Higher atmospheric CO2 levels are changing the protein mix in wheat, according to a study in Food Chemistry. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute and Technical University of Munich grew 10 winter wheat varieties under elevated CO2 at 546 parts per million and compared them with wheat grown at current levels. They found that amylase/trypsin inhibitors increased while gluten proteins and puroindolines decreased, which could affect baking quality and long-term tolerability of wheat products. The effects varied by cultivar, which points to breeding as a practical response. Identifying wheat varieties that keep baking quality and keep potentially problematic proteins low under rising CO2 would give farmers and millers more options. The study also highlights why climate adaptation needs to track quality traits, not just yield.
