INFLUENCE OF PARENTAL FORMS ON CHANGES IN THE CONTENT OF MINERAL ELEMENTS IN GRAIN OF NEW WINTER TRITICALE HYBRID STRAINS
The paper presents a study on the content of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Fe in kernels (F5 generation) of winter triticale produced by crossbreeding three maternal with two paternal forms. As maternal forms, two strains were used, IGS 5101, FDT 975, as well as cultivar Alzo. The paternal components consisted of strains LAD 122 and F 8063. Morphologically established hybrid strains were selected at the Institute of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin. The component selection for crossbreeding was performed to achieve hybrids with great yield-forming potential and to improve the resistance to grain sprouting. Minerals were determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) method. The results revealed differentiation in amounts of the analysed mineral components in hybrids depending on genotypes of the parental forms. Hybrid strains were usually characterized by a lower ash content in kernels than the parental forms. Among all the hybrids, strain IGS 5101 × F 8063 was distinguishable by its higher content of K, Ca, Mn, and Fe in grain versus both parental forms. It also excelled exceeded the other hybrids in respect of Ca, K and Mn. Tests on the mineral components in hybrid triticale strains indicate that it is possible to shape their levels through an appropriate selection of parental forms and selection during breeding work on X Triticosecale Wittmack genus to achieve cultivars of improved nutritional value.
Mineral Composition of Triticale Grains as Related to Grain Yield and Grain Protein
Little has been published about the composition of mineral elements in triticale (x Triticosecale Wittm.) grains. Our study deals with the following questions: (i) How do increases in grain yield, resulting from growing triticale in more productive environments or growing more productive cultivars, affect the concentrations of minerals in the grains? (ii) Do genotypes exist whose grains are exceptionally high or low in minerals? (iii) To what extent are the concentrations of protein and minerals related? To answer these questions, 10 hexaploid winter triticale lines/cultivars were grown at three locations in western Switzerland for 2 yr. Whole grains were analyzed for protein (N x 5.7), P, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu. With the exception of Mn and Zn, the variation in mineral element concentrations among lines/cultivars was as great as or greater than the variation caused by environmental factors. Except for Mg, concentrations of mineral elements were significantly lower in the year in which the grain yield was higher. Except for Ca, high grain yields of cultivars were associated with low concentrations of minerals, indicating that one-sided selection for high grain yield tends to reduce the nutritional quality of triticale grain. Concentrations of protein and minerals were positively correlated, suggesting that breeding for elevated levels of protein is likely to increase the concentrations of minerals.
PHYTIC ACID AND MINERAL COMPOSITIONS OF TRITICALES
Phytic acid and nine elements (potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, zinc, manganese, phosphorus, and copper) were determined in 12 commercially available cultivars of hexaploid triticales, one octaploid triticale, one wheat and one rye. The amount of phytate phosphorus varied from 1.4–5.3 mg/g in the whole grain, from 0.5–1.9 mg/g in flours and from 0.6–2.2 mg/g in bran of triticales. There were significant variations in the amount of calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc but not in potassium, magnesium, sodium, manganese or copper due to cultivars. The location had more pronounced effect on micro-elements (manganese, iron, copper and zinc) than on the macro-elements (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and sodium). The predominant minerals of triticales were phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Phytic acid does not seem to have an apparent correlation with either iron or phosphorus in triticales.