Wheat Samples Research Articles

Microwave-Assisted Digestion Using Dilute Nitric Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide for Multielement Determination in Wheat Flour by ICP-MS

A closed-vessel microwave digestion method was developed for the simultaneous determination of macro, micro, and toxic elements (Mg, K, Ca, Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, V, Cd, and As) in wheat by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A two-level factorial design with four variables was employed to determine the optimal conditions for the significant parameters. The optimal conditions for microwave digestion of ground wheat samples were found to be 0.5 g of the sample, 9 mL of 8 mol/L HNO3, and 3 mL of 33% H2O2 at 210°C. The analytical method was validated, and the accuracy of the method was then evaluated through analysis of wheat flour-certified standard reference materials (NIST SRM 1567b). The validated procedure was subsequently applied to the analysis of 12 wheat samples sourced from local farms in the Al-Qassim region and a further six samples purchased from the Al-Qassim markets, covering six imported brands common in Saudi Arabia. The results of the study showed that the level of minerals in wheat grown in desert areas is higher than in other areas. The concentrations of macroelements and microelements in the Al-Qassim samples exceeded those of the imported samples by 12.41% and those of the samples from other countries by 33.90%. The results were also evaluated using multivariate analysis techniques: principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA).

The potential of sodium carbonate and Tiron extractions for the determination of silicon contents in plant samples—A method comparison using hydrofluoric acid digestion as reference

For the determination of silicon (Si) contents in plant materials several methods are in use, but as all of these methods exhibit specific advantages and drawbacks, none of them has become prevalent. Alkaline chemicals are widely used to extract Si from plant samples, because this method is comparably simple, fast, and cheap. However, a comprehensive method comparison between different alkaline extractions to different plant organs is still missing, as well as understanding of the relationship between Si content quantified with those methods and soil silicon availability. In our study we performed two different alkaline (sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and Tiron) extractions to determine Si contents in husk and straw samples of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum). Results obtained from hydrofluoric (HF) acid digestion were used as reference as this method is assumed to completely dissolve Si in a plant material. We evaluated the efficacy of simple, single-step Na2CO3 and Tiron extractions in relation to complex, multistep HF extractions and analyzed the relationships between Si and phytolith contents in plant samples and plant available Si concentrations in corresponding soil samples. Irrespective of the plant material used (husk or straw) we found Tiron to be more efficient in Si extraction compared to Na2CO3. While Na2CO3 extractions systematically underestimated Si contents in the tested plant materials, the results of Tiron extractions were comparable to the results of HF digestions, at least for husk samples. Phytolith contents in plant samples were strongly positively correlated to Si contents obtained from extractions, especially in husk samples. Plant available Si in soil samples was also reflected best in husk Si contents. Based on our results we recommend the use of Tiron for the extraction of Si from plant materials as this method provided more reliable results compared to the Na2CO3 extraction.

Composition of some trace elements in wheat plant and soil

Zinc, copper, nickel, and manganese are essential nutrients for plants. However, excessive accumulation in the plant can lead to significant risks and problems in terms of human health after consumption. Also, the accumulation of chromium, cadmium and lead elements in plants can have a toxic effect on human health. This study aimed to determine the concentrations of copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) trace elements in wheat plants and soil. Mean trace element levels in soil samples taken from the city center Mn 556.9 mg kg-1, Ni 62.45 mg kg-1, Cr 24.98 mg kg-1, Zn 40.75 mg kg-1, Cu 17.25 mg kg-1, Pb 7.65 mg kg-1, Cd as 1.63 mg kg-1 and the average trace element levels in soil samples taken from villages Mn 418.7 mg kg-1, Zn 48.53 mg kg-1, Ni 32.34 mg kg-1, Cu 15.93 mg kg-1, Cr 13.7 mg kg-1, Cd 1.033 mg kg-1 was determined. Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations were not detected in wheat samples. Average Cu (4.462 mg kg-1), Mn (30.03 mg kg-1), and Zn (20.39 mg kg-1) concentrations in wheat samples were determined at lower levels compared to soil samples. In the process of transporting trace elements from the soil to the plant, even if the plants are grown under the same conditions, the trace element levels accumulated in the plant may differ.

