Dergiler / International Journal of Secondary Metabolite / 2026 / Volume: 13 Issue: 1

Evaluation of harvest timing and genotypic effect on bioactive composition and antioxidant activity of wheatgrass from traditional and modern wheat cultivars

Fatma Pehlivan Karakaş(BOLU ABANT IZZET BAYSAL UNIVERSITY)0000-0001-5245-6294
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Yayın Tarihi
2026-03-09
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⚡ TL;DR(1 Cümlede Hızlı Çıkarım)

Overall, einkorn wheatgrass demonstrated a more potent antioxidant system and higher phenolic and flavonoid content, whereas bread wheatgrass excelled in chlorophyll accumulation, emphasizing distinct compositional advantages between the two wheat varieties.

📌 3 Maddede Bu Makale

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Amaç & Hipotez:Wheatgrass has gained increasing attention due to its high content of bioactive compounds and associated health benefits.
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Temel Bulgular & Veri:Seedlings were harvested at 10 different growth stages (5 to 15 days old).
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Sonuç & Katkı:Overall, einkorn wheatgrass demonstrated a more potent antioxidant system and higher phenolic and flavonoid content, whereas bread wheatgrass excelled in chlorophyll accumulation, emphasizing distinct compositional advantages between the two wheat varieties.
🔬Tür:Research Article
📍Kapsam:Genişletilmiş Akademik Örneklem
⚙️Değişkenler:Antioxidant activity · Phytochemicals · Triticum aestivum

Özet

Wheatgrass has gained increasing attention due to its high content of bioactive compounds and associated health benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of harvest timing and wheat variety on plant growth, phytochemical composition—including chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll content (TCC), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC)—as well as antioxidant capacity in wheatgrass obtained from modern bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.; cv. Tosunbey) and ancestral einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum; cv. IZA). Seedlings were harvested at 10 different growth stages (5 to 15 days old). The results revealed that 9-day-old bread wheatgrass exhibited the highest Chl a (9.43 mg/g FW), Chl b (2.69 mg/g FW), and TCC (12.12 mg/g FW). In contrast, 9-day-old einkorn wheatgrass had the highest TPC (55.18 ± 0.29 mg FAE/g DW) and TFC (263.11 ± 1.92 mg QE/g DW). Notably, the strongest antioxidant activity (2.29 mg/L), comparable to ascorbic acid (2.26 mg/L), was observed in 5-day-old einkorn wheatgrass. The peak levels of TCC, TPC, and TFC were consistently detected on day 9 in both species. These findings highlight the critical role of harvest timing and genetic variation in optimizing the nutritional and functional properties of wheatgrass. While 9-day-old seedlings exhibited the highest phytochemical accumulation, the strongest antioxidant activity was observed in 5-day-old einkorn wheatgrass. Overall, einkorn wheatgrass demonstrated a more potent antioxidant system and higher phenolic and flavonoid content, whereas bread wheatgrass excelled in chlorophyll accumulation, emphasizing distinct compositional advantages between the two wheat varieties.

Abstract

Wheatgrass has gained increasing attention due to its high content of bioactive compounds and associated health benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of harvest timing and wheat variety on plant growth, phytochemical composition—including chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll content (TCC), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC)—as well as antioxidant capacity in wheatgrass obtained from modern bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.; cv. Tosunbey) and ancestral einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum; cv. IZA). Seedlings were harvested at 10 different growth stages (5 to 15 days old). The results revealed that 9-day-old bread wheatgrass exhibited the highest Chl a (9.43 mg/g FW), Chl b (2.69 mg/g FW), and TCC (12.12 mg/g FW). In contrast, 9-day-old einkorn wheatgrass had the highest TPC (55.18 ± 0.29 mg FAE/g DW) and TFC (263.11 ± 1.92 mg QE/g DW). Notably, the strongest antioxidant activity (2.29 mg/L), comparable to ascorbic acid (2.26 mg/L), was observed in 5-day-old einkorn wheatgrass. The peak levels of TCC, TPC, and TFC were consistently detected on day 9 in both species. These findings highlight the critical role of harvest timing and genetic variation in optimizing the nutritional and functional properties of wheatgrass. While 9-day-old seedlings exhibited the highest phytochemical accumulation, the strongest antioxidant activity was observed in 5-day-old einkorn wheatgrass. Overall, einkorn wheatgrass demonstrated a more potent antioxidant system and higher phenolic and flavonoid content, whereas bread wheatgrass excelled in chlorophyll accumulation, emphasizing distinct compositional advantages between the two wheat varieties.

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Bu Makaleye Atıf Yap

Karakaş, F. P. (2026). Evaluation of harvest timing and genotypic effect on bioactive composition and antioxidant activity of wheatgrass from traditional and modern wheat cultivars. International Journal of Secondary Metabolite, Volume: 13 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.21448/ijsm.1700714

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