Enzymes play an important role in cereal processing not only because in many instances they have an impact on processability, but also they add to final product quality. High activities of different hydrolytic enzymes could cause the losses of grain quality and lead to processing problems and unsatisfactory end-products. However, the information on the impact of various cultural practices and conditions on the variation of enzymes activity levels in cereals is rather limited. The present study is therefore aimed to compare the activity levels of most important hydrolytic enzymes (alpha-amylase, endoxylanase and protease) in wheat, barely, rye and oats grown by organic and conventional agricultural practices. To address this issue, different registered cultivars and up-and-coming lines of winter wheat (4 varieties), winter rye (3 varieties), spring barley (6 varieties), and oats (3 varieties) grown during 2009 harvest year were involved in the test: The alpha-amylase activity in organically and conventionally grown cereals varied from 224 till 1335 U (units) g -1 and from 814 till 1546 U g -1, endoxylanase activity - from 0.13 till 0.65 U g -1 and from 0.06 till 0.15 U g -1, protease activity - from 4.89 till 4.95 U g -1 and from 4.87 till 4.95 U g -1, respectively. The data demonstrated that organic wheat, rye, and oats had lower alpha-amylase activity in compare with conventional counterparts. Also organic rye, barley and oats distinguished much higher endoxylanase activity than conventional ones. Contrary tendency was found during investigation of alpha-amylase activity in barley and endoxylanase activity in wheat. Comparing protease activity, significant differences have not been found between various agricultural practices. These results warrant further studies investigating links between specific agricultural practices and enzyme activities in important food cereals.
