Limitation of multi-elemental fingerprinting of wheat grains: Effect of cultivar, sowing date, and nutrient management. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Suarez-Tapia, Alfonso; Kucheryavskiy, Sergey V.; Christensen, Bent T.; Thomsen, Ingrid K.; Rasmussen, Jim
• Is Part Of: Journal of cereal science. Volume 76(2017)
• Page Start: 76
• Page End: 84
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Animal manure -- Mineral fertilisers -- Askov-LTE -- Multi-element fingerprinting; PCA principal component analysis -- AM animal manure -- NPK mineral fertilisers -- LTE long term experiment; Grain -- Periodicals; Cereal products -- Periodicals; Céréales -- Périodiques; Produits céréaliers -- Périodiques; Cereal products; Grain; Periodicals; 664.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcs.2017.05.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0733-5210

Abstract

Abstract: Multi-element fingerprinting demonstrates some potential for tracing the origin of agricultural products but not for discriminating among crop cultivars and nutrient management (source, rate). With principal component analysis (PCA) and univariate statistics, we examined 19 elements in grains from two winter wheat cultivars (Hereford, Mariboss) grown with different rates of animal manure (AM) or mineral fertilisers (NPK) in a long-term field experiment and two sowing dates (early, timely). Nitrogen, Cd and Mn related to NPK, and Mo and Na to AM. Barium, Fe, and P reflected nutrient rate; these elements increased with nutrient rate regardless of source. Unmanured grains were enriched in Cu. Mariboss was characterized by higher concentrations of Sr, Ba and Sc compared to Hereford with Sr in grain as the main separator. Univariate statistics showed higher concentrations of N, P, Mg, Ba, Cu, Mo and Zn in early sown than in timely sown wheat. Compared with Hereford grains Mariboss was higher in P, Mg, Ba, Cu and Sr but lower in Mn, Mo and Zn. Thus, confounding effects of cultivar, sowing date, nutrient source and rate limits the potential of multi-element analysis in discriminating among agricultural products from different sites and cropping systems. Highlights: Sowing date, nutrient source and rate impact grain element composition. Early sowing increases grain concentrations of N, P, Mg, Ba, Cu, Mo and Zn. Wheat cultivars differ in concentrations of P, Mg, Ba, Cu, Sr, Mn, Mo and Zn. Confounded management effects hamper authentication by multielement fingerprinting.