Research Progress in Grain Color Traits in Cereal Crops

doi:10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2026-0033

Abstract

Abstract:

Cereal crops include wheat, barley (hulless barley/qingke), oat, and rye. These crops exhibit rich genetic diversity in grain color traits, presenting colors such as yellow, purple, blue, red, green, and black. The formation of distinct grain colors is determined by the composition and accumulation of pigments deposited in cellular structures of the kernel, including the pericarp, seed coat, and aleurone layer. Anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and other phenolic compounds constitute the important material basis influencing grain color formation. Grain color is mainly governed by genetic factors, although external environmental conditions and cultivation practices also affect its phenotypic expression. As one of the most striking visual traits of cereal grains, grain color is a key phenotypic characteristic of crop seeds. Understanding the cytological basis and genetic mechanisms underlying grain color formation in cereal crops is of great significance for the breeding of specialty functional varieties. Currently, research on grain color in cereal crops both domestically and internationally has mainly focused on the composition and metabolic pathways of pigment substances, as well as the mapping, cloning, and molecular regulatory mechanisms of related genes. This paper systematically reviews the grain color phenotypes, grading and classification criteria based on cytological foundations, and the genetic mechanisms underlying grain color formation, discusses the application of grain color traits in crop breeding as well as future research directions, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the genetic improvement of grain color traits and the optimization of processing quality in cereal crops.

Key words: cereal crops, grain color, genetic mechanism, pigment, breeding

CHEN Si-xu, WU Kun-lun, LI Xin. Research Progress in Grain Color Traits in Cereal Crops[J]. Biotechnology Bulletin, 2026, 42(12): 1-13.

Figures/Tables 11

References 71

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种子颜色 Seed color	色素沉积部位 Pigment deposition sites	色素种类 Pigment species
紫色 Purple	种皮 Seed coat	花青素 Anthocyanins
蓝色 Blue	糊粉层 Aleurone layer	花青素 Anthocyanins
蓝紫色 Blue-purple	种皮、糊粉层 Seed coat， aleurone layer	花青素 Anthocyanins
黑色 Black	种皮、糊粉层、胚乳 Seed coat， aleurone layer， endosperm	花青素 Anthocyanins
绿色 Green	‒	叶绿素 Chlorophyll
红色 Red	种皮 Seed coat	植物鞣红 Phlobaphene
黄色 Yellow	‒	‒

种子颜色 Seed color	色素沉积部位 Pigment deposition sites	色素种类 Pigment species
紫色 Purple	种皮 Seed coat	花青素 Anthocyanins
蓝色 Blue	糊粉层 Aleurone layer	花青素 Anthocyanins
蓝紫色 Blue-purple	种皮、糊粉层 Seed coat， aleurone layer	花青素 Anthocyanins
黑色 Black	种皮、糊粉层、胚乳 Seed coat， aleurone layer， endosperm	花青素 Anthocyanins
绿色 Green	‒	叶绿素 Chlorophyll
红色 Red	种皮 Seed coat	植物鞣红 Phlobaphene
黄色 Yellow	‒	‒