Effects of cereal grain cell wall composition and structure on starch digestion.

Wheat is an important food crop, and its characteristics vary depending on the region of cultivation; different environments have varying effects on the composition of the grains. We previously reported the effects of environmental factors on wheat grain cell wall composition and structure. The variations in the structure of aleurone cell walls between different wheat samples were examined to determine the effects of aleurone cell walls on grain starch digestion properties. Ten different varieties of wheat grains with different aleurone cell wall structure and composition constituted a simple research system used to investigate their effect on the starch digestion of bread. The aleurone cell wall thickness ranged from 3.05 μm to 4.67 μm, and the arabinose to xylose ratio of water-extractable arabinoxylan was in the range 0.79-0.97. With the increase in arabinoxylans content or cell wall thickness, the total digestibility of starch within the bread decreased; this phenomenon may be related to the changes in the interaction between polysaccharides and starch granules in this process. The results of the present study showed that the wheat cell wall structure has a great impact on starch hydrolysis, indicating that the change in the digestibility of starch in flour and bread may be a result of changes in the cell wall structure leading to different combinations, thus affecting digestibility. The present study showed that the cell wall combines the starch granules during the bread-making process; thus, the diffusion of enzymes through the cell wall was hindered. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

An electrochemical sensor based on curcumin-encapsulated zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 for the sensitive determination of aflatoxin B1 in grain products

A sensitive voltammetric electrochemical immunosensor was developed for the detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) using anti-mouse immunoglobulin IgG labeled with curcumin@zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/polydopamine (CCM@ZIF-8/PDA/IgG) as a signal probe. ZIF-8 exhibited strong adsorption properties due to its large specific surface area, which greatly improved the encapsulation of CCM in the signal probe. CCM with remarkably electrochemical properties, PDA with good conductivity and ZIF-8 cooperated to enhance the analytical performance. Under optimum conditions, the peak current of the modified electrode decreased with the increment of AFB1 within a linear range of 0.5 pg mL−1 to 10 ng mL−1 and detection limit of was 0.11 pg mL−1. The immunosensor also presented outstanding selectivity and long − term stability. In addition, it was well employed to detect AFB1 in spiked rice and wheat samples with acceptable recoveries (86.65–105.20%), and was well verified by HPLC.

Magnetic relaxation switching immunoassay based on “limited-magnitude” particles for sensitive quantification of aflatoxin B1

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical substance that endangers food safety and human health. Magnetic relaxation switching (MRS) immunosensors are utilized in a variety of applications in food analysis due to its resistance to matrix interferences, but they often suffer from magnetic separation-based multi-washing steps and low sensitivity. Herein, we propose novel MRS strategy for the sensitive detection of AFB1 using “Limited-Magnitude” size particles: a single millimeter sized polystyrene spheres (PSmm) and 150 nm superparamagnetic nanoparticles (MNP150). Only a single PSmm is used as the microreactor to enhance all of the magnetic signal on its surface in high concentration by an immune competitive response, successfully preventing signal dilution, which can be transferred by pipette, simplifying the process of separation and washing. The established single polystyrene sphere magnetic relaxation switch biosensor (SMRS) was able to quantify AFB1 from 0.02 to 200 ng/mL with a detection limit of 14.3 pg/mL. SMRS biosensor has been successfully used for the detection of AFB1 in wheat and maize samples, and the results in agreement with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Benefiting from high sensitivity and convenient operation, the simple and enzyme-free method is promising in trace small molecules applications.

MycotoxinDB: A Data-Driven Platform for Investigating Masked Forms of Mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are likely to be converted into masked forms when subjected to plant metabolism or food processing. These masked forms of mycotoxins together with their prototypes may cause mixture toxicity effects, causing adverse effects on animal welfare and productivity. The structure elucidation of masked mycotoxins is the most challenging task in mycotoxin research due to the limitations of traditional analysis methods. To assist in the rapid identification of masked mycotoxins, we developed a data-driven online prediction tool, MycotoxinDB, based on reaction rules. Using MycotoxinDB, we identified seven masked DONs from wheat samples. Given its widespread applications, we expect that MycotoxinDB will become an indispensable tool in future mycotoxin research. MycotoxinDB is freely available at: http://www.mycotoxin-db.com/.

