Barley and wheat beta-glucan content influenced by weather, fertilization, and genotype

IntroductionBeta-glucan is one of the most important dietary fibers in cereal grains, having a great impact on human health and food quality. Wheat and barley are strategic crops and their fibers contribute toward their nutraceutical impact. However, the health of the environment is also important to ensure sustainable crop production. Hence the European decision makers have agreed to move toward organic cropping and to reduce the use of mineral fertilizers. Environment and agricultural management have a vast impact on the content of beta-glucan in cereal grains. To exploit the valuable properties of beta-glucan, the knowledge of factors increasing the amount of this component is crucial. We hypothesized that annual weather conditions, nitrogen fertilization, and cropping system affect the beta-glucan amount in wheat and barley.MethodsFor this purpose, spring barley and winter wheat flour samples from an 8-year-long period (2014-2021) were characterized. The experiment included conventional and organic cropping systems with different nitrogen rates between 0 and 150 kg ha-1. In addition, the variation of beta-glucan content in different varieties was analyzed.Results and discussionThe results showed that the content of beta-glucan in barley and wheat grains was affected mainly by weather conditions not by fertilization. The latter finding means that the regulation of crop nutrition is not going to impact dietary fiber content in our everyday food. Lower temperatures during tillering and higher 1,000 kernel weight and test weight showed a positive correlation with beta-glucan content in barley grains, while precipitation during the grain filling period had a negative correlation. Our findings suggest that beta-glucan can be obtained from low-input and organic systems as efficiently as from fertilized treatments. However, there is a need for adaptation strategies in industry, as beta-glucan content can vary from year to year.