Evaluation of oat genotypes for the content of β-glucans in grain on the basis of its physical characteristics

Due to the beneficial effect of oat β-glucans on human health and their negative role in the assimilation of feed by non-ruminant animals, the selection of oats for increased (cereal direction) and reduced (feed use) content of these polysaccharides in grain is an urgent task. To perform screening of breeding material for the specified biochemical indicator of oat quality, it is advisable to use simple, express and non-destructive methods of grain analysis. The aim of this work is the development of a rapid method to evaluate oat genotypes for the content of β-glucans in grain based on the measurement of physical characteristics of grain. For the first time, it was found that in oat samples with a high content of β-glucans, the film-free grain was characterized by a higher density (r = 0.818). Probably, the mechanism explaining the presence of this correlation is associated with the formation of thicker and more densely packed cell walls in the endosperm, which has a greater number of these chemicals...