Calf thymus ds-DNA intercalation with pendimethalin herbicide at the surface of ZIF-8/Co/rGO/C3N4/ds-DNA/SPCE; A bio-sensing approach for pendimethalin quantification confirmed by molecular docking study

Pendimethalin (PND) is a herbicide that is regarded to be possibly carcinogenic to humans and toxic to the environment. Herein, we fabricated a highly sensitive DNA biosensor based on ZIF-8/Co/rGO/C3N4 nanohybrid modification of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) to monitor PND in real samples. The layer-by-layer fabrication pathway was conducted to construct ZIF-8/Co/rGO/C3N4/ds-DNA/SPCE biosensor. The physicochemical characterization techniques confirmed the successful synthesis of ZIF-8/Co/rGO/C3N4 hybrid nanocomposite, as well as the appropriate modification of the SPCE surface. The utilization of ZIF-8/Co/rGO/C3N4 nanohybrid as a modifier was analyzed using. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results showed that the modified SPCE exhibited significantly lowered charge transfer resistance due to the enhancement of its electrical conductivity and facilitation of the transfer of charged particles. The proposed biosensor successfully quantified PND in a wide concentration range of 0.01–35 μM, with a limit of detection (LOD) value of 8.0 nM. The PND monitoring capability of the fabricated biosensor in real samples including rice, wheat, tap, and river water samples was verified with a recovery range of 98.2–105.6%. Moreover, to predict the interaction sites of PND herbicide with DNA, the molecular docking study was performed between the PND molecule and two sequence DNA fragments and confirmed the experimental findings. This research sets the stage for developing highly sensitive DNA biosensors that will be used to monitor and quantify toxic herbicides in real samples by fusing the advantages of nanohybrid structures with crucial knowledge from a molecular docking investigation.

Determination of the physical, chemical and antinutritional properties of firik and einkorn bulgur

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesHulled wheat varieties and immature grains are seen as interesting raw materials in the production of grain‐based products. More research is needed on the quality, functional and nutritional properties of einkorn and immature wheat products, which are processed and consumed by many societies under different names. This study was carried out to evaluate the physical and nutritional properties of einkorn bulgur and firik (bulgur produced from immature wheat) samples sold in the market.FindingsThe firik samples had higher ash, fat and free, bound and total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and lower protein content than einkorn bulgur. Low phytic acid content of firik obtained from immature wheat was found to be remarkable. The total yellow pigment, Ca and Mg contents were found to be 5.4, 1.3, and 1.3 times higher in firik samples than in einkorn bulgur. The weight increase value obtained as a result of the cooking test was found to be lower in firik samples compared to einkorn bulgur.ConclusionsBoth types of bulgur showed superior characteristics in terms of nutritional value and functional properties.Significance and NoveltyIt has been determined that firik and einkorn bulgur are two important products in terms of healthy nutrition with their functional components. It is an introductory study in terms of expanding the usage area of valuable ancient wheat and immature durum wheat and processing it into new products.

Fungal species and multi-mycotoxin in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is sub-Saharan Africa’s greatest wheat producer. However, its production, productivity and utilisations are constrained by fungal infections, which lead to yield losses and mycotoxin contaminations. The present study was aimed to determined fungal species and multi-mycotoxins in wheat grain samples (n=178) collected during the 2020 cropping season in Ethiopia. Different fungal genera ofAlternaria,Aspergillus,Fusarium,Penicillium, andRhizopus species were isolated from the infected grain samples, of whichFusarium species were abundantly prevalent. Multi-mycotoxin analysis done using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS). Overall, 49 metabolites of different fungal species including masked, regulated and emerging mycotoxins were detected and categorised into eight groups. Among major mycotoxins and derivatives, deoxynivalenol was frequently detected in about 70.8% of samples with the maximum concertation 15,900 μg/kg, followed by its masked metabolites of deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside detected in 64% of the samples with maximum level 2,120 μg/kg. AmongFusarium metabolites, 15-hydroxyculmorin was detected in 46.6% of wheat samples with maximum level of 4,290 μg/kg, while chrysogin, enniatin B and culmorin were detected in 58.4, 43.3 and 44.9%, of the wheat samples with maximum levels of 154, 325 and 2,860 μg/kg, respectively. AmongAlternaria metabolites tenuazonic acid was most prevalent mycotoxin occurring in 79.2% of samples with maximum level (236 μg/kg). Furthermore, metabolites from other fungal genera were detected at different levels. The widespread presence and high amount of multi-mycotoxin in wheat samples indicated proportionately higher exposure levels, which could result in serious food safety and health consequences. Integrating several management strategies both before and after harvest may lower the risk of mycotoxin contamination in wheat, being used as diversified food products in the country.

