Megapixel imaging of (micro)nutrients in mature barley grains.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the accumulation and distribution of essential nutrients in cereals is of primary importance for improving the nutritional quality of this staple food. While recent studies have improved the understanding of micronutrient loading into the barley grain, a detailed characterization of the distribution of micronutrients within the grain is still lacking. High-definition synchrotron X-ray fluorescence was used to investigate the distribution and association of essential elements in barley grain at the micro scale. Micronutrient distribution within the scutellum and the embryo was shown to be highly variable between elements in relation to various morphological features. In the rest of the grain, the distribution of some elements such as Cu and Zn was not limited to the aleurone l

SUBMITTER: Lombi E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2993915 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature