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An evaluation of the agronomic performance of two tetraploid wheat varieties (Triticum turgidum spp. durum, Claudio; Triticum turgidum spp. turanicum, Kamut®) grown strictly under low input conditions was carried out over three consecutive cropping years. The study reported grain yield values ranging from 1.8 to 2.6 t ha-1. Productivity showed to be primarily affected by environmental conditions, while no differences were observed between the two genotypes. The study of the yield components highlighted that the durum wheat variety had a higher plant density than Kamut®, but this discrepancy was offset by a greater number of kernels per spike and the kernel weight of khorasan wheat. The investigated wheat genotypes were also analysed to assess the mycotoxin (DON) levels of wholegrain semolina and the efficiency of cleaning treatments to reduce contamination. Results showed that both wheat varieties had a good hygienic and sanitary quality with a DON content ranging from 0.35 to 1.31 mg kg-1, which was lower than the maximum acceptable level set by the European regulation at 1.75 mg kg-1. In addition, our research work investigated the effects of pre-milling cleaning procedures, such as water washing and brushing, on mycotoxin levels, which yielded interesting results in terms of decontamination efficiency. These methods were particularly efficient with Kamut® semolina (46-93% DON reduction), suggesting that mycotoxins accumulate in this variety at more superficial levels than in the durum wheat variety. On the whole, our study provided additional knowledge on the traits to be further improved to respond to low input requirements and to enhance the potential adaptability of wheat genotypes to organic agriculture. Our results emphasized the need to develop wheat varieties that can provide adequate performance without high levels of nitrogen inputs by selecting specific traits, such as kernel weight, spike length and kernel/spike. This may help achieve productivity gains in organic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among cereals, durum wheat has a central role in the Italian diet and economy, where there is a historical tradition of pasta making. In the present study, we evaluated the nutrient and nutraceutical properties of 2 old and 6 modern durum wheat varieties grown under low input agricultural management. Considering the lack of available data on the adaptability of existing durum wheat varieties to the low input and organic sectors, the research aimed at providing a complete description of the investigated genotypes, considering the agronomic performance as well as the nutrient and phytochemical composition. The experimental trials were carried out at the same location (Bologna, Northern Italy) for two consecutive growing seasons (2006/2007, 2007/2008). No clear distinction between old and modern varieties was observed in terms of grain yield (mean values ranging from 2.5 to 4.0 t/ha), highlighting that the divergence in productivity, normally found between dwarf and non-dwarf genotypes, is strongly reduced when they are cropped under low input management. All durum wheat varieties presented high protein levels and, in addition, provided remarkable amounts of phytochemicals such as dietary fibre, polyphenols, flavonoids and carotenoids. Some of the investigated genotypes, such as Senatore Cappelli, Solex, Svevo and Orobel, emerged with intriguing nutritional and phytochemical profiles, with the highest levels of dietary fibre and antioxidant compounds. The study provided the basis for further investigations into the adaptability of the durum wheat genotypes to low input management, for the selection of genotypes characterised by higher yield and valuable nutrient and nutraceutical quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Wheat grains are a rich source of dietary fibres, particularly in the western human diet. Many of the health effects attributed to dietary fibres are believed to be related to their microbial fermentation in the gut. This study evaluated the ability of two potentially probiotic strains, Lactobacillus plantarum L12 and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum B7003, to ferment soluble dietary fibres (SDFs) from modern and ancient durum-type wheat grains. RESULTS: Fibre microbial utilisation was highly variable and dependent on the strain. SDFs from the varieties Svevo and Solex supported the growth of L. plantarum L12 the best, whereas those from the varieties Anco Marzio, Solex and Kamut® Khorasan were good carbohydrate substrates for B. pseudocatenulatum B7003. The highest prebiotic activity scores (describing the extent to which prebiotics support selective growth of probiotics) for B7003 were obtained with SDFs from the varieties Solex (0.57), Kamut® Khorasan (0.56) and Iride (0.55), whereas for L12 the highest scores were achieved with the varieties Orobel (0.63), Kamut® Khorasan (0.56) and Solex (0.53). CONCLUSION: The present study has identified some SDFs from durum-type wheat grains as suitable prebiotic substrates for the selective proliferation of B. pseudocatenulatum B7003 and L. plantarum L12 in vitro. The results provide the basis for the potential utilisation of wheat-based prebiotics as a component of synbiotic formulations. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]