Durum Wheat (Triticum durum L.) Landraces Reveal Potential for the Improvement of Grain Carotenoid Esterification in Breeding Programs

10 Páginas.-- 4 Figuras.-- 1 TablaCarotenoids are essential in the human diet for their important functions in health. Besides, they are responsible for the yellow pigments desirable for industrial quality in durum wheat. The remarkable carotenoid content of durum wheat endosperm is mostly due to lutein. However, lutein esters have not been previously detected in durum wheat as in other cereals such as common wheat, tritordeum or Hordeum chilense. Esterification increases carotenoid stability and allows greater retention and accumulation through the food chain. Therefore, carotenoid esterification is revealed as a new key target in breeding. We characterized the carotenoid profile of 156 accessions of the Spanish durum wheat collection, searching for landraces with esterification ability. Interestingly, four accessions produced lutein monoesters and diesters. Also, traces of lutein monoesters were detected in eleven accessions. The identification of the first durum wheat accessions with esterification ability reported herein is a remarkable advance for carotenoid biofortification. Furthermore, variation for the relative content of zeaxanthin, α-carotene and β-carotene was also observed. This diversity for the β,ε and β,β branches of the carotenogenic pathway also represents a new opportunity for breeding for specific carotenoids in biofortification programs.This research was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, grant number AGL2017-85368-P and by Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera (IFAPA), Junta de Andalucía, grant number PP.AVA-AVA2019.020. Both grants are cofounded by FEDER. D.H.-M. is member of CaRed Network funded by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (BIO2017-90877-REDT) and participates in EUROCAROTEN COST Action (CA15136). S.G.A. is member of FiRCMe Network, funded by Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (AGL2016-81855-REDT). M.D.R.-R. was recipient of a fellowship from Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PRE2018-084037)