Assessment of Edaphic pollution indices and bioaccumulation of trace metals in Solanum lycopersicum, Spinacia oleracea and Triticum aestivum: an associated health risk evaluation

The present study investigates bioaccumulation factor (Bfc), Edaphic pollution indices and associated health risk assessment of trace metals (TMs) i.e., Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn and Co in the crops, agricultural soil (AgS), and irrigation water (IgW) collected from various peri-urban area of metropolitan city of India, Lucknow. Though the level of these TMs was within the permissible limits (PL) (FAO/WHO, 2011) in AgS and IgW however it was higher than PL in tomato, spinach and wheat cultivated in the fields. The bioaccumulation factor of Cu, Fe and Mn in edible parts of tomato, spinach and wheat was 8 to 25 times higher through the AgS and 10 to 300 times higher through the IgW in the tomato, spinach and wheat samples. The enrichment factor (Efc), contamination factor (Cfc), contamination degree (Cdg) and modified contamination degree (mCdg) values of Co, Cu, Mn, Fe and Zn ranged from low to high levels of contamination, whereas the geo-accumulation index reflected low contamination in agricultural soil. on the other hand, the metal pollution load index (Mpi) was found strongly contaminated in most of the study areas. Due to the consumption of these contaminated vegetables and cereal (VCs) by human consumers, the hazard quotient (HQ), total hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) were found to be more than the requisite value of 1, which indicates a far-long health risk in this crowded city and its surrounding regions.

Fluorescent Sensor Based on Magnetic Separation and Strand Displacement Amplification for the Sensitive Detection of Ochratoxin A.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a common mycotoxin, and it is a significant threat to human health throughout the food chain. In this study, a sensitive and specific fluorescent sensor based on magnetic separation technology combined with chain displacement amplification was developed for fast and easy detection of OTA in food. The designed strand displacement amplification can improve the sensitivity for the detection, and the magnetic nanomaterials can provide a large surface area, thus enhancing the capture efficiency of the target from the sample. Based on those designs, the experimental results showed that the proposed method displayed excellent performance. The linearity range was 0.5-128.0 ng/mL. The detection limit was 0.125 ng/mL; the relative standard deviations were 3.92-7.71%. Additionally, the developed method was satisfactorily applied to determine OTA in wheat, corn, and red wine samples at three spiked levels (1.0, 8.0, and 64.0 ng/mL). The recoveries ranged from 85.45 to 107.8% for wheat flour, 101.34 to 108.35% for corn flour, and 91.15 to 93.80% for red wine, respectively. Compared with high-performance liquid chromatography, the proposed method showed a lower limit of detection and equal recovery. Hence, the designed method is a potential and good detecting tool for OTA residue analysis in complex matrix samples.

Study of the kinetics of the process of intramolecular moisture removal from wheat grain by DSC thermal analysis

The article presents the results of a DSC study of the kinetics of the process of removing intramolecular moisture from wheat grains. For the experiments, four samples of wheat of the 3rd class of the 2021 harvest diff ering in technological indicators, including the “Mass of 1,000 grains” indicator, were selected. The studies were carried out on a DSC 204 F1 Phoenix diff erential scanning calorimeter. The data on the change in the mass of wheat samples when they are heated to critical temperatures of +200 and 250 °С are presented. It has been shown that a slight weight loss at 200 °С generally corresponds to a larger weight loss at 250 °С. This led to the assumption that the degree of intramolecular water retention depends on the individual characteristics of the variety. The kinetics of the process of dehumidifi cation of four samples of wheat, determined by the method of diff erential scanning calorimetry, is presented.

