Triticum Monococcum Research Articles

A high‐resolution einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) linkage map involving wild, domesticated and feral einkorn genotypes

AbstractA high‐resolution consensus linkage map of Triticum monococcum was assembled from two separate maps involving domesticated, feral and wild einkorn wheat accessions. The genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) approach based on DArTseq markers yielded overstretched maps. Deleting all markers with missing data and then converting dubious singletons to missing data produced two maps of about 1,380 cM, close to the published genome size. The consensus map spanned 1,562 cM, had one bin mapped every 0.92 cM and showed only one gap > 10 cM. Chromosome length varied between 151 cM (chromosome 4) and 270 cM (chromosome 7). The consensus map was compared to other A‐genome maps, and the sequences of genetically mapped DArTseq were used to anchor contigs of the T. monococcum, T. urartu and T. aestivum draft genomes based on sequence homology to assess colinearity and to assign mapped markers to the seven chromosomes of the bread wheat A‐genome. Finally, an in silico functional characterization of the sequences was performed. This high‐resolution map will facilitate QTL and association analysis and assist the genome assembly of the einkorn genome.

Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of wholegrain breads from modern and old wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars and ancestors enriched with wheat sprout powder

In this study, we compared nutritional characteristics of breads from wholegrain flours of three modern cultivars, four old cultivars and one landrace population of common wheat (Triticum aestivum), one Khorasan (Triticum turgidum var turanicum) accession and one einkorn (Triticum monococcum) cultivar. One bread from refined flour was also included. All flours were enriched or not with 5% (w:w) of wheat sprout powder (WSP) to obtain enriched breads (EB) or control breads (CB), respectively. Total phenolics and flavonoids, reducing power, radical scavenging and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances production inhibition were measured on bread aqueous extracts. CB from old cultivars were generally higher in phenolic content and antioxidant activity than CB from modern cultivars. All EB showed increased phenolic content and antioxidant activity compared to CB, but the increase varied with the source flour, despite WSP supplementation was the same for all breads. In particular, the increase in phenolic content was much relevant for EB of modern cultivars.

The effect of einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) whole meal flour addition on physico-chemical characteristics, biological active compounds and in vitro starch digestion of cookies

To assess the effect of enriching wheat cookies with einkorn on pasting properties, physico-chemical characteristics, bioactive components and in vitro starch digestion, five types of cookies with different whole meal einkorn flour content (0%, 30%, 50%, 70% and 100%) were prepared. The cookies with einkorn had larger diameter and were thinner than those with only bread wheat flour. The amount of ash, protein, total polyphenols, antioxidant activity, total carotenoids, and β-glucans increased, while moisture and pH decreased in einkorn-enriched cookies. The in vitro tests showed that starch digestion of 100% einkorn cookies was similar to 100% bread wheat until 120 min, but was lower at 180 min. These results demonstrate that einkorn-enriched cookies have better physico-chemical and nutritional characteristics than plain bread wheat cookies. Their diffusion could provide the consumers a novel cereal-based product with health promoting characteristics.

Study of the genetic polymorphism of diploid wheat Triticum boeoticum Boiss. using SSR markers

Diploid wheat Triticum boeoticum Boiss. (genome constitution AA) is a promising source of new valu­able alleles for improving cultivated wheat species. Therefore, the evaluation of the intraspecies diversity of T. boeoticum and DNA fingerprinting of accessions of this species are topical tasks. In this paper, the ge­netic diversity of over 60 T. boeoticum accessions was studied using 11 SSR markers. The analysis revealed 83 alleles, 7.5 alleles per locus on the average. The values of expected (HE) and observed (HO) heterozygosity varied within 0.00–0.74 and 0.17–0.89, respectively, the average indices being HO = 0.13 and HE = 0.52. The PIC value for each locus was within 0.17–0.88, 0.49 on the average. Unique alleles were found in all loci studied. Cluster analysis allowed the accessions studied to be combined into five major groups. The distances between the groups varied from 0 to 1, pointing to a high level of genetic differences in the collection under study. On the base of PCoA, five major groups were formed and some correspondence with the dendrogram was detected. Summarizing the data of PCoA and cluster analysis, we noted a weak genetic differentiation in the studied collection of T. boeoticum . A correlation between the genetic distance and geographic origin was revealed only for accessions of diploid wheat T. boeoticum from Iran. The analysis of the T. boeoticum accessions studied showed a wide diversity for SSR loci. The results expand our knowledge and pro­vide additional information on the genetic structure of the collection and on the genetic diversity of T. boeoti­cum accessions studied.

