Abstract
A diverse panel of 245 wheat genotypes, derived from crosses between landraces from the Watkins collection representing global diversity in the early 20th century and the modern wheat cultivar Paragon, was grown at two field sites in the UK in 2015–16 and the concentrations of zinc and iron determined in wholegrain using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Zinc concentrations in wholegrain varied from 24–49 mg kg-1 and were correlated with iron concentration (r = 0.64) and grain protein content (r = 0.14). However, the correlation with yield was low (r = -0.16) indicating little yield dilution. A sub-set of 24 wheat lines were selected from 245 wheat genotypes and characterised for Zn and Fe concentrations in wholegrain and white flour over two sites and years. White flours from 24 selected lines contained 8–15 mg kg-1 of zinc, which was positively correlated with the wholegrain Zn concentration (r = 0.79, averaged across sites and years). This demonstrates the potential to exploit the diversity in landraces to increase the concentration of Zn in wholegrain and flour of modern high yielding bread wheat cultivars.
Highlights
Zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) are essential micronutrients for human health
Despite the presence of high Zn and Fe concentrations in the grain of wheat landraces, only a few studies have exploited the potential of wheat landraces to increase the Zn and Fe levels of modern wheat cultivars [7, 16, 30]
Our first aim was to screen a panel of 245 wheat genotypes derived from crosses between Watkins landraces and the UK spring wheat cultivar Paragon, for variation in wholegrain Zn and Fe concentrations
Summary
Inadequate dietary intakes of Zn and Fe are linked to diarrhoea, stunting (low height for age in childrem) and anaemia, and to increased mortality [1,2,3]. 20% of the global population has insufficient Zn in their diets, rising to 50% in parts of South Asia and sub-Saharan countries where diets are based on cereals crops including wheat [4]. After red meat and processed meats, bread wheat and products are the main sources of dietary Zn and Fe intake in the UK population [5, 6]. Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important cereal crop globally and provides up to 60% of the total energy intake in some countries (FAOSTAT, 2013; http://www.faostst.fao.org) and is a major source of daily dietary Zn and Fe [7].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