Genetic Diversity and Physicochemical Characteristics of Different Wheat Species (Triticum aestivum L., Triticum monococcum L., Triticum spelta L.) Cultivated in Romania

Thirty-one varieties of wheat cultivated in Romania were analyzed regarding the genetic diversity and physicochemical properties, including the following determinations: moisture, ash, protein, wet gluten, lipid, starch content, falling number and damaged starch, considering the particularity of each species, its biological status and origin. The physicochemical data showed that the wheat samples presented large variability. The physicochemical properties of wheat flour were assessed by multivariable data analysis, using principal component analysis (PCA). All wheat samples clustered together according to their physicochemical data showed an association between all wheat species. The protein and ash contents were more related to the ancient wheat species, while the amounts of starch and damaged starch were associated with the modern ones. Positive correlations were obtained between protein and wet gluten content and between lipid and ash content. ISSR markers were used to analyze and compare genetic diversity among selected wheat cultivars. The obtained data were analyzed using NTSYSpc software considering the coefficients of similarity (Jaccard) and dissimilarity (Neighbor joining). The Jaccard coefficients varied from 0.53 to 1, reflecting the high genetic diversity characteristic of all wheat varieties.

Amino acid content in spring common wheat grain

The aim of the study was to determine the differences in the content of amino acids in wheat grains of the world collection of VIR in the agro-climatic conditions of the Republic of Tatarstan and to search for sources of increased content of essential amino acids for the use of these data in breeding. The study was conducted in 2021-2022 at the experimental base of the Tatar Research Institute of Agriculture of the Kazan Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, located 15 km away from Kazan, the soil of the experimental site is gray forest. 354 samples of spring wheat were studied. The determination of the content of seventeen amino acids and protein in wheat grain was carried out using the near-infrared spectroscopy method on the DS 2500F device from FOSS. The protein content in the grain has a significant effect on the amount of essential acids. The correlation between the protein content and the amount of essential acids in wheat grain is high in 2021. r = 0.91 ± 0.02 and average in 2022. r = 0.69± 0.04. The highest content of glutamine in wheat grain was noted - up to 2.22 % and proline - up to 1.55 %. The source of high grain content of histidine 0.38- 0.40 %, isoleucine 0.53-0.54 %, lysine 0.61-0.62 %, methionine 0.28-0.30 %, phenylalanine 0.66-0.67 %, threonine 0.52-0.56 % and tyrosine 0.31-0.36 % was the Ranee sample (k-26982). The Panifor sample was a source of high grain content of cysteine 0.58-0.63 %, histidine 0.39 % and threonine 0.51-0.58 %. The Arrino sample (k-65995) is a source of high grain content of leucine 0.82-0.91 %, tyrosine 0.31-0.34 % and valine 0.75-0.78 %. According to the lysine content in protein (grams of amino acid per 100 grams of protein), samples Ranee (k-26982) - 3.63-3.66 and NIL Avocet Yr15 (k-66241) - 2.86-4.52 were isolated. According to the content of methionine in the protein, samples of Uffo (k- 66798) - 1.80-1.8 and Fiorina (k-66034) - 1.70-1.91 were isolated. According to the threonine content, three samples Ranee (k-26982) - 3.04-3.36, Panifor (k-66039) - 3.09-3.20 and Cub (k- 62510) - 3.07-3.20 were distinguished. The source of the high tryptophan content in the protein were samples Ethos (k- 65002) - 2.00-2.27, Tulaykovskaya 108 (k- 65452) - 2.01-2.26 and Ekada 109 (k-66239) - 2.07-2.14.

