Characterization of zinc uptake, translocation and remobilization in hydroponically grown triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum desf. and triticum turgidum L. subsp. dicoccoides genotypes

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element for all organisms. Cereal-based diets typically do not provide an adequate source for Zn nutrition of human beings, particularly when cereals are cultivated on Zn-deficient soils. This study investigates the potential of wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. dicoccoides) for better Znuptake, translocation and mobilization (retranslocation). These traits can be further utilized in breeding new genotypes with enriched grain Zn concentration. Solution culture experiments were conducted with selected wild emmer wheats (TTD 172, 24-39, TD 153, TD 531, TD 678, TTD 96, TTD 21, TTD 27, TD 536, TD 510) along with cultivated modern wheats (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum genotypes, Sarıçanak 98 and Balcalı 2000) for a comparison of findings. Genotypes tested at early growth stage showed large differences in root Zn uptake and in mobilization (retranslocation) from older leaves into roots and young parts of shoots. The differences found in root uptake and leaf mobilization of Zn among the genotypes were not related to the differences in seed concentrations of those genotypes used in the experiments. These results indicate that genotypic variation in seed Zn concentrations among and within the modern and wild tetraploid wheat genotypes seem to be not related to the differences in root Zn uptake rate or Zn mobilization rate from older leaves during the early growth stage under given conditions. It is concluded that for better understanding and characterization of genotypic variation in differential accumulation of Zn in seeds, an increasing attention should be paid to the i) mobilization ii) phloem transport and iii) seed deposition of Zn during late (generative) growth stage of plants