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Induced Mutagenesis Improves Grain Protein and Micronutrient (Fe and Zn) Content in Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
by
,
Doktyrbay Gulina
1,*
,
Kenzhebayeva Saule
1,
Zharassova Dinara
2,
Atabayeva Saule
1,
Abdulzhanova Malika
1,
Shoinbekova Sabina
1,
Asrandina Saltanat
1 and
Yevloyeva Khava
3 1
Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
2
Mangyshlak Experimental Botanical Garden, Aktau 130000, Kazakhstan
3
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Shokan Ualikhanov Kokshetau University, Kokshetau 020000, Kazakhstan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Biology 2026, 15(11), 891; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15110891 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 7 May 2026
/
Revised: 29 May 2026
/
Accepted: 2 June 2026
/
Published: 4 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Breeding: From Biology to Biotechnology)
Simple Summary
Micronutrient deficiency, especially iron and zinc deficiency, remains a major global nutritional problem. Wheat is one of the most important staple crops worldwide and can be improved to provide higher nutritional value. In this study, mutant lines of spring wheat developed by gamma irradiation were evaluated for grain protein, iron, zinc, and phytate content. Several mutant lines showed increased protein and micronutrient content together with reduced phytate levels, which may improve mineral bioavailability. Importantly, these nutritional improvements were achieved without major negative effects on yield-related traits. The identified mutant lines may serve as valuable genetic resources for wheat biofortification programs aimed at developing more nutritious wheat cultivars and improving human health.
Abstract
Improving grain nutritional quality without reducing yield remains a major challenge in wheat breeding. This study aimed to identify advanced mutant lines of spring wheat with enhanced grain protein, iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) contents combined with reduced phytate levels to improve mineral bioavailability. Mutant lines were developed from the spring wheat cultivar Zhenis using gamma irradiation (100 and 200 Gry) and evaluated for yield-related traits, grain morphometry, and nutritional parameters. Significant phenotypic and genetic variation was observed among the M5 mutant lines. Grain protein content ranged from 13.23% to 15.63%, and 46.7% of the lines showed significantly higher protein levels than the parent cultivar. Likewise, 43.3% of the mutant lines showed increases in grain iron and zinc contents of up to 3.4- and 2.94-fold, respectively, compared to the control. Phytate-to-mineral molar ratios were significantly reduced, indicating improved mineral bioavailability. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between micronutrient accumulation and grain morphometric traits, particularly grain area. No strong negative relationship between nutritional quality and yield-related traits was detected in the selected lines. These results demonstrate that gamma-induced mutagenesis is an effective approach for developing biofortified wheat genotypes with improved nutritional quality and stable agronomic performance.