Environmental Assessment of Soils and Crops Based on Heavy Metal Risk Analysis in Southeastern China

Heavy metal pollution in soil–crop systems has attracted great attention globally, caused by rapid urbanization and intensive industrialization. The research aims to investigate the environmental quality of the agricultural production area in Taizhou City, a typical economic region that is along the Yangtze River in the Southeast of China. A total of 370 sampling sites were chosen, with 370 soil, rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) samples collected, respectively, for measuring and analyzing the status, spatial distribution and pollution level of different heavy metals. The mean values of soil Cr, Pb, Cd, As and Hg were 66.78, 32.88, 0.23, 8.16 and 0.16 mg/kg, which were lower than the risk control standard values (RCV). However, the mean values of Pb, Cd and Hg were 1.25-, 1.77- and 2-fold larger than their soil background values (SBV) due to the intensive anthropogenic activities. The average content of Cd in rice exceeded its food safety limiting values (FCV) by 0.05 mg/kg, and the average contents of Pb in rice and wheat both exceeded the relevant FSV by 0.42 and 0.186 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, the maximum As and Cr contents in rice and wheat could be 0.13, 0.46 mg/kg and 0.63, 3.5 mg/kg larger than the relative FCVs in certain areas. Most of the high-value areas of soil and crop heavy metals were mainly located in Xinghua City, Taixing City and Jiangyan District, which had a similar distribution pattern with local industries or anthropogenic activities. The heavy metal pollution in soils and crops was found to be inconsistent, as 8.94% of the arable land possessed lightly metal pollution, while 3.18% of the area of rice and 4.0% of the area of wheat suffered severe pollution, with excessive accumulation of Cr, Pb and Cd. Based on the heavy metal pollution assessment of soil–crop systems, approximately 83% of the study area possessed medium or higher environmental quality, which was preferable for agricultural production. Our results implied that the spatial distribution and pollution level of the heavy metals in soil–crop systems were significantly influenced by industrial activities, followed by agricultural sources, transportation emissions and so on. Therefore, continuous monitoring and source control of heavy metals, especially for Cr, Pb and Cd, should be conducted to ensure the regional environmental quality and food security.

Spatiotemporal distribution and probabilistic health risk assessment of arsenic in drinking water and wheat in Northwest China

Drinking water arsenic poisoning has been a health concern, however the importance of dietary arsenic exposure to health also needs to be taken into account. The aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive health risk assessment of arsenic-contaminated substances in drinking water and wheat-based food intake in the Guanzhong Plain, China. 87 samples of wheat and 150 samples of water were randomly selected from the research region and examined. The level of arsenic in 89.33% of the water samples in the region exceeded the limit for drinking water (10 μg/L), with an average concentration of 29.98 μg/L. The arsenic in 2.13% of the wheat samples exceeded the food limit (0.5 mg/kg) with an average concentration of 0.24 mg/kg. Under the situation of different exposure pathways, two scenarios of deterministic and probabilistic health risk assessments were compared and analyzed. By contrast, the probabilistic health risk assessment can ensure a certain degree of confidence in the assessment results. The findings of this study indicated that the total cancer risk value faced by the population aged 3–79 years, except for those aged 4–6 years, was 1.03E-4–1.21E-3, which exceeded the 10E-6–10E-4 range of thresholds usually used by USEPA as guidance recommendations for determination. And the non-cancer risk experienced by the population aged 6 months to 79 years was higher than the acceptable threshold (1), with children aged 9 months to 1 year having the highest total non-cancer risk of 7.25. The potential health risks of the exposed population were mainly due to the drinking water route, and consumption of arsenic-containing wheat increased both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. Finally, the sensitivity analysis revealed that the assessment findings were most significantly influenced by exposure time. The amount of intake was the second influencing factor in the health risk assessment from drinking water and dietary intakes of arsenic, and arsenic concentration was the second influencing factor in the health risk assessment due to dermal exposure to arsenic. The findings of this study can aid in understanding the negative health consequences of arsenic pollution to local residents and in adopting focused remediation strategies to alleviate environmental concerns.

