Variabilità spaziale del profilo fitochimico di Triticum turgidum ssp. turanicum coltivato in biologico

Grain quality is well known as one of the most interesting breeding objectives in Mediterranean countries. It still has great importance in wheat markets because of the increased interest of the consumers for high-quality staple food such as pasta, couscous and various types of bread. The performance of many quality characteristics depends greatly on environmental conditions and, in this context, organic agriculture could guarantee a durum wheat material with high nutraceutical value for healthy food production and special dietary uses. Among organic wheat production, KAMUT® khorasan wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. turanicum (Jakubz.)) has attracted great attention due to its specific nutritional and functional properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and prebiotic activities). The study involved an area covering approximately 180000 km2 (Canada and USA) which included several different farms and environments. The grain collection consisted of 109 samples for the first year (2010), 116 for the second (2011) and 142 for the third year (2012). Each grain sample was analyzed for the antioxidant compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids) and dietary fiber components (soluble and insoluble dietary fibers, resistant starch) and results were elaborated using Geographic Information System (GIS) to develop quality maps. Moreover, the elaboration of data concerning grain yield, test weight and protein content allowed a comparison between the agronomic performance and the nutritional/nutraceutical profile of KAMUT® khorasan grain. Statistical analysis showed the variability of the phytochemical amounts among farms and allowed the identification of areas in which bioactive compounds had accumulated at a higher level in the wheat grains.