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Existing agricultural nitrogen datasets in China are mostly developed using coarse national or provincial statistics. A crop‐specific nitrogen rate dataset based on the finest‐scale agricultural nitrogen statistics at the county level remains lacking. Here, we constructed a new dataset (CN‐N), which provides annual nitrogen rates for rice, wheat and maize in China at a 1‐km spatial resolution from 2004 to 2016. This dataset was developed by harmonizing county‐level and provincial agricultural nitrogen statistics with gridded crop distribution maps, resulting in 13 years of nitrogen rate maps for each crop covering 2004–2016. Validation against farmers' surveys by crop indicates CN‐N reliably quantifies average nitrogen rates and trends for each crop over 2004–2016, demonstrating improved spatial heterogeneity compared to previous datasets rasterized using only provincial statistics. Our study provides a crop‐specific, temporally consistent, gridded nitrogen rate dataset based on the finest‐scale county‐level agricultural nitrogen statistics. This can support future process‐based modelling for sustainable agricultural nitrogen management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter wheat–summer maize cropping system in the North China Plain often experiences droughtinduced yield reduction in the wheat season and rainwater and nitrogen (N) fertilizer losses in the maize season. This study aimed to identify an optimal interseasonal water- and N-management strategy to alleviate these losses. Four ratios of allocation of 360 kg N ha-1 between the wheat and maize seasons under one-time presowing root-zone irrigation (W0) and additional jointing and anthesis irrigation (W2) in wheat and one irrigation after maize sowing were set as follows: N1 (120:240), N2 (180:180), N3 (240:120) and N4 (300:60). The results showed that under W0, the N3 treatment produced the highest annual yield, crop water productivity (WPC), and nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFPN). Increased N allocation in wheat under W0 improved wheat yield without affecting maize yield, as surplus nitrate after wheat harvest was retained in the topsoil layers and available for the subsequent maize. Under W2, annual yield was largest in the N2 treatment. The risk of nitrate leaching increased in W2 when N application rate in wheat exceeded that of the N2 treatment, especially in the wet year. Compared to W2N2, the W0N3 maintained 95.2% grain yield over two years. The WPC was higher in the W0 treatment than in the W2 treatment. Therefore, following limited total N rate, an appropriate fertilizer N transfer from maize to wheat season had the potential of a ‘‘triple win” for high annual yield, WPC and PFPN in a water-limited wheat–maize cropping system [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this study, the effects of different levels of wheat inclusion on growth performance and intestinal homeostasis in broilers were evaluated. We first analyzed the effects of dietary wheat ratio on liver function, serum glycolipid profile, and bone turnover, and showed that the dose of wheat in the diets of broilers had no deleterious effects on animal health. We also found that replacing corn with 55% wheat in the diet of broilers increased body weight and feed consumption, with improved intestinal morphology and cecal microbiota composition. These data indicated that the replacement of corn with 55% wheat in the diet promoted the growth performance of 21-day-old broilers via improving intestinal morphology and cecal microbiota. Replacing corn with different levels of wheat in the iso-energy and -protein diet of broilers and the impacts on growth performance and intestinal homeostasis of broilers under the condition of supplying the multienzyme complex were evaluated in this study. A total of 480 10-day-old male broilers were assigned randomly to the low-level wheat group (15% wheat and 35.18% corn), the medium-level wheat group (30% and 22.27%), and the high-level wheat group (55.77% wheat without corn) until 21 d. The different levels of wheat supplementation did not affect hepatic function, serum glycolipid profile, or bone turnover. The replacement of corn with 55% wheat in the diet of broilers increased the body weight at 21 d and feed intake during 10 to 21 d (both p < 0.05), with a comparable feed conversion ratio. Compared with the low-wheat group, the dietary addition of medium or high wheat levels notably increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum (p < 0.05) and the ileal villus height (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the supplementation of medium and high wheat in the diet increased the proportion of Bacteroidetes, and a diet with high wheat proportion elevated the content of Firmicutes when compared to the low-level wheat group (both p < 0.05). In addition, the diet containing 30–55% wheat enhanced the anti-inflammatory capability in both the ileum and the serum. These findings suggest that the replacement of corn with 55% wheat in the diet improved the growth performance of 21-day-old broilers, which might be linked to the alteration in intestinal morphology and cecal microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, researchers are looking for ways to replace synthetic pesticides with substances of natural origin. Essential oils are produced by plants, among other things, to protect against pathogens, which is why there is interest in their use as fungicides. This experiment assessed the composition of essential oils from a commercial source, their impact on the development of mycelium of