CHANGES IN SOME BIOCHEMICAL-COMPONENTS OF WHEAT-GRAIN THAT WAS INFECTED WITH FUSARIUM-GRAMINEARUM

Wheat kernels that were lightly and moderately infected by Fusarium graminearum were analyzed in terms of their carbohydrate, lipid, and protein contents to determine any compositional changes. The significant compositional changes in lightly infected wheat were increases in reducing sugars (24%), non-starch lipids (5%), and decreases in cellulose (17%) and hemicellulose (20%) components. In moderately infected wheat, the increases in protein (6%), total sugars (26%), reducing sugars (14%), non-starch (20%) and starch (8%) lipids, and decreases in apparent and total amylose (11-20%), cellulose (43%) and hemicellulose (37%) components were also significant. Furthermore, infection with F. graminearum decreased the proportions of water-extractable protein (albumin) and storage protein (glutenin) by 33 and 80%, respectively, in moderately infected wheat.