Variation in Ferulic Acid Concentration among Diverse Barley Cultivars Measured by HPLC and Microspectrophotometry

Ferulic acid (FA) is a low molecular weight phenolic acid that is a common component of the outer layers of cereal grains. It has been implicated in resistance to both insect and fungal pathogens. The FA concentrations of 18 cultivars of 2-row and 6-row barleys, grown in 2 locations, were quantified by HPLC analysis following acid hydrolysis. The FA concentrations ranged from 365 to 605 μg/g dry weight. The concentration of FA varied significantly among the different cultivars of barley. A genetic basis for FA levels is inferred by the similar ranking of the cultivars in both locations. FA levels were also measured by the absorbance at 340 nm of the acid-hydrolyzed extract, and in situ detection of fluorescence intensity of the ground grain using a UMSP80 microspectrofluorimeter. Both of these methods are more rapid than HPLC and may allow the practical screening of FA concentrations in numerous barley lines.