pathogens of the Fusarium genus, and the possibility of using them as a pre-sowing treatment. Grains of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) were inoculated with a suspension of mycelium and spores of fungi of the Fusarium genus and then soaked in solutions containing oils of sage (Salvia officinalis L.), cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.), cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). The obtained results indicate that thyme essential oil had the strongest effect on limiting the development of Fusarium pathogens and seedling infection, but at the same time it had an adverse effect on the level of germination and seedling development of the tested plants. The remaining essential oils influenced the mentioned parameters to varying degrees. Selected essential oils can be an alternative to synthetic fungicides, but they must be selected appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Spodoptera exempta is a global agricultural invasive pest which posing a serious threat to the planting area of major crops of maize, wheat and rice. Our study predicted the potential suitable areas for S. exempta globally based on 841 global occurrence records and eight important bioclimatic variables, and analyzed the overlap with maize, wheat and rice planting areas. The results of the study indicate that the high potential suitable areas of S. exempta are mainly distributed in developing countries (Latin America, central South America, Central Africa, and southern Asia), with the greatest impact on global maize planting areas, followed by rice and wheat. Global warming will have a smaller limitation on the distribution of S. exempta. In view of the global potential geographic distribution of S. exempta and its damage to three major crops, the above governments of various countries should pay active attention to the prevention and control of S. exempta to protect global food security. Spodoptera exempta, known as the black armyworm, has been extensively documented as an invasive agricultural pest prevalent across various crop planting regions globally. However, the potential geographical distribution and the threat it poses to host crops of remains unknown at present. Therefore, we used an optimized MaxEnt model based on 841 occurrence records and 19 bioclimatic variables to predict the potential suitable areas of S. exempta under current and future climatic conditions, and the overlap with wheat, rice, and maize planting areas was assessed. The optimized model was highly reliable in predicting potential suitable areas for this pest. The results showed that high-risk distribution areas for S. exempta were mainly in developing countries, including Latin America, central South America, central Africa, and southern Asia. Moreover, for the three major global food crops, S. exempta posed the greatest risk to maize planting areas (510.78 × 104 km2), followed by rice and wheat planting areas. Under future climate scenarios, global warming will limit the distribution of S. exempta. Overall, S. exempta had the strongest effect on global maize production areas and the least on global wheat planting areas. Our study offers a scientific basis for global prevention of S. exempta and protection of agricultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker), an important migratory pest of maize and wheat, is posing a severe threat to maize production in Asian countries. As source areas of spring–summer emigratory populations, the control of M. separata in southwestern China is of great significance for East Asian maize production. To assess the toxicity of Bt maize against the pest, bioassays of Bt-(Cry1Ab+Vip3Aa) maize (event DBN3601T), Bt-Cry1Ab maize (event DBN9936), and Bt-Vip3Aa maize (event DBN9501) were conducted in Yunnan province of southwest China. There were significant differences in insecticidal activity between the three Bt maize events, and DBN3601T presented the highest insecticidal role. The results also indicated that the insecticidal effect of various Bt maize tissues took an order in leaf > kernel > silk, which is highly consistent with the expression amounts of Bt insecticidal protein in leaf (69.69 ± 1.18 μg/g), kernel (11.69 ± 0.75 μg/g), and silk (7.32 ± 0.31 μg/g). In field trials, all larval population densities, plant damage rates, and leaf damage levels of DBN3601T maize were significantly lower than the conventional maize. This research indicated that the DBN3601T event had a high control efficiency against M. separata and could be deployed in southwest China for the management of M. separata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to identify novel simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers associated with resistance to corn aphid (CLA), Rhopalosiphum maidis L. in 48 selected bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and wild wheat (Aegilops spp. & T. dicoccoides) genotypes during two consecutive cropping seasons (2018–19 and 2019–20). A total of 51 polymorphic markers containing 143 alleles were used for the analysis. The frequency of the major allele ranged from 0.552 (Xgwm113) to 0.938 (Xcfd45, Xgwm194 and Xgwm526), with a mean of 0.731. Gene diversity ranged from 0.116 (Xgwm526) to 0.489 (Xgwm113), with a mean of 0.354. The polymorphic information content (PIC) value for the SSR markers ranged from 0.107 (Xgwm526) to 0.370 (Xgwm113) with a mean of 0.282. The results of the STRUCTURE analysis revealed the presence of four main subgroups in the populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that the between-group difference was around 37 per cent of the total variation contributed