engleski

The potential of barley for biofortification

More than 2 billion people are exposed to malnutrition, with lack of zinc being a general problem and lack of selenium regional problem. Therefore, 36 barley genotypes were grown in the filed experiment with biofortification by 5 or 10 g/ha of foliar applied selenium. The average protein concentration in whole grain flour without selenium application was 9, 14 % (range 7, 95 - 10, 05 %) and zinc concentration was 16, 71 to 21, 90 mg/kg (19, 17 in average). Analysed genotypes differ significantly in zinc concentrations, irrespective of the selenium application. Also, the genotypes differed significantly in terms of protein content and selenium concentrations, and the highest variability was determined after biofortification with higher dose of selenium. Selenium concentration in barley grains without Se application was very low, just 45 µg/kg in average, but foliar application of 5 and 10 g/ha Se significantly increased Se in grain to 178 and 299 µg/kg in average, what is 4 and 6, 6 times higher Se concentrations. Also, there were significant differences in genotypes in increasing Se concentrations, from 177 to 511 µg/kg after application higher Se dose. At the same time, biofortification with selenium did not affect zinc concentration, but it had a very significant effect on the protein, with the lowest protein content in control treatment without selenium. Considering average Se concentrations in whole grain barley flour, for intake 55 µg Se as a mean daily recommendation 1, 22 kg of regular flour would be needed, but just 309 or 184 g of flour biofortified with lower or higher Se dose. These fact and specificity of barley genotypes indicate high potential of barley for biofortification.

zinc ; selenium ; malnutrition ; protein ; flour

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