Accumulation of Total Anthocyanins in Wheat Grain

In the recent years, for specific goals of utilization, winter wheat breeding has been aimed on increasing total anthocyanins concentration in winter wheat grains considering their high antioxidant activity. The aim of research was to evaluate grain colour development in four wheat genotypes (ANK 28A and 62/0 purple pericarp, UC 66049 blue aleurone and Ilona red pericarp) during grain filling period. Grain samples from two replications of field experiment, established in the vegetation 2010/11, were taken in five to six sampling times. Total anthocyanins concentration was determined by spectrophotometer. The genotypes responded differently to the dynamics of total anthocyanins accumulation during grain filling. The process was described by linear and also by polynomial regression on the number of days post anthesis. Genotypes with purple pericarp reached the highest total anthocyanins concentration on the 22^nd day post anthesis with increasing and decreasing before and after this sampling time, respectively. At maturity the highest total anthocyanins had UC 66049 (193.38 mg/kg). Newly bred genotype 62/0 had similar concentration (34.50 mg/kg) as its parent ANK 28A (37.80 mg/kg). At maturity, registered cultivar Ilona was about 93.7% lower in total anthocyanins concentration compared to ANK 28A. Significant variability in total anthocyanins concentration indicated that breeding for their increasing is possible.