Аннотация:Modern biophysical methods have provided a breakthrough in investigations of the status
and functions of the intact plants at the molecular level. The infrared (IR) spectroscopy allows us to
analyze the molecular composition and structure by recording the absorption of infrared radiation as
a function of frequency of valent and deformation vibrations (wavenumber, cm-1) for chemical
bonds. We used the IR Fourier spectroscopy method (IR spectra with Fourier Transformation,) to
investigated the grain composition in maize hybrids — ZP 341, ZP 434 and ZP 505 created at Maize
Research Institute (Zemun Polje, Belgrade, Serbia). The resulted spectra differed in peak number
and intensity, and in oscillation frequency. Particularly, there are 20 to 23 peaks and characteristic
spectral bands within the wavenumber range of 400 to 4000 сm-1. Characteristic spectral bands were
analyzed for each hybrid with regard to absorption intensity in %, experimentally determined wavenumber
in cm-1, and published wavenumber range. A comparison of these peaks to reference IR
spectra from databases revealed biogenic organic molecules: alcohols, amines, esters, alkanes, carboxylic
acids, alkenes, aldehydes, ketones and esters in the studied grain hybrids. In a typical IR
spectrum of maize hybrid ZP 341 there were three most distinct bands with wavenumbers of 3400,
2900 and 1000 cm-1. Four peaks (3400, 2950, 1700 and 1000 сm-1) were characteristic of the ZP 434
hybrid, and eight major peaks of 3400, 2900, 2850, 1750, 1700, 1450, 1150 and 1000 сm-1 were observed
in ZP 505. That is, the grain charterisics in ZP 505 slightly differ from those in ZP 341 and
ZP 434, whereas in ZP 341 and ZP 434 the grain structure is more similar. In general, Serbian hybrids
are characterized by high quality, productivity and technological suitability. The developed
methodology for IR spectra recording and analysis in grain allows to reveal the composition and
structure of biogenic compounds. It is important not only for diagnosis and breeding, but also for the
development of biotechnological screening methods, or the estimation of grain storage time.