Agronomic and Functional Evaluation of Nine Gamma-Irradiated Colored Wheat Mutants for Whole-Crop Forage Production

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a key global cereal for food and feed, is being improved through gamma irradiation to enhance its nutritional and functional value for forage use. This study examined the forage potential and functional traits of gamma-irradiated colored wheat mutants through integrated analyses of agronomic performance, chemical composition, silage quality, and antioxidant capacity. Nine mutant lines (S1–S9), original colored wheat, and two control cultivars, ‘Cheongwoo’ (forage type) and ‘Keumkang’ (bread type), were evaluated under field conditions. Gamma irradiation (200 Gy) broadened phenotypic and biochemical diversity within the colored wheat background, generating genotypes with distinct biomass and compositional profiles. Several lines, particularly S6 and S8, produced high dry matter yields with balanced crude protein and fiber contents comparable to ‘Cheongwoo’ while maintaining optimal fiber levels for ruminant feeding. Most mutants showed stable fermentation and buffering properties, indicating that radiation-induced variation did not impair silage quality. Antioxidant analyses revealed clear genotypic variation, with the S3 and S1 lines exhibiting elevated phenolic and anthocyanin contents associated with strong radical scavenging activity. Overall, gamma irradiation proved to be an effective approach for generating colored wheat lines with enhanced agronomic performance and functional value, highlighting S3 as a promising dual-purpose whole-crop forage candidate.