Non-targeted metabolomics of moldy wheat by ultra-performance liquid chromatography - quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

As one of the staple foods for the world's major populations, the safety of wheat is critical in ensuring people's wellbeing. However, mildew is one of the prevalent safety issues that threatens the quality of wheat during growth, production, and storage. Due to the complex nature of the microbial metabolites, the rapid identification of moldy wheat is challenging. In this research, identification of moldy wheat samples was studied using ultra-performance liquid chromatography - quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) coupled with chemometrics. The non-targeted PCA model for identifying moldy wheat from normal wheat was established by using previously established compounds database of authentic wheat samples. The partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed. By optimizing the model parameters, correct discrimination of the moldy wheat as low as 5% (w/w) adulteration level could be achieved. Differential biomarkers unique to moldy wheat were also extracted to identify between the moldy and authentic wheat samples. The results demonstrated that the chemical information of wheat combined with the existing PCA model could efficiently discriminate between the constructed moldy wheat samples. The study offered an effective method toward screening wheat safety.

Effect of Crop Rotation on Fusarium Mycotoxins and Fusarium Species in Cereals in Sichuan Province (China).

The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of crop rotation on Fusarium mycotoxins and species in cereals in Sichuan Province. A total of 311 cereal samples were randomly collected and analyzed from 2018 to 2019 in Sichuan Province. The results of mycotoxin analysis showed that the major trichothecene mycotoxins in Sichuan Province were nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON), and the mean concentration of total trichothecenes (including NIV, fusarenone X [4ANIV], DON, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol [3ADON], and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol [15ADON]) in wheat was significantly higher than that in maize and rice. The concentration of total trichothecenes in the succeeding crops was significantly higher than that in the previous crops. In addition, wheat grown after maize had reduced incidence and concentration of trichothecene mycotoxins compared with that grown after rice, and ratooning rice grown after rice had increased incidence and concentration of trichothecene mycotoxins. Our data indicated that Fusarium asiaticum with the NIV chemotype was predominant in wheat and rice samples, while the number of the NIV chemotypes of F. asiaticum and Fusarium meridionale and the 15ADON chemotype of Fusarium graminearum in maize were almost the same. Although the composition of Fusarium species was affected by crop rotations, there were no differences when comparing the same crop rotation except for the maize-wheat rotation. Moreover, the same species and chemotype of Fusarium strains originated from different crops in various rotations, but there were no significant differences in pathogenicity in wheat and rice. These results contribute to the knowledge of the effect of crop rotation on Fusarium mycotoxins and species affecting cereals in Sichuan Province, which may lead to improved strategies for control of Fusarium mycotoxins and fungal disease in China.

Productivity and grain quality of winter durum wheat of various maturity groups

The current paper has presented the results of environmental testing of winter durum wheat varieties in the conditions of the southern part of the Rostov region. The purpose of the study was to estimate productivity and grain quality of winter durum wheat varieties of various maturity groups. The objects of the study were 53 winter durum wheat varieties of various environmental origins of breeding, namely FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy”, FSBSI RCG named after P. P. Lukiyanenko, FSBSI FRAC and other institutions. The variety ‘Kristella’ was used as a standard variety. According to the results of the study there was found that 22.6 % (12 pcs.) of winter durum wheat samples belonged to the middle-early maturity group with a heading stage starting on May 20–22; 49.1 % (26 pcs.) of samples belonged to the middle-maturing group (May 23–25); 28.3 % (15 pcs.) of samples belonged to middle-late maturing group (May 26–29). The maximum productivity for the study period (2020–2022) was identified among the samples of middle maturity group (8.40 t/ha). High quality indicators were formed by winter durum wheat varieties of the middle-early maturity group with 15.24 % of protein, 27.0 % of gluten, 38 ml of SDS-sedimentation, 567 Mkg/% of carotenoids. On average for three years, the samples of the middle maturity group (78 %; 777 g/l) have formed high kernel hardness and grain unit in the trial. During the correlation analysis, there have been obtained significant positive correlations in middle-early genotypes (with protein content (r = 0.95±0.04), gluten content (r = 0.94±0.04), kernel hardness (r = 0.48±0,12), SDS-sedimentation (r = 0.92±0.04), carotenoid content (r = 0.96±0.04)) and in middle-late genotypes (with kernel hardness (r = 0.41±0.13)). Among middle maturing samples there have been found no significant correlations.