to the diversity by the whole germplasm, while 63 per cent of the variation was attributed between individuals within the group. A general linear model (GLM) was used to identify marker-trait associations, which detected a total of 23 and 27 significant new marker-trait associations (MTAs) at the p < 0.01 significance level during the 2018–19 and 2019–20 crop seasons, respectively. The findings of this study have important implications for the identification of molecular markers associated with CLA resistance. These markers can increase the accuracy and efficiency of aphid-resistant germplasm selection, ultimately facilitating the transfer of resistance traits to desirable wheat genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromosome elimination resulting in haploids is achieved by rapid loss of chromosomes from one parent during the zygote stage and is an important procedure to produce doubled haploid (DH) lines in plants. During crosses between an emasculated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) as pollen donors, the complete loss of maize chromosomes results in wheat haploid embryos. Through embryo rescue and chromosome doubling processes, pure lines with stable traits can be quickly obtained. The technique is called the "Wheat × Maize System". Although this technology is not new, it remains a practical approach to date. In order to optimize and improve this technology and to achieve its maximum potential in the winter wheat area of China, this paper reviews the previous and ongoing research and technical procedures for the production of wheat DH lines via the maize pollen induction and presents outlooks on DH research and its application in wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A study was conducted to determine the chemical composition of barley and co-products from barley, corn, and wheat produced in South-East Asia or Australia, and to test the hypothesis that production area or production methods can impact the chemical composition of wheat co-products. Methods: Samples included seven barley grains, two malt barley rootlets, one corn gluten feed, one corn gluten meal, one corn bran, eight wheat brans, one wheat mill mix, and four wheat pollards. All samples were analyzed for dry matter, gross energy, nitrogen, amino acids (AA), acid hydrolyzed ether extract, ash, minerals, starch, and insoluble dietary fiber and soluble dietary fiber. Malt barley rootlets and wheat co-products were also analyzed for sugars. Results: Chemical composition of barley, malt barley rootlets, and corn co-products were in general similar across countries. Wheat pollard had greater (p<0.05) concentrations of tryptophan, magnesium, and potassium compared with wheat bran, whereas wheat bran had greater (p<0.05) concentration of copper than wheat pollard. There were no differences in chemical composition between wheat bran produced in Australia and wheat bran produced in Thailand. Conclusion: Intact barley contains more starch, but fewer AA, than grain co-products. There were only few differences in the composition of wheat bran and wheat pollard, indicating that the two ingredients are similar, but with different names. However, corn gluten meal contains more protein and less fiber than corn bran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plant respiratory burst oxidase homolog (Rboh) gene family produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), and it plays key roles in plant–microbe interaction. Most Rboh gene family-related studies mainly focused on dicotyledonous plants; however, little is known about the roles of Rboh genes in gramineae. Results: A total of 106 Rboh genes were identified in seven gramineae species, including Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor, Brachypodium distachyon, Oryza sativa, Setaria italica, Hordeum vulgare, and Triticum aestivum. The Rboh protein sequences showed high similarities, suggesting that they may have conserved functions across different species. Duplication mode analysis detected whole-genome/segmental duplication (WGD)/(SD) and dispersed in the seven species. Interestingly, two local duplication (LD, including tandem and proximal duplication) modes were found in Z. mays, S. italica and H. vulgare, while four LD were detected in T. aestivum, indicating that these genes may have similar functions. Collinearity analysis indicated that Rboh genes are at a stable evolution state in all the seven species. Besides, Rboh genes from Z. mays were closely related to those from S. bicolor, consistent with the current understanding of plant evolutionary history. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the genes in the subgroups I and II may participate in plant-AM fungus symbiosis. Cis-element analysis showed that different numbers of elements are related to fungal induction in the promoter region. Expression profiles of Rboh genes in Z. mays suggested that Rboh genes had distinct spatial expression patterns. By inoculation with AM fungi, our transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of Rboh genes varies upon AM fungal inoculation. In particularly, ZmRbohF was significantly upregulated after inoculation with AM fungi. pZmRbohF::GUS expression analyses indicated that ZmRbohF was induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in maize. By comparing WT and ZmRbohF mutant, we found ZmRbohF had limited impact on the establishment of maize-AM fungi symbiosis, but play critical roles in regulating the proper development of arbuscules. Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution relationship of Rboh genes in seven gramineae species. Results showed that several Rboh genes regulate maize-AM fungal symbiosis process. This study provides valuable information for further studies of Rboh genes in gramineae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The high productive potential, heat resilience, and greater water use efficiency of C4 over C3 plants attract considerable interest in the face of global warming and increasing population, but C4 plants are often sensitive to dehydration, questioning the feasibility of their wider adoption.To resolve the primary effect of dehydration from slower from secondary leaf responses originating within leaves to combat stress, we conducted an innovative dehydration experiment. Four crops grown in hydroponics were forced to a rapid yet controlled decrease in leaf water potential by progressively raising roots of out of the solution while measuring leaf gas exchange.We show that, under rapid dehydration, assimilation decreased more steeply in C4 maize and sorghum than in C3 wheat and sunflower. This reduction was due to a rise of nonstomatal limitation at triple the rate in maize and sorghum than in wheat and sunflower.Rapid reductions in assimilation were previously measured in numerous C4 species across both laboratory and natural conditions. Hence, we deduce that high sensitivity to rapid dehydration might stem from the disturbance of an intrinsic aspect of C4 bicellular photosynthesis. We posit that an obstruction to metabolite transport between mesophyll and bundle sheath cells could be the cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a most prevalent environmental stress affecting the productivity of rainfed wheat and maize in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. Sustainable agricultural practices such as intercropping are important for enhancing crop performance in terms of better physiological and biochemical characteristics under drought conditions. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant enzyme activities are associated with improved abiotic tolerance in crop plants, however, its molecular mechanism remains obscure. A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of intercropping treatment viz. wheat mono-crop (WMC), maize mono-crop (MMC), intercropping maize (IM) and wheat (IW) crops, and nitrogen (N) application rates viz. control and full-dose of N (basal application at 150 and 235 kg ha−1 for wheat and maize, respectively) on chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange traits, lipid peroxidation, antioxidative properties and expression patterns of six tolerance genes in both crops under rainfed conditions. As compared with their respective monocropping treatments, IW and IM increased the Fo/Fm by 18.35 and 14.33%, PS-11 efficiency by 7.90 and 13.44%, photosynthesis by 14.31 and 23.97%, C-capacity by 32.05 and 12.92%, and stomatal conductance by 41.40 and 89.95% under without- and with-N application, respectively. The reductions in instantaneous- and intrinsic-water use efficiency and MDA content in the range of 8.76–26.30% were recorded for IW and IM treatments compared with WMC and MMC, respectively. Compared with the WMC and MMC, IW and IM also triggered better antioxidant activities under both N rates. Moreover, we also noted that intercropping and N addition regulated the transcript levels of six genes encoding non-enzymatic antioxidants cycle enzymes. The better performance of intercropping treatments i.e., IW and IM were also associated with improved osmolytes accumulation under rainfed conditions. As compared with control, N addition significantly improved the chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange traits, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities under all intercropping treatments. Our results increase our understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of intercropping-induced water stress tolerance in wheat and maize crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agronomic practices can have a negative impact on soil health and quality and ecosystem resilience. The objectives of the study were (1) to evaluate the soil chemical properties and microbial abundance under short-term application of organic and mineral fertilizers and different cultivated crops and (2) to observe the antifungal efficacy of microorganisms isolated from the studied soil. A field trial was conducted in the 2021–2022 period on a preluvosoil-type soil in four randomized blocks with eight fertilizer treatments based on manure compost (MC) and MC + mineral fertilizer (V1—control-soil; V2—NPK only; V3—15 t/ha MC; V4—15 t/ha MC + NPK; V5—30 t/ha MC; V6—30 t/ha MC + NPK; V7—60 t/ha MC; and V8—60 t/ha MC +NPK) and four crops (winter wheat—Triticum aestivum L., maize—Zea mays L., soybean—Glycine max L., and a mixture of perennial grasses and legumes). In almost all treatments, the soil pH decreased during the summer–autumn period. The organic carbon (Corg) and humus contents increased compared to the initial state of the soil after the application of different doses of MC and MC + NPK fertilization in almost all treatments. The microbial load of the soil was influenced by the fertilization regime and crop species, but there were no significant differences between the variants. The highest bacterial load was recorded in soil cultivated with a mixture of perennial grasses and grain legumes, i.e., in the variant with 15 t/ha MC, followed by soil cultivated with maize and fertilized with 30 t/ha and 60 t/ha MC. A higher number of fungi was observed in the mixture of perennial grasses and legumes, and Rhizobium population was higher, especially in the winter wheat plots, despite the fertilization