Accumulation of Molybdenum Cofactor in the Seeds of Di-, Tetra-, and Hexaploid Wheat of the Genus Triticum L.

Accumulation of molybdenum cofactor (Moco) in wheat seeds depends on plant ploidy and appears to be a genetically predetermined trait. The level of Moco in the low productive diploid is 2.5–4.0 times greater than that in the evolutionary younger and more productive hexaploid. The deficit of water and high air temperature induced a sharp rise (14 to 64 times) in the Moco content in the seeds, irrespective of the level of ploidy. Apparently, this is a nonspecific adaptive response of wheat to the adverse conditions.