Archaeobotanical evidence reveals the origins of bread 14,400 years ago in northeastern Jordan

The origins of bread have long been associated with the emergence of agriculture and cereal domestication during the Neolithic in southwest Asia. In this study we analyze a total of 24 charred food remains from Shubayqa 1, a Natufian hunter-gatherer site located in northeastern Jordan and dated to 14.6-11.6 ka cal BP. Our finds provide empirical data to demonstrate that the preparation and consumption of bread-like products predated the emergence of agriculture by at least 4,000 years. The interdisciplinary analyses indicate the use of some of the "founder crops" of southwest Asian agriculture (e.g., Triticum boeoticum, wild einkorn) and root foods (e.g., Bolboschoenus glaucus, club-rush tubers) to produce flat bread-like products. The available archaeobotanical evidence for the Natufian period indicates that cereal exploitation was not common during this time, and it is most likely that cereal-based meals like bread become staples only when agriculture was firmly established.

Systemic Sustainability of the French Organic Rice and PGI Einkorn Value Chains: A Preliminary Assessment Based on Network Analysis

Public authorities and consumers increasingly support food value chains that are more environmentally friendly. However, these value chains are faced with technical, economic and institutional limitations, calling into question their long-term viability. Based on two case studies of alternative food chains in France, namely einkorn (Triticum monococcum) in Haute Provence and organic rice in the Camargue, we evaluated their capacity to remain both viable and environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. After assessing the traditional economic, social and environmental performance of their sustainability, we performed a network analysis to determine the survivability of the systems. The combined use of the traditional pillars of sustainability and the network analysis forms what we term the systemic sustainability. Results suggest that the einkorn value chain is characterised by a high degree of centrality represented by a producers’ association, although the systemic sustainability of the chain is reduced by its dependence on a leading processor. As for the organic rice value chain, centralised power is exerted by three companies embedded in a strong network of actors characterised by diversified connections. The paper concludes by highlighting the potential interest of conducting a network analysis to better determine the sustainability of food value chains.

Assessment of genetic diversity and relationships among Triticum urartu and Triticum boeoticum populations from Iran using IRAP and REMAP markers

Einkorn wheat is known as the donor of ‘A’ genome to cultivated wheat and source of many important genes. Therefore, genetic erosion in cultivated wheat provides a good reason to investigate genetic diversity in these species. In the present study, genetic diversity of 14 populations of Triticum urartu and Triticum boeoticum collected from west and north-west of Iran was examined by IRAP and REMAP markers. In total, 26 out of 36 IRAP and 41 out of 88 REMAP combinations amplified polymorphic and scorable banding patterns. IRAP and REMAP combinations produced 6.53 and 5.21 polymorphic bands per assay, respectively. Mean of polymorphism information content for IRAPs and REMAPs were 0.38 and 0.40 and marker index values for them were 2.60 and 2.09, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance based on IRAP and REMAP data revealed significant within and among population variances, although within population variance was higher than that of among population. Primer combinations based on Sukkula and Nikita retrotransposons produced the highest number of markers in the whole population. Cluster and principal coordinate analyses using REMAP data grouped the populations based on the species and geographical origin, but grouping based on IRAP could not separate the two species. However, based on both marker systems considerable diversity was observed among and within the studied populations.

DETERMINING THE MODES OF TECHNOLOGICAL OPERATIONS IN THE PRODUCTION OF EINKORN WHEAT BREAD MADE OF FROZEN DOUGH AND ENRICHED WITH JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE FLOUR

