Defining free amino acid contents of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) genotypes in Turkey

Abstract

Free amino acid contents, including Arginine (Arg), Aspartic acid (Asp), Glutamic acid (Glu), Proline (Pro), Methionine (Met), Tyrosine (Tyr), Leusine + Isoleucine (Leu + Ile) and Phenylalanine (Phe) of 173 different Lathyrus sativus (grass pea) genotypes were studied. Arg was the most fluctuated and at the same time it gave the highest and the lowest yielded free amino acids among the all genotypes, ranging from 0.10 to 506.85 mg g⁻¹. However, regarding to the mean values, Glu is having the highest levels with 311.61 mg g⁻¹ among the all. This study provides an additional data for this field of work and seems to be unique.

Keywords:

• grass pea
• free amino acids
• 173 accessions

Public Interest Statement

Grass pea has a number of advantages in respect to its properties, such as its high protein content, a high yield potential, low fertilization levels its tolerance to flood or salinity, drought survival. This plant is also commonly grown for animal feed and forage. Grass pea seeds may represent a potential source of several important nutrients for human and animal nutrition. On the other hand, the free amino acid constitutes of legumes are more than 10% of the weight of the legume seeds and are tend to be lost in cooking. These free amino acids, nevertheless, represent an enormous potential store of nourishment for man and animal. In this study, the free amino acids profile of 173 grass pea genotypes were determined. The results show that grass pea is rich in free amino acids and there is a wide variation between grass pea genotypes.

Acknowledgements

The author gratefully acknowledges the Akdeniz University Scientific Research Project Unit and other institutions for kindly providing plant materials. Special thanks would like to Dr Mehmet Oten from BATEM and Taner Erkaymaz from Akdeniz University, Food and Agricultural Research Laboratory. The author also thank Dr Sedat Citak for support in improving the quality of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

Funding. The author received no direct funding for this research.

Notes on contributors

Mehmet Arslan

Mehmet Arslan graduated from Akdeniz University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree, in 2003 with his master’s degree and in 2008 with his PhD in the field of Agronomy and Breeding of Forage Crops. He is still working as a lecturer in Akdeniz University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of FieldCrops. He deals with species and varieties of forage plants, which tolerant to the effects of abiotic stres factors, such as global climate change, drought and salinity. In this respect, he is conducting researches which are based on agronomic, morphological, phenological in Lathyrus sativus genotypes, which is collected from nature. At the same time, he goes on quality-based research on silage, an important food source for animal nutrition continues.