METABOLITE CHARACTERIZATION OF DURUM WHEAT GRAIN FOR ASSOCIATION STUDIES: EXPLORING THE NATURAL VARIATION OF FREE ASPARAGINE CONTENT

Acrylamide, a neurotoxic molecule that is also suspected to have a carcinogenic activity, has been detected in many foods after high temperature processing. In wheat derivatives, free asparagine content has been identified as a key factor in acrylamide formation. Therefore, the control of free asparagine levels in wheat seeds is of considerable interest in contemporary crop and food sciences. Free asparagine concentration in the grain is affected by several factors, including environmental cues, such as abiotic and biotic stresses, agronomic practices, and genetic factors. Currently, few information is available about the genetic control of this trait. Our study aims to explore the natural variation of free asparagine levels in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (Desf.)) grains to identify candidate genes controlling this trait.