Einkorn wheat is a grain crop characterized by the ability not to accumulate heavy metals from the soil. Besides, it is rich in selenium. Jerusalem artichoke is rich in inulin. From the combination of these two types of flour (einkorn wheat and Jerusalem artichoke), bread can be produced for people for who suffer from type 2 diabetes. It is proved that consuming bread enriched with Jerusalem artichoke for two months every day significantly reduces the glycaemic index of patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. To provide these patients systematically with fresh bread, the bread dough freezing technique is suggested. We have studied how the storage time of dough enriched with a flour mix (100 % einkorn wheat flour and Jerusalem artichoke flour) in the frozen state influence the modes of the main technological operations in the production of bread made of frozen dough, namely, defrosting, the time of increasing the temperature of the dough up to the operational level, the duration of the final fermentation and of baking. It has been established that the storage time of the dough in the frozen state reduces the duration of defrosting (which differs by 91 min. from that of the reference sample). However, there is a reverse effect, too, for the rise of the temperature of the dough to the operational level and for the final fermentation. The duration of the two above-mentioned operations is determined simultaneously. It is 5 min. more, compared with the reference sample. It has been established that the storage time of frozen dough does not affect the duration of baking. By the organoleptic indicators, the bread from the frozen dough is very similar to the reference sample.

Germination Stage Water Scarcity in Bread and Einkorn Wheat

Germination (GR, %) and power (GP, %) rates, coleoptile (CL, cm), shoot lenght (SL, cm), and root (RL, cm) length, shoot/root length ratio (SRLR), root fresh weight (RFW, mg) and dry (RDW, mg) weight, and root fresh/dry root ratio (RFDWR) of 12 bread and 10 einkorn wheat genotypes were investigated under 7 drought stress levels. SL and SRLR in the study were the most sensitive traits and followed by CL and RL. The mean performance of all traits was worsened starting at various stress levels. The highest percent reduction was in SL (100.00%), SRLR (100.00%), and RL (99.07%), and the lowest one was in GP (55.9%). The common applied drought tolerance indices grouped the entries as tolerant, moderate, and susceptible. Einkorn populations from higher rainfall Blacksea region responded worse under drought stress than bread wheat cultivars, which were improved for drier or relatively drier Central Anatolia, Sub-Marmara, and Thrace regions.

Characterization of an Expressed Triticum monococcum Glu-A1y Gene Containing a Premature Termination Codon in its C-terminal Coding Region

Premature termination codons (PTCs) are an important reason for the silence of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits in Triticum species. Although the Glu-A1y gene is generally silent in common wheat, we here isolated an expressed Glu-A1y gene containing a PTC, named 1Ay8.3, from Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum (AmAm, 2n = 2x = 14). Despite the presence of a PTC (TAG) at base pair positions 1879–1881 in the C-terminal coding region, this did not obviously affect 1Ay8.3 expression in seeds. This was demonstrated by the fact that when the PTC TAG of 1Ay8.3 was mutated to the CAG codon, the mutant in Escherichia coli bacterial cells expressed the same subunit as in the seeds. However, in E. coli, 1Ay8.3 containing the PTC expressed a truncated protein with faster electrophoretic mobility than that in seeds, suggesting that PTC translation termination suppression probably occurs in vivo (seeds) but not in vitro (E. coli). This may represent one of only a few reports on the PTC termination suppression phenomenon in genes.

“You Can Never Give Up Siyez If You Taste It Once”: Local Taste, Global Markets, and the Conservation of Einkorn, an Ancient Wheat

Einkorn (Triticum monococcum), locally known as siyez in northwest Turkey, is a hulled wheat variety. It is a semi-wild relative of wheat and is considered one of the Neolithic founder crops of agriculture, along with emmer and barley. Grown in the ancient Near East for at least eight thousand years, its production today is limited to marginal mountainous and isolated communities in different countries of the Mediterranean region. This article examines the expansion of einkorn markets in Turkey, an important wheat exporting and processing country, which has created increased income opportunities for small farmers in Ihsangazi, Kastamonu. Although einkorn already fits into the broad dietary habits of Turkish consumers, gradual market expansion has occurred as urban middle-class consumers acquire a taste for it. While the emergence of health niche markets has been one factor, the interventions of multiple actors have also helped to create and sustain these markets that connect local producers to both local and global consumers.

Mechanisms, origin and heredity of Glu-1Ay silencing in wheat evolution and domestication.

