Achieving of high-diet-fiber barley via managing fructan hydrolysis

High fructan content in the grain of cereals is an important trait in agriculture such as environmental resilience and dietary fiber food production. To understand the mechanism in determining final grain fructan content and achieve high fructan cereal, a cross breeding strategy based on fructan synthesis and hydrolysis activities was set up and have achieved barley lines with 11.8% storage fructan in the harvested grain. Our study discovered that high activity of fructan hydrolysis at later grain developmental stage leads to the low fructan content in mature seeds, simultaneously increasing fructan synthesis at early stage and decreasing fructan hydrolysis at later stage through crossing breeding is an efficient way to elevate grain diet-fiber content. A good correlation between fructan and beta glucans was also discovered with obvious interest. Field trials showed that the achieved high fructan barley produced over seven folds higher fructan content than control barley and pull carbon-flux to fructan through decreasing fructan hydrolysis without disruption starch synthesis will probably not bring yield deficiency.

Automated summary

High fructan content in cereals can be achieved through a cross breeding strategy based on fructan synthesis and hydrolysis activities. The study found that high fructan hydrolysis activity at later grain developmental stage leads to low fructan content in mature seeds, while increasing fructan synthesis at early stage and decreasing fructan hydrolysis at later stage can effectively elevate grain diet-fiber content.