Composition of essential amino acids in emmer wheat landraces, old and modern varieties of bread wheat

Summary

Tetraploid emmer wheat [(Triticum dicoccum (Schrank) Schuebl] has become a more attractive crop for growing in marginal areas and for the organic farming system. As it provides a lower yield rate and has a specific quality, it is an exclusive food crop. Therefore, the proportion and nutritive quality of particular essential amino acids (threonine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, lysine, methionine) and the total protein content were studied and evaluated in three-year trials carried out in two different localities. Furthermore, old and modern bread wheat varieties were compared. Results of our research confirmed a high crude protein content in grains of all the landraces of the emmer wheat. The emmer wheat variety contained 5% more crude protein in grain than the control bread wheat. The proportion of particular essential amino acids in the crude protein was same in all the studied and evaluated varieties. Lysine has become the first limiting amino acid in all the varieties. The chemical score varied slightly between 0.37 and 0.39. It means that a human being is not able to use more than 37–39% of the essential amino acids. The total proportion of the amino acids in grains was higher in emmer wheat landraces. Such a high proportion of the amino acids has been provoked by an enhanced protein content in grain. Therefore, the grains and products of the emmer wheat are a valuable dietetic material. As digestibility of the amino acids is the same in the case of the emmer wheat landraces and bread wheat varieties, a higher amount of amino acids is, nevertheless, absorbed from the food (if the number of grains is identical). Above-mentioned characteristics of the emmer wheat make it as a prospective crop for the production of healthy food products.