Strontium accumulation in whole grain of Aegilops and Triticum species

Abstract

Plant species differ in their ability to accumulate mineral elements. Differences also exist among genotypes, lines, and varieties within species. Strontium (Sr) enters the food chain primarily via plants, and wheat products are amongst the most important pathways by which Sr enters the human body. The aim of this study was to analyze the accumulation of Sr in whole grain of various Aegilops and Triticum species with different genomes (AA, BB, BBAA, BBAADD, and DD). During three experimental years plants were grown in temperate continental climate on a calcareous, gleyic chernozem soil. The results reveal that the studied species and genomes differed significantly in Sr accumulation in the grains. The average Sr concentration of the grains ranged, depending on the year of study and genotype, from 0.70 to 3.89 mg kg(-1) DM. The grain of wild diploid Aegilops speltoides with BB genome contained significantly more Sr than all of the other analyzed genotypes. Grains of wild and cultivated tetraploid wheat genotypes had the lowest Sr concentration. The modern cultivated hexaploid wheat varieties displayed substantial variation in Sr concentration in the grains. The examined genotypes also differed significantly with respect to their mass of 1000 grains, which was the smallest in Aegilops speltoides. There was a significantly negative correlation between the average mass of a 1000 grains and concentration of Sr. The results show that even when the background concentration of Sr was relatively low, wheat genotypes accumulated it in the grains, although to a different extent. Therefore, selection of wheat genotypes which accumulate less Sr in the grain could contribute to improve food quality.