Effect of genotype, environment and genotype-by-environment interaction on metabolite profiling in durum wheat ( Triticum durum Desf.) grain

The aim of this study was to assess the relative roles of genotype, environment and genotype-by-environment interactions in determining the metabolite profile of durum wheat grain. Four durum wheat cultivars were grown under conventional and organic farming systems over three consecutive years. The use of a high-throughput gas chromatography–mass spectrometry platform allowed the analysis of sets of different polar and non-polar compounds, including amino acids, sugars, organic acids, fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated), and sterols. Statistical analysis of the data showed a small impact of genotype and large effects of both year and genotype-by-environment interaction on the metabolite composition and quality of the wheat grain. Overall, the data from this study highlight the potential role of metabolic profiling in the analysis of durum wheat quality and production.