Detailed Composition Analyses of Diverse Oat Genotype Kernels Grown in Different Environments in North Dakota

Nutritional composition of oat kernels from 18 genotypes grown in six environments in North Dakota, U.S.A., was analyzed by chemical means. Of the macronutrients, mean starch concentration was 56.5%, protein was 18.1%, oil was 7.9%, neutral detergent fiber (insoluble fiber) was 6.0%, beta-glucan (soluble fiber) was 5.2%, ash was 1.9%, and soluble carbohydrate was 0.6%. These add up to 96.2%, which appears to account for most of the mass of the oat kernel. Protein amino acid analysis indicated 4.5% lysine and 1.8% methionine. Free amino acid analysis indicated 1,129 mu g of asparagine per gram of flour. The 18:1 and 18: 2 fatty acids were the most abundant in oat lipids. Mean micro-nutrient concentrations in oat kernels included potassium (3,419 ppm), magnesium (1,416 ppm), calcium (441 ppm), iron (52 ppm), zinc (26 ppm), and selenium (0.38 ppm). Analysis of variance indicated significant genotypic and environmental variation, as well as significant genotype x environmental interaction for most of the nutritional components. In general, protein was higher in drier, hotter environments, whereas oil, beta-glucan, and starch were higher in wetter, cooler environments. The results provide a unique database of a collection of compositional components for specific oat genotypes in diverse environments.