B-glucan content variability in seed of barley cultivars

Abstract

Barley is an important source of b-glucans because they have a positive influence on human health and potential application in the food industry. The aim of this manuscript was to determine the variability of ten barley cultivars based on b-glucan content. The percentage of b-glucan varied in the range of 4.44% to 8.17%, with a mean value of 6.57%. Based on b-glucan content, the degree of cultivar similarity was determined by the dendrogram. Among analyzed barley cultivars, the highest concentration of b-glucan was found in the cultivar Lav and Ukras, while the lowest concentration was observed in the cultivar Vihor (4.44%). Compared with all the other cultivars mentioned, a pair of cultivars expressed the greatest distance. Statistical analysis showed that there is a significant difference between analyzed barley cultivars. The analysis of b-glucans in varieties of barley in two growing seasons aims to develop an agricultural strategy and develop barley varieties with higher b-glucans content.

Keywords

• hordeum vulgare
• b-glucan
• genetic variability
• genotypic similarity/distance
• nutritive quality