Allotetraploidization drives Glu-1Ay silencing in polyploid wheat. The high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit gene, Glu-1Ay, is always silenced in common wheat via elusive mechanisms. To investigate its silencing and heredity during wheat polyploidization and domestication, the Glu-1Ay gene was characterized in 1246 accessions containing diploid and polyploid wheat worldwide. Eight expressed Glu-1Ay alleles (in 71.81% accessions) and five silenced alleles with a premature termination codon (PTC) were identified in Triticum urartu; 4 expressed alleles (in 41.21% accessions), 13 alleles with PTCs and 1 allele with a WIS 2-1A retrotransposon were present in wild tetraploid wheat; and only silenced alleles with PTC or WIS 2-1A were in cultivated tetra- and hexaploid wheat. Both the PTC number and position in T. urartu Glu-1Ay alleles (one in the N-terminal region) differed from its progeny wild tetraploid wheat (1-5 PTCs mainly in the repetitive domain). The WIS 2-1A insertion occurred ~ 0.13 million years ago in wild tetraploid wheat, much later than the allotetraploidization event. The Glu-1Ay alleles with PTCs or WIS 2-1A that arose in wild tetraploid wheat were fully succeeded to cultivated tetraploid and hexaploid wheat. In addition, the Glu-1Ay gene in wild einkorn inherited to cultivated einkorn. Our data demonstrated that the silencing of Glu-1Ay in tetraploid and hexaploid wheat was attributed to the new PTCs and WIS 2-1A insertion in wild tetraploid wheat, and most silenced alleles were delivered to the cultivated tetraploid and hexaploid wheat, providing a clear evolutionary history of the Glu-1Ay gene in the wheat polyploidization and domestication processes.

Genetic relationship of diploid wheat (Triticum spp.) species assessed by SSR markers

Genetic diversity of 139 accessions of diploid Triticum species including Triticum urartu, Triticum boeoticum and Triticum monococcum was studied using 11 SSR (simple sequence repeats) markers. A total of 111 alleles with an average of 10 alleles per locus were detected. The polymorphism information content (PIC) of each SSR marker ranged from 0.30 to 0.90 with an average value of 0.62. Among the three Triticum species T. urartu had the highest number of total alleles (Na = 81), private alleles (Npa = 15) and showed higher genetic diversity (Hex = 0.58; PIC = 0.54). The genotypes from Turkey exhibited the highest genetic diversity (PIC = 0.6), while the least diversity was observed among 4 Georgian accessions (PIC = 0.11). Cluster analysis was able to distinguish 139 wheat accessions at the species level. The highest genetic similarity (GS) was noted between T. boeticum and T. monococcum (GS = 0.84), and the lowest between T. urartu and T. monococcum (GS = 0.46). The grouping pattern of the PCoA analysis corresponded with cluster analysis. No significant differences were found in clustering of T. urartu and T. monococcum accessions with respect to their geographic regions, while within T. boeoticum species, accessions from Iran were somewhat associated with their geographical origin and clustered as a close and separate group. The results from our study demonstrated that SSR markers were good enough for further genetic diversity analysis in einkorn wheat species.

A molecular genetic research of the Triticum sinskajae A. Filat. et Kurk. by RAPD analysis and by comparing the nucleotide sequences of the variable intergenic region of the petN-trnC-GCA chloroplast genome and intron of the histone H3.2 gene

Background. Triticum sinskajae A. Filat. et Kurk. was discovered in the early 70th in the last century at the regular reproduction in the Central Asian and Dagestan VIR-stations of T. monococcum samples.
 Materials and methods. The objects of the study were 4 species of diploid wheat Triticum urartu Thum. ex Gandil. (lines k-62477, k-62465), Triticum monococcum L. (lines k-20970, k-39471), Triticum boeoticum Boiss. (lines k-59161, k-28132, k-40118) and Triticum sinskajae A. Filat. et Kurk. (line k-48993).
 Results. We found differences between T. sinskajaeand T. monococcum in the variable region of the histone gene H3.2, and the RAPD analysis showed the presence of unique polymorphic loci in T. sinskajae.
 Conclusion. In gene ral, T. boeoticum, T. monococcum, and T. sinskajae are most likely to be closely related species of diploid wheat, whereas T. urartu is quite significantly different from them.

