Selenium in colour-grained winter wheat and spring tritordeum

Eighteen winter wheat cultivars with different grain colour (purple-, blue-, yellow-and red-grained) and three spring tritordeum yellow-grained cultivars and breeding lines were assessed for grain selenium (Se) content from the crop season 2014/2015 on the experimental field Agrotest fyto, Ltd., Kromeriz (Czech Republic). Se content has shown to be genotype dependent, with the highest contents in control red-grained cv. Bohemia (0.235 mg/kg dry matter (DM)) and yellow-grained cv. Bona Vita (0.229 mg/kg DM), and breeding lines V2 10-16 (blue-grained), KM 53-14 (blue-grained) and V2 15-16 (yellow-grained) winter wheats. In new spring tritordeums, average Se content was comparable (0.039 mg/kg DM) with purple pericarp wheats (0.042 mg/kg DM); in wheats with blue aleurone and yellow endosperm it was higher (0.057 mg/kg DM and 0.069 mg/kg DM). Although in most cultivars the Se contents were not significantly different, statistically significant differences were determined between the cvs. Bohemia and Bona Vita with the highest Se content and breeding line V2 31-16 with the lowest Se content as well as between the cv. Bohemia and breeding line KM 178-14. Grain colour of wheat cultivars and breeding lines affected Se content, so possible wheat genetic resources for use in the breeding process can be assessed. Diversity in certain wheat accessions offers genetic potential for developing cultivars with better ability to accumulate beneficial Se micronutrient in grains.