Inter- and intraspecific study on compositional quality traits of diverse sets of spelt and common wheat

Genetically diverse fifty spelt and fifty bread wheat genotypes selected based on the results of a 25K SNP array analysis were compared for physical, compositional and breadmaking quality traits. Inter- and intraspecific diversity, the effect of the species, the genotypes and the year was evaluated. The variation found in the compositional and processing traits of spelt was narrower than that of bread wheat. Significant effect of the genotype was identified for both species for almost all the traits, and spelt genotypes were found to have longer kernels, higher protein content, and lower starch, fructan and β-glucan content than bread wheat in average. Processing of spelt was determined by the more extensible dough, lower starch damage and water absorption of the flour, the low starch viscosity values, high pasting-time and temperature. Although spelt comes with challenges in bread-making quality due to weaker gluten properties, its potential in functional food applications, specialized diets and organic cultivation is promising. • Genetically diverse set of spelt were studied. • Spelt showed lower variation in compositional and processing traits than wheat. • Spelt had higher amount of protein, and more extensible dough than bread wheat. • Spelt had lower starch, β-glucan and fructan content than bread wheat. • Spelt had lower starch viscosity values, but higher pasting time and temperature.