Analysis of MAPK and MAPKK gene families in wheat and related Triticeae species

BackgroundThe mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family is involved in signal transduction networks that underpin many different biological processes in plants, ranging from development to biotic and abiotic stress responses. To date this class of enzymes has received little attention in Triticeae species, which include important cereal crops (wheat, barley, rye and triticale) that represent over 20% of the total protein food-source worldwide.ResultsThe work presented here focuses on two subfamilies of Triticeae MAPKs, the MAP kinases (MPKs), and the MAPK kinases (MKKs) whose members phosphorylate the MPKs. In silico analysis of multiple Triticeae sequence databases led to the identification of 152 MAPKs belonging to these two sub-families. Some previously identified MAPKs were renamed to reflect the literature consensus on MAPK nomenclature. Two novel MPKs, MPK24 and MPK25, have been identified, including the first example of a plant MPK carrying the TGY activation loop sequence common to mammalian p38 MPKs. An EF-hand calcium-binding domain was found in members of the Triticeae MPK17 clade, a feature that appears to be specific to Triticeae species. New insights into the novel MEY activation loop identified in MPK11s are offered. When the exon-intron patterns for some MPKs and MKKs of wheat, barley and ancestors of wheat were assembled based on transcript data in GenBank, they showed deviations from the same sequence predicted in Ensembl. The functional relevance of MAPKs as derived from patterns of gene expression, MPK activation and MKK-MPK interaction is discussed.ConclusionsA comprehensive resource of accurately annotated and curated Triticeae MPK and MKK sequences has been created for wheat, barley, rye, triticale, and two ancestral wheat species, goat grass and red wild einkorn. The work we present here offers a central information resource that will resolve existing confusion in the literature and sustain expansion of MAPK research in the crucial Triticeae grains.

Growth and Development of Triticum Monococcum L., Triticum Dicoccum Sch. and Triticum Spelta L. in Organic Farming Conditions

Summary During the 2014-2016 period in Agroecological Center at the Agricultural University - Plovdiv, Bulgaria growth and development of three species of wheat in terms of organic farming had been tracked in order to return the species in the crop rotation, maintenance of biodiversity and receiving of cleaner and healthy products from organic farms. The three species of wheat Triticum monococcum L., Triticum dicoccum Sch, and Triticum spelta L., differ between its rate of growth, development, general and productive tillering. In tillering phase the plants reached 12,3 cm of height for Triticum monococcum L., 15,7 cm for Triticum spelta L. and 19,4 cm for Triticum dicoccum Sch. Triticum monococcum L. and Triticum dicoccum Sch, reached ear formation phase 5 days earlier than Triticum spelta L. The interfacial period of stem elongation - ear formation in them, was about 21 days compared to 25 days for Triticum spelta L.. From ear formation to full maturity inter-phase periods were shorter in Triticum dicoccum Sch., which specifies the species as an early mature (6 days earlier) compared to the other two. After phenophase of stem elongation plants were growing the most intensive and in full ripeness reached a height of 94 cm in Triticum monococcum L., 81,5 cm in Triticum dicoccum Sch. and 82,5 cm in Triticum spelta L.

Comparison of the in vitro toxicity of ancient Triticum monococcum varieties ID331 and Monlis

Triticum monococcum L. is one of the oldest ancestors of wheat. There is some evidence that einkorn encloses forms of gliadin-deriving peptides which may potentially exert a reduced toxicity to consumers with gluten-related disorders. Accordingly, ID331 and Monlis lines were comparatively investigated in this study. The biological effects of gastro-resistant peptides deriving from an in vitro simulated digestion were evaluated on 21 d differentiated Caco-2 cells. Triticum aestivum digested gliadin was included as the positive control. ID331 neither enhanced cell permeability nor induced zonulin release in Caco-2 monolayers. Monlis exerted a detectable toxicity as confirmed by the reorganisation of enterocyte cytoskeleton, in addition to changes both in monolayers permeability and apical release of zonulin. Differences in patterns of gastro-resistant prolamins may account for the differences. Outcomes support the use of ID331 as a prospective candidate for the development of innovative approaches to reduce wheat flour toxicity.