regime. The antifungal efficacy of the microorganisms isolated from the samples was medium to low, except in the winter wheat experiment, where the efficacy against Fusarium culmorum was medium to high and against other pathogens was medium. In the other crops within the experiment, the antagonistic activity of the soil microorganisms was medium to low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracking winter wheat–summer maize distribution is crucial for the management of agricultural water resources in the water-scarce North China Plain (NCP). However, the spatio-temporal change in planting structure that has occurred during the last 20 years remains unclear. Therefore, winter wheat–summer maize distribution between 2001 and 2020 was determined via the maximum likelihood algorithm of supervised classification and a threshold method using the MODIS NDVI product MOD13Q1 and Landsat 5/7 images. The results reveal that dividing distributions into six sample categories—winter wheat–summer maize, winter wheat–rice, spring maize, cotton, other double-cropping systems, and fruit trees—proved to be an efficient way to discriminate winter wheat–summer maize distribution, with R2 and RMSE values ranging from 0.738 to 0.901 and from 179.05 to 215.72 km2, respectively. From 2001 to 2020, the planting area continually expanded, experiencing a significant growth of 3.32 × 104 km2 (23.44%). Specifically, the planting area decreased by 2982.13 km2 (10.06%) in the northern part of the NCP, including the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, while it increased by 3.62 × 104 km2 (32.30%) in the middle and southern parts, encompassing Shandong, Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu provinces. The stable growing region was primarily concentrated in the middle of the Hebei Plain, along the Yellow River irrigation areas and humid zones of the southwest, accounting for 75–85% of the total NCP planting area. Our results can provide references for adjusting agricultural planting structures, formulating food security strategies, and optimizing the management of water resources in the NCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the supramolecular organization of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) in various eukaryotes has led to the accumulation of a considerable amount of data on the composition, stoichiometry, and architecture of its constituent superstructures. However, the link between the features of system arrangement and the biological characteristics of the studied organisms has been poorly explored. Here, we report a comparative investigation into supramolecular and functional OXPHOS organization in the mitochondria of etiolated shoots of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and pea (Pisum sativum L.). Investigations based on BN-PAGE, in-gel activity assays, and densitometric analysis revealed both similarities and specific OXPHOS features apparently related to the life strategies of each species. Frost-resistant winter wheat was distinguished by highly stable basic I1III2IVa/b respirasomes and V2 dimers, highly active complex I, and labile complex IV, which were probably essential for effective OXPHOS adaptation during hypothermia. Maize, a C4 plant, had the highly stable dimers IV2 and V2, less active complex I, and active alternative NAD(P)H dehydrogenases. The latter fact could contribute to successful chloroplast–mitochondrial cooperation, which is essential for highly efficient photosynthesis in this species. The pea OXPHOS contained detergent-resistant high-molecular respirasomes I1–2III2IVn, highly active complexes IV and V, and stable succinate dehydrogenase, suggesting an active energy metabolism in organelles of this plant. The results and conclusions are in good agreement with the literature data on the respiratory activity of mitochondria from these species and are summarized in a proposed scheme of organization of OXPHOS fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waterlogging disasters severely restrict crop production. The middle and lower Yangtze River region (MLYRR) is an important grain-producing region in China but suffers from severe waterlogging disasters. In this study, an agriculture-specific index called the accumulative humidity index was introduced to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of waterlogging during different wheat and maize growth stages in the MLYRR from 1960 to 2020. Additionally, the relationships between waterlogging intensities and crop yield fluctuations were revealed. The results showed that over the past 60 years, the intensity of wheat and maize waterlogging in the central and eastern MLYRR have increased; crop waterlogging was more intense in the 1990s–2010s than during the 1960s–1980s, and waterlogging intensity peaked in the 1990s. For both crops, waterlogging was more intense during the early growth stages, but its yield-reducing impacts were more significant during middle and late growth stages. The southern MLYRR (especially southern Anhui) was the region where both crops were most prone to waterlogging, but yields in this region were not severely affected by waterlogging. Compared with wheat, maize was more prone to waterlogging, and its yield was more significantly reduced by waterlogging. In conclusion, this study provides guidance for agricultural waterlogging risk reduction in the MLYRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to survey the long-term effects of fertilization practices on the functional diversity of the soil microbiota. A 60-year fertilization experiment with mineral fertilizers, farmyard manure and combined