288
One of the main goals in the selection of cereal grain is determination of mineral
composition, especially phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and
essential amino acids for production of functional food (Nardi et al. 2003; Sidhu
et al. 2007). The content of macro- and microelements in cereals depends by many
factors such as chosen variety, soil and weather conditions during the growing
period, and use of fertilizers (Pietola and Salo 2000; Bálint et al. 2001; Hattori and
Chino 2001). According to Ficco et al. (2009), the major source for variation in
micronutrients in wheat seed is the genotype and environmental interactions.
The previous studies for determination of macro- and microelements have been
based on soil, water quality, and air pollution (Klavins and Vircavs 2001; Nikodemus
et al. 2004; Tabors et al. 2004; Gilucis 2007; Cekstere and Osvalde 2013). Soil is the
main source of trace elements for plaints, both of micronutrients and pollutants
(Kabata-Pendias 2011). Most of the researches addressing the issue of mineral content in organic grain have focused on wheat (Zörb et al. 2009; Hussain et al. 2010).
But in the last years, many papers are dedicated to macro- and microcontent in
barley varieties (Šterna et al. 2015; Markova Ruzdik et al. 2016; Jâkobsone
et al. 2018).
Minerals which affect the nutritive value of barley seed are divided into macroand microelements based on concentration in food. The macroelements include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and sodium. The rest are iron, manganese,
zinc, selenium, and cobalt which are the nutritionally microelements in barley kernel (Marconi et al. 2000).
From the nutritional point of view, attention is mainly focused on essential macroelements (K, Ca, and Mg) and trace elements (Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn) in grains. The
products of cereals provide significant amounts of the most nutrients including relevant quantities of minerals. Minerals in cereal grain are mostly found in the aleurone layer (Lui et al. 2007; Poutanen 2012). Even though micronutrients are needed
in minute quantities, they have major impact on normal development. Тhe amount
of essential heavy metals such as Ni, Cu, and Zn in agricultural products has been
reported previously (Pirsaheb et al. 2015).
On the other side, mineral nutrition contributed significantly to increase crop
yields. Borlaug and Dowswell (1994) presented that around 50% of the increase in
crop yields worldwide in the last period was due to application of chemical fertilizers.
Crops need micronutrient elements in small quantities, for normal growth and production. Deficiencies of essential elements cause disturbance in the physiological and
metabolic processes in plants (Bacha et al. 1997). Plant growth can be limited because
of low content of the following elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium,
magnesium, iron, and molybdenum (Rao et al. 1993; Samac and Tesfaye 2003). The
content of calcium is low in maize and barley, but barley is the first crop according to
content of phosphorus, compared to other cereals (Shar et al. 2013). According to
Welch et al. (1991), the elements manganese, iron, copper, zinc, boron, and molybdenum are essential for higher plants, while Parker et al. (1992) reported that zinc is of
the eight essential elements, necessary for normal growth and plant development.
A lot of barley breeding programs have as main objective to develop new genotypes that have some improvement over existing variety traits like yield potential,
N. Markova Ruzdik et al.
One of the main goals in the selection of cereal grain is determination of mineral
composition, especially phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and
essential amino acids for production of functional food (Nardi et al. 2003; Sidhu
et al. 2007). The content of macro- and microelements in cereals depends by many
factors such as chosen variety, soil and weather conditions during the growing
period, and use of fertilizers (Pietola and Salo 2000; Bálint et al. 2001; Hattori and
Chino 2001). According to Ficco et al. (2009), the major source for variation in
micronutrients in wheat seed is the genotype and environmental interactions.
The previous studies for determination of macro- and microelements have been
based on soil, water quality, and air pollution (Klavins and Vircavs 2001; Nikodemus
et al. 2004; Tabors et al. 2004; Gilucis 2007; Cekstere and Osvalde 2013). Soil is the
main source of trace elements for plaints, both of micronutrients and pollutants
(Kabata-Pendias 2011). Most of the researches addressing the issue of mineral content in organic grain have focused on wheat (Zörb et al. 2009; Hussain et al. 2010).
But in the last years, many papers are dedicated to macro- and microcontent in
barley varieties (Šterna et al. 2015; Markova Ruzdik et al. 2016; Jâkobsone
et al. 2018).
Minerals which affect the nutritive value of barley seed are divided into macroand microelements based on concentration in food. The macroelements include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and sodium. The rest are iron, manganese,
zinc, selenium, and cobalt which are the nutritionally microelements in barley kernel (Marconi et al. 2000).
From the nutritional point of view, attention is mainly focused on essential macroelements (K, Ca, and Mg) and trace elements (Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn) in grains. The
products of cereals provide significant amounts of the most nutrients including relevant quantities of minerals. Minerals in cereal grain are mostly found in the aleurone layer (Lui et al. 2007; Poutanen 2012). Even though micronutrients are needed
in minute quantities, they have major impact on normal development. Тhe amount
of essential heavy metals such as Ni, Cu, and Zn in agricultural products has been
reported previously (Pirsaheb et al. 2015).
On the other side, mineral nutrition contributed significantly to increase crop
yields. Borlaug and Dowswell (1994) presented that around 50% of the increase in
crop yields worldwide in the last period was due to application of chemical fertilizers.
Crops need micronutrient elements in small quantities, for normal growth and production. Deficiencies of essential elements cause disturbance in the physiological and
metabolic processes in plants (Bacha et al. 1997). Plant growth can be limited because
of low content of the following elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium,
magnesium, iron, and molybdenum (Rao et al. 1993; Samac and Tesfaye 2003). The
content of calcium is low in maize and barley, but barley is the first crop according to
content of phosphorus, compared to other cereals (Shar et al. 2013). According to
Welch et al. (1991), the elements manganese, iron, copper, zinc, boron, and molybdenum are essential for higher plants, while Parker et al. (1992) reported that zinc is of
the eight essential elements, necessary for normal growth and plant development.
A lot of barley breeding programs have as main objective to develop new genotypes that have some improvement over existing variety traits like yield potential,
N. Markova Ruzdik et al.