The HEALTHGRAIN Wheat Diversity Screen: Effects of Genotype and Environment on Phytochemicals and Dietary Fiber Components

Analysis of the contents of bioactive components (tocols, sterols, alkylresorcinols, folates, phenolic acids, and fiber components) in 26 wheat cultivars grown in six site x year combinations showed that the extent of variation due to variety and environment differed significantly between components. The total contents of tocols, sterols, and arabinoxylan fiber were highly heritable and hence an appropriate target for plant breeding. However, significant correlations between the contents of bioactive components and environmental factors (precipitation and temperature) during grain development also occurred, with even highly heritable components differing in amount between grain samples grown in different years on different sites.