Combining higher anthocyanin levels, enhanced quality, and improved disease resistance in purple wheat


Term
2023 - 2027
Sask Wheat Funding
$23,916
Status
status in progress

Lead Researcher

Lead Researcher

Dr. Pierre HuclUniversity of Saskatchewan
Dr. Pierre Hucl

Funding Partners

Funding Partners: 

Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA)


Summary

Food choices and eating habits have changed dramatically around the world over the past fifty years. These changes in eating patterns are partly the result of increased interest in healthier eating choices as part of a healthy lifestyle. In this context, there is a growing interest in the consumption of products such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products. Evidence suggests that dietary improvements could likely prevent one in every five deaths globally, and sub-optimal intake of whole grains, fruits and sodium have been reported to account for more than 50% of deaths. Thus, targeted interventions to improve dietary intake in populations represent a high priority worldwide.

Objectives: 

The project aims at further enhancement of purple wheat baking quality. Specific objectives include:

  1. Evaluating new high anthocyanin wheat lines developed using recently released CWRS wheat parentage in order to identify those with quality performance similar to the CWRS donors. Increasing broad- spectrum disease resistance in purple wheat. Effective broad-spectrum rust resistance genes (Yr5, Yr15, Lr34, and Lr48) already stacked in CWRS cultivars will be introgressed via MAS coupled with accelerated backcross breeding into purple wheat backgrounds
  2. Assess anthocyanin levels in baked products of elite high anthocyanin experimental lines. Promi1ing purple wheat lines will be evaluated for their anthocyanin levels during dough and baking processes. The levels in the intermediate and final products will be estimated as well as their antioxidant capacity. High anthocyanin stable lines with the potential to be used by the baking industry will be selected for eventual variety registration.