Concentrations of lutein and lutein esters were determined in an ample collection of 75 wheat genotypes comprising bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), durum (Triticum durum Desf.), spelt (Triticum spelta L.), emmer (Triticum dicoccum Schrank), and einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) grown in five different environments. Einkorn genotypes showed the highest total amounts of lutein (4.5-7.8 μg/g dry matter), followed by durum (2.0-4.6 μg/g), spelt (0.9-2.0 μg/g), emmer (0.8-1.9 μg/g), and bread wheat (0.7-2.0 μg/g). Due to the observed highly significant genetic variance and high heritability, lutein contents of wheat genotypes may be increased by future plant breeding. Detailed HPLC-DAD-APCI(±)-MS(n) data allowing the identification of six lutein monoesters and nine diesters are presented. Linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids were the most abundant fatty acids in both the lutein esters and total free lipid fractions. Lutein esters were virtually absent in the tetraploid durum and emmer species, whereas their concentrations considerably differed among the genotypes belonging to the other species.
Keywords: carotenoid ester; fatty acids; heritability; mass spectrometry; xanthophylls.