Delivering high dietary fibre via improved wheat cultivars and products
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: Crop Genetics
Abstract
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Technical Summary
This LINK proposal will remove the constraints to the development and utilisation of wheat with high arabinoxylan (AX) fibre in white flour.
This will be achieved by:
1. Developing and validating markers for QTLs for high fibre in white flour identified on chromosome 1BL and 6BS in the cultivars Yumai 34 (Chinese) and Valoris (French), respectively.
2. Introgressing these QTLs into elite UK germplasm to develop pre-breeding lines suitable for incorporation into breeding programmes in the UK.
3. Fine mapping the 1BL QTL to develop improved markers and identify recombinants to facilitate further introgression.
4. Determining the effects of high AX in flour on the milling and breadmaking properties, using pre-breeding lines in elite UK cultivars.
5. Determining the effects of environment on the content of AX in flour of pre-breeding lines and the impact of this variation on processing properties.
6. Disseminating this information to breeders, farmers, grain processors and consumers.
This will be achieved by:
1. Developing and validating markers for QTLs for high fibre in white flour identified on chromosome 1BL and 6BS in the cultivars Yumai 34 (Chinese) and Valoris (French), respectively.
2. Introgressing these QTLs into elite UK germplasm to develop pre-breeding lines suitable for incorporation into breeding programmes in the UK.
3. Fine mapping the 1BL QTL to develop improved markers and identify recombinants to facilitate further introgression.
4. Determining the effects of high AX in flour on the milling and breadmaking properties, using pre-breeding lines in elite UK cultivars.
5. Determining the effects of environment on the content of AX in flour of pre-breeding lines and the impact of this variation on processing properties.
6. Disseminating this information to breeders, farmers, grain processors and consumers.
Planned Impact
The importance of dietary fibre (DF) in human health is recognised globally, including the potential of increasing fibre intake in dietary interventions to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Cereals are the major source of dietary fibre in many
countries, with wheat being the most important in temperate countries. For example, about 40% of the fibre in the UK diet comes from cereals, with about half of this coming from bread and a quarter from white bread. Wheat, and in particular bread, is therefore also recognised as an attractive vehicle to increase fibre intake, particularly by increasing the consumption of whole grain products. However, although the heath benefits of wholegrain products have been widely
promoted, their consumption in many countries remains low, due to cultural preferences and their undesirable organoleptic properties. For example, over 80% of the flour used for bread making in the UK is white. Hence, it is important to increase the fibre content of white flour, in order to deliver benefits to the wider population.
Increasing the fibre content of white flour made from wheats grown in the UK is therefore expected to have significant benefits to the health and quality of life of the UK population. Because the results will be readily exploited in other countries a much wider global impact is expected.
countries, with wheat being the most important in temperate countries. For example, about 40% of the fibre in the UK diet comes from cereals, with about half of this coming from bread and a quarter from white bread. Wheat, and in particular bread, is therefore also recognised as an attractive vehicle to increase fibre intake, particularly by increasing the consumption of whole grain products. However, although the heath benefits of wholegrain products have been widely
promoted, their consumption in many countries remains low, due to cultural preferences and their undesirable organoleptic properties. For example, over 80% of the flour used for bread making in the UK is white. Hence, it is important to increase the fibre content of white flour, in order to deliver benefits to the wider population.
Increasing the fibre content of white flour made from wheats grown in the UK is therefore expected to have significant benefits to the health and quality of life of the UK population. Because the results will be readily exploited in other countries a much wider global impact is expected.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Simon Griffiths (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Lovegrove A
(2020)
Identification of a major QTL and associated molecular marker for high arabinoxylan fibre in white wheat flour.
in PloS one
Zafeiriou P
(2023)
Mining the A.E. Watkins Wheat Landrace Collection for Variation in Starch Digestibility Using a New High-Throughput Assay.
in Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
| Description | We have identified genes that control fibre content in the wheat endopserm and so in white flour. We have developed germplasm and markers that allow breeders to exploit this trait. |
| Exploitation Route | By the use of molecular markers and germplasm. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Description | The high fibre alleles at two QTL in this study were nominated to the DFW breeders toolkit and accepted. They are now being introgressed into uniform genetic backgrounds. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |