Variation of the total content of polyphenols and phenolic acids in einkorn, emmer, spelt and common wheat grain as a function of genotype, wheat species and crop year

Abstract

The study aimed at evaluating the total content of polyphenols (TPC) and phenolic acids (TPA) in grain of 4 spring einkorn, 4 emmer, 4 spelt and 4 common wheat genotypes cultivated under organic cropping system in two-year trials. The TPC and TPA were significantly affected both by genotype, wheat species and crop year (weather conditions). At the same time, TPC and TPA were mainly affected by the crop year while the effect of genetic factors was lesser. The TPC ranged from 618 mg/kg DM (dry matter) (common wheat cv. Annie) to 792.37 mg/kg DM (Triticum monococcum GEO) and TPA from 700.66 mg/kg DM (cv. Annie) to 874.74 mg/kg DM (Schwedishes einkorn) in an average of two-year results. Related to the wheat species, total content of polyphenols was in order einkorn > emmer > common wheat > spelt, total content of phenolic acids in order einkorn > spelt > emmer > common wheat. Higher TPC and TPA were observed in the very dry year 2018.