Genetic and agronomic variation in arabinoxylan and ferulic acid contents of durum wheat (Triticum durum l.) grain and its milling fractions

Abstract

Total arabinoxylan (AXt), water-extractable arabinoxylan (WeAX) and ferulic acid (FA) from five cultivars of durum wheat (Triticum durum L.), grown under four different agronomic conditions, were measured. Among the varieties analysed, AXt, WeAX and FA contents ranged between 4·07%-6·02%, 0·37%-0·56% and 0·784 mg/g-7·98 mg/g, respectively. High genetic and agronomic variability was detected for AXt, WeAX and FA. AXt and FA increased sharply in milling products for extraction rates above 60%. FA was quantified in durum wheat milling fractions. High concentrations of FA esterified to cell-wall arabinoxylans were found in the aleurone layer (69% of total FA), germ and seedcoat (26·6% of total FA). Only trace amounts were detected in the starchy endosperm (1·4% of total FA). A highly significant correlation appeared between AXt and FA contents. © 1997 Academic Press Limited.