Phytic acid content in different dry bean and faba bean landraces and cultivars

Abstract

Phytic acid (inositol hexakisphosphate) is the principal storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues. Phosphorus in this form is not available to non-ruminants, due to lack in the enzyme phytase that separates phosphorus from phytate molecules. Phytic acid is a strong chelator of important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, and can therefore contribute to mineral deficiencies in people whose diet rely on these foods as basic mineral intake. Phytic acid may be considered also as a phytonutrient, providing an antioxidant effect. Its content in plants is influenced by genotype, environmental, edaphic and agro-climatic factors, but also by species characteristics. Cereals and legumes are rich in phytic acid. The aim of this research was to examine the phytic acid content in seeds of diverse genotypes of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.), and to compare Serbian landraces and cultivars with widely distributed foreign cultivars. Faba beans had lower phytic acid content (mean 6.969 mg/g) in comparison to Phaseolus sp. (mean 8.095 mg/g). The lowest content was found in landrace from Temska (KVF-6-NS), 2.106 mg/g, and the highest in cultivar Panonski Gradištanac (10.47 mg/g) and Sarajevski zeleni (10.310 mg/g). According to phytic acid content, faba beans are grouped into two groups on one side of the dendrogram. Hierarchical cluster method of the multivariate analysis grouped dry beans genotypes into two larger and one small group (with only two members).