Amino acid composition of spring triticale grain

Amino acid contents were studied in two new breeds of spring triticale SGU-164 and SGU-181 from 1995 to 1997 crop in comparison with spring wheat variety Saxana and winter rye variety Dankovske nov6. Grain samples were taken from an agrotechnical field trial conducted at Nov6 Mesto in Moravia, in a potato production region.'Tab. II shows average values of the amino acids in triticale and in control wheat and rye; they are expressed as percentages of total proteins. The comparison included sums of essential amino acids (EAK), conditionally essential (PEAK), nonessential (NEAK) and total amino acids (AK). Both new breeds of triticale had significantly higher contents of valine, isoleucine, lysine and arginine against wheat, of leucine against rye, while methionine and histidine contents were at the level of wheat and rye. Total content of essential amino acids in both triticales was balanced (33.97%, 34.25%), and significantly higher than in wheat (32.24%), it was higher than in rye (33.07%) in the new breed SGU-181 only. On the other hand, contents of nonessential amino acids in triticale were highly significantly lower (48.96%, 49.83%) than in control wheat (58.99%) and rye (55.29%) as a result of high contents of proline and glutamic acid in these cereals. Amino acid contents were influenced by weather conditions at the time of grain ripening in the experimental years. They were significantly lower in both new breeds of triticale in 1997 (Figs 1 and 2). But the effect of the year on triticale genotype was not determined. The sum of essential amino acids in triticale was significantly higher than in control wheat in the three years of observation. The effect of applications of differentiated N-fertilizing rates (30, 60, 90 kg N/ha) on amino acid contents in triticale was not large. The contents of essential and total amino acids were significantly higher only in the new breed SGU-164 after application of the lowest rate (30 kg N/ha) in comparison with the rates of 60 and 90 kg N/ha. The sum of essential amino acids in both new breeds of triticale was higher for all N-fertilizing rates than in control wheat and rye (insignificantly only in 1997).