Improving Grain Quality in Oil and Cereal Crops

RONDANINI D.P.; BORRÁS LUCAS; SAVIN ROXANA

Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology

Springer Verlag

Año: 2018; p. 1 - 22

Grain quality is frequently regarded by agronomists and breeders to be as important as yield. Quality characteristics are the reason why only few plant species are used to satisfy most human requirements for food and fiber. Grain quality has traditionally comprised a group of characteristics that collectively determine the usefulness of the harvested grains for a particular end use. Therefore, to breed and manage grain crops to achieve a specific quality standard and to be able to predict the quality of a particular crop in a particular growing environment is highly relevant. Achieving this objective depends on the knowledge of the factors modifying grain composition.As grain markets have become more specialized, grain quality is currently including other characteristics. Consumers are increasingly interested in the sustainability of the production system generating grains, and concepts like organic and GMO free (genetically modified organisms) also affect the quality of the product. At present one of the greatest challenges the world faces is how to ensure that a growing global population has enough food to meet their nutritional needs in a sustainable manner. Food security is a complex condition requiring a holistic approach to all forms of malnutrition, the productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, resilience of food production systems, and the sustainable use of biodiversity and genetic resources. There is a growing pressure on farmers to produce grains under specific sustainable managements, with greater uniformity and specific characteristics. Appropriate husbandry to obtain grains with high and stable "quality" will likely be of increasing importance in achieving economic benefits. Grain quality is modified by the environment and the crop management practices used by farmers. However, the strategies and tools required to produce grains with certain quality characteristics are not as established as the ones for achieving high yields.