cotyledon color, showed positive correlation between their Fe concentration and FeBIO. In a second study, lines 4802‐8 (derived from the cross 1‐2347‐144/‘CDC Raezer’) and 4803‐4 (derived from the cross 1‐150‐81/‘CDC Limerick’), segregating for phytate concentration and cotyledon color were evaluated for FeBIO. Phytate concentration was negatively correlated with FeBIO in 4802‐8 (r = −0.34) and 4803‐4 (r = −0.37) sublines. Four carotenoid compounds (lutein, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and β‐carotene) were measured in seeds of 4802‐8 and 4803‐4 sublines and summed to determine total carotenoid concentration. Green cotyledon and yellow cotyledon pea sublines did not differ significantly in total carotenoid concentration; β‐carotene was detected in green cotyledon sublines but not in yellow cotyledon sublines. Although no significant correlation was detected between total carotenoid concentration and FeBIO, in 4802‐8 sublines lutein concentration was positively correlated (r = 0.41) with FeBIO. This research shows the potential positive associations between low phytate, high Fe, and high carotenoid concentration with improved FeBIO in pea seeds to improve Fe nutrition of foods.