Changes in the element composition of flours during maturation of the winter wheat kernel

An underappreciatel field of plant analysis is the change in the nutrient concentration of flours from winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during maturation. The knowledge of these processes is important because breeding solely for higher yield has caused a decrease in the nutrient concentrations important for human nutrition. The difference in nutrient concentration of flours from grains of different spike positions is also an interesting field of plant analysis. The objective of this study was to study these processes to better understand the effect of these factors on flour quality. The concentration and amount of macro (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium) and micronutrients (copper, manganese, iron, zinc) were determined in the flours of grains of two genotypes from basal, central, and apical grain positions, from the 14th day to the 42th day after anthesis. Genotype and sampling time both affected the concentration of nutrients. The grain position on the head also influenced the N, Ca, K, Mn, P, and S concentrations. The amount of assimilated nutrients in flours increased until the middle of maturity, and then remained around specific values in the case of some elements. We describe the changes in concentrations of these nutrients based on changes in the assimilated mass.