Genetic improvement of dietary fiber in wheat grains

Abstract

Dietary fiber has multiple health benefits, including reducing blood glucose levels and enhancing gut health. Wheat (Triticum aestivum), the most important staple crop in the world, provides a good source of dietary fiber. Thus, improving dietary fiber composition and content of wheat grain is a critical task for wheat research and breeding programs. The main components of dietary fiber in wheat grain include arabinoxylan, β-glucan, and resistant starch. This review summarizes recent advances in research on wheat dietary fiber and their impacts on human health. We discuss quantitative trait locus/gene mapping and genetic approaches for improving dietary fiber in wheat, as well as challenges and prospects in this research area.