Nutritional value and mineral composition of grain of selected wheat species depending on the intensity of a production technology

The test material originated from a field experiment conducted in 2010-2013, at the Experimental Farm in Felin (51°22’ N, 22°64’ E), which belongs to the University if Life Sciences in Lublin. A two-factor experiment was conducted in randomised blocks with 4 replicates. The chemical composition of grain of 4 wheat species was analysed: common wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. aestivum L.) cv. Tonacja, durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cv. Komnata, spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta (L.) Thell.) cv. Schwabenkorn, and einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum L.) line PL 5003 (material acquired from the National Centre of the Plant Gene Pool), grown at different production technology intensity (medium and high level of cultivation technology). The analyses on wheat grain included the content of total protein, crude ash, crude fat, crude fibre, carbohydrates, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, iron, manganese and zinc. The results were subjected to an analysis of variance, while the differences were estimated by the Tukey’s test at the significance level of p = 0.05. In order to identify the correlations and relationships between selected grain quality traits, an analysis of multiple correlation was employed and coefficients of variation were calculated (CV, %). Einkorn wheat proved to have the highest levels of protein, fat, ash, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, zinc, iron and manganese. Among the remaining genotypes, common wheat had the highest levels of carbohydrates and fibre. Irrespective of the genotype, more intensive chemical weed and pest control and nitrogen fertilisation had a favourable effect on the content of protein and fat, while reducing the levels of fibre and carbohydrates. Most of the macroelements, except phosphorus, and all the microelements reached higher concentrations under the more intensive production technology. In terms of grain quality, the response of the genotypes to the intensification of production technology was only slightly varied.