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A case study on minerals accumulation in grains and flours of bread wheat fertilized with ZnSO4 and Tecnifol Zinc
* 1, 2 , 1, 2 , 1, 2 , 1, 2 , 1, 2 , 2, 3 , 3 , 2, 4 , 2, 5 , 1, 2 , 1, 2 , 1, 2 , 1, 2 , 2, 4 , 4 , 2, 6 , 2, 6 , 2, 7 , 1, 2
1  Earth Sciences Department, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
2  GeoBioTec Research Center, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
3  Escola Superior Agrária, Instituto Politécnico de Beja, R. Pedro Soares S/N, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal
4  INIAV, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P. (INIAV), Estrada de Gil Vaz 6, 7351-901 Elvas, Portugal
5  ESEAG-COFAC, Avenida do Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
6  INIAV, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P. (INIAV), Avenida da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
7  PlantStress & Biodiversity Lab, Centro de Estudos Florestais (CEF), Instituto Superior Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa (ULisboa), Quinta do Marquês, Av. República, 2784-505 Oeiras, Portugal
Academic Editor: Daniel Tan

Abstract:

Nowadays there is an increasing demand for foods capable of fulfilling the nutritional needs of consumers, leading to a search for food products with a nutrient content able to promote a healthier lifestyle. In this study an agronomic biofortification itinerary of Triticum aestivum L. (cv. Paiva) was conducted in an experimental field, located in Beja, Portugal, comprising a foliar fertilization with ZnSO4 and with Tecnifol Zinc, in three different concentrations for each fertilizer, along the plant cycle. A mineral quantification (S, K, Ca and Zn) of whole bread wheat flours and refined bread wheat flours was measured by using a XRF analyzer, whereas the µ-EDXRF was used to quantify the minerals within the different regions of the wheat grain (embryo, endosperm and vascular bundle). All the minerals presented lower values in the refined flour relatively to the whole bread wheat flour, in which K had higher values followed by S and finally Ca with the lower values in both types of flours. The different minerals were spread around the various regions of the grain however, they were more concentrated in the embryo and vascular bundle. The values are similar for both fertilizers, with a slight difference regarding Zn values, namely increasing with ZnSO4. To sum up, as the different minerals tend to accumulate in the embryo and vascular bundle, the whole bread wheat flour presents a richest option, promoting a healthier diet for the consumers.

Keywords: bread wheat grains; foliar fertilization; mineral quantification; refined bread wheat flour; whole bread wheat flour.
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