Identification and characterisation of RNA editing sites in chloroplast transcripts of einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum)

AbstractRNA editing is a biological process that the RNA molecule occurred base change or modification to result in the change of genetic information at the post‐transcription level, which played the vital roles in plant growth and development as well as in response to diverse stresses. To understand the composition and characteristic of chloroplast RNA editing patterns in einkorn wheat, the progenitor of wheat A subgenome, we systematically predicted and identified the RNA editing sites in plastome of three einkorn wheat species using bioinformatics analysis combined with RT‐PCR method. A total of 33 sites distributed in 15 genes, 34 in 15 genes and 33 in 14 genes were predicted in Triticum urartu, Triticum boeoticum and Triticum monococcum, respectively, all of which were C to U conversion and most of them could be validated by RNA‐seq data. Furthermore, all of the predicted editing sites were validated experimentally in T. urartu. Totally, 24 sites were found to be consistent with the prediction. The secondary structure and transmembrane domains of these five transcripts with the most abundant editing sites were further investigated. The results showed that the secondary structures of all five genes were changed, together with the transmembrane domains of ndhB were also altered as the result of editing, suggesting that RNA editing could have impact on the biological function of target genes. Finally, comparative analysis of the RNA editing patterns among Triticum species was performed to identify the conserved and species‐specific editing sites. This study reported the chloroplast RNA editing in einkorn wheat, which laid the foundation for further study on the biological function of chloroplast RNA editing in wheat, and also provided the important information to reveal the origin and evolution of wheat from the perspective of RNA editing.

Mapping of HKT1;5 Gene in Barley Using GWAS Approach and Its Implication in Salt Tolerance Mechanism.

Sodium (Na+) accumulation in the cytosol will result in ion homeostasis imbalance and toxicity of transpiring leaves. Studies of salinity tolerance in the diploid wheat ancestor Triticum monococcum showed that HKT1;5-like gene was a major gene in the QTL for salt tolerance, named Nax2. In the present study, we were interested in investigating the molecular mechanisms underpinning the role of the HKT1;5 gene in salt tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare). A USDA mini-core collection of 2,671 barley lines, part of a field trial was screened for salinity tolerance, and a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) was performed. Our results showed important SNPs that are correlated with salt tolerance that mapped to a region where HKT1;5 ion transporter located on chromosome four. Furthermore, sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) content analysis revealed that tolerant lines accumulate more sodium in roots and leaf sheaths, than in the sensitive ones. In contrast, sodium concentration was reduced in leaf blades of the tolerant lines under salt stress. In the absence of NaCl, the concentration of Na+ and K+ were the same in the roots, leaf sheaths and leaf blades between the tolerant and the sensitive lines. In order to study the molecular mechanism behind that, alleles of the HKT1;5 gene from five tolerant and five sensitive barley lines were cloned and sequenced. Sequence analysis did not show the presence of any polymorphism that distinguishes between the tolerant and sensitive alleles. Our real-time RT-PCR experiments, showed that the expression of HKT1;5 gene in roots of the tolerant line was significantly induced after challenging the plants with salt stress. In contrast, in leaf sheaths the expression was decreased after salt treatment. In sensitive lines, there was no difference in the expression of HKT1;5 gene in leaf sheath under control and saline conditions, while a slight increase in the expression was observed in roots after salt treatment. These results provide stronger evidence that HKT1;5 gene in barley play a key role in withdrawing Na+ from the xylem and therefore reducing its transport to leaves. Given all that, these data support the hypothesis that HKT1;5 gene is responsible for Na+ unloading to the xylem and controlling its distribution in the shoots, which provide new insight into the understanding of this QTL for salinity tolerance in barley.

Novel insights into pericarp, protein body globoids of aleurone layer, starchy granules of three cereals gained using atomic force microscopy and environmental scanning electronic microscopy.

In this study, we applied Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (ESEM-EDS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis to three different cereal caryopses: barley, oat and einkorn wheat. The morphological structures, chemical elemental composition and surface characteristics of the three cereals were described. Regarding the morphology, barley showed the thickest pericarp, providing a strong barrier to digestion and absorption of nutrients. The aleurone layer of each cereal type contained protein body globoids within its cells. Large type-A and small type-B starchy granules were revealed in the endosperm of barley and einkorn wheat, whereas irregular starchy granules were found in oats. The starchy granule elemental composition, detected by ESEM-EDS, was rather homogenous in the three cereals, whereas the pericarp and protein body globoids showed heterogeneity. In the protein body globoids, oats showed higher P and K concentrations than barley and einkorn wheat. Regarding the topographic profiles, detected by AFM, einkorn wheat starchy granules showed a surface profile that differed significantly from that of oats and barley, which were quite similar to one another. The present work provides insights into the morphological and chemical makeup of the three grains shedding light on the higher bio-accessibility of einkorn wheat nutrients compared to barley and oats, providing important suggestions for human nutrition and technological standpoints.