Climate change and genotype variations impacts on human health properties of wheat

Recent consumer interest in controlling and preventing chronic diseases through improved diet has promoted research on the bioactive components of agricultural products. Wheat is an important component of the human diet, providing energy, due to its high content of carbohydrate, and protein. In addition, wheat contains high levels of secondary metabolite (bioactive) compounds such as antioxidants. Wheat genotype, the environment, and possibly interactions between the genotype and environment are known to strongly influence the levels of these bioactives. The effects of genotype, growing location, and genotype-environment interactions on bioactive levels of Canadian wheat, and specifically Manitoban wheat has not been yet studied. The proposed research aims at filling the existing knowledge gap in this field. Furthermore, the need to understand the impacts of such changes on health related properties of wheat is also well accepted. Hence, antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of wheat bioactives will be investigated in this research.

Faculty Supervisor:

Peter Jones

Student:

Maryam Shamloo

Partner:

Haplotech Inc.

Discipline:

Agriculture

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Manitoba