Abstract
Arabinoxylans (AX) represent the most abundant components of non-starch polysaccharides in wheat, constituting about 70% of cell wall polysaccharides. An important property of AX is their ability to form highly viscous water solutions; this peculiarity has a significant impact on the technological characteristics of wheat and determines the physiologically positive influence in consumption. Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var durum), the raw material for pasta production, is one of the most important crops in Italy. As part of a large project aimed at improving durum wheat quality, the characterization of the nutritional and technological aspects of whole grains was considered. Particular attention was addressed to identify the best suited genotypes for the production of innovative types of pasta with enhanced functional and organoleptic properties. The objective of the present study was to investigate the genetic variability of AX by examining a group of durum wheat genotypes collected at two localities in Italy for two consecutive years. The environmental influence on AX content and extractability was also evaluated. Variability in the AX fraction contents was observed; the results indicated that AX fractions of durum wheat grain can be affected by the genotype and environment characteristics and the different contribution of genotype and environment to total variation was evidenced. The genotype × environment (G × E) interaction was significant for all examined traits, the variations due to G × E being lower than that of genotype or environment. The data and the statistical analysis allowed identification of the Italian durum wheat varieties that were consistently higher in total arabinoxilans; in addition, principal component analysis biplots illustrated that for arabinoxylan fractions some varieties responded differently in various environment climatic conditions.
Highlights
A large amount of research underlined the significant role that the dietary fiber components play in improving human health and emphasized that a high intake of fiber and of whole cereal grains is a key component of a healthy dietary pattern [1,2]
In the durum wheat varieties grown in Jesi the protein content measured was greater than that grown in Foggia in both the years; these differences likely reflected the major availability of nitrogen fertilizer during grain filling and different soil fertility
The results showed that, with regard to Total arabinoxylan (TOAX) and WUAX contents, some cultivars were significantly superior to the others: Trionfo, followed by Alemanno, presented the highest means for TOAX and WUAX fractions, having consistently the highest TOAX content in three of the four environments analyzed
Summary
A large amount of research underlined the significant role that the dietary fiber components play in improving human health and emphasized that a high intake of fiber and of whole cereal grains is a key component of a healthy dietary pattern [1,2]. Specific healthy effects on chronic diseases have been associated with different fiber components; soluble fractions have, in particular, attracted much attention for their property to increase food viscosity by determining many of the actual physiological effects. Numerous studies investigated the influence of genotype and growing environment on the AX contents of the wheat grain (T. aestivum). Large variations in content and structural features of WEAX in wheat flour of French varieties and the large impact of genotype on AX structure were evidenced by Ordaz-Ortiz and Saulnier [20].
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