A comparative study of protein and free amino acid contents in some important ancient wheat lines

In this study, protein content and amino acid compositions of some selected ancient wheat lines (forty-nine emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum dicoccum) and thirty-six einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) were determined to evaluate the nutritional quality of these two wheat species. The results were compared with three control cultivars of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum durum). Protein content was measured by a Dumas combustion method and amino acid profiles (threonine, lysine, arginine, histidine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, serine, proline, valine, methionine, tyrosine, leucine+isoleucine and phenylalanine) were analysed by a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Protein contents of einkorn, emmer wheat lines and durum wheat cultivars were found to be 21.29 +/- 1.59, 17.35 +/- 2.49 and 16.93 +/- 1.76%, respectively. The essential amino acids and protein contents determined in the analysis were higher in einkorn lines than those of emmer wheat lines and control cultivars. In conclusion, the grain of einkorn lines can be selected as the most suitable raw material for human nutrition due to the quality of their protein and amino acid contents.