Quantitative and Qualitative Traits of Triticum dicoccon Schrank – Correlation Analysis

Abstract

In the present study, the correlation analysis of agronomic and qualitative traits of emmer demonstrated negative, medium strong correlation between stem length and protein content, water absorption and sieve fraction under 2.2 mm. Higher quality traits of emmer are associated with longer stem. Productive spikelets coefficient positively correlated with the most of quality traits and therefore can be an indicator of breadmaking potential of emmer. Very important quality trait is protein content with high positive correlation between Zeleny test, wet gluten content, farinograph water absorption and also between beta-carotene. Strong negative correlation between protein content and gluten index indicated difficulties for breeders to select for high protein and its high quality at the same time. The content of zeaxanthin and beta-carotene correlated with grain size, beta-carotene with grain size of 2.2–2.5 mm, zeaxanthin with grain size higher than 2.5 and 2.8 mm. The content of lutein, free and bound phenolics did not correlated with grain size fractions, but medium strong to strong correlations were recorded between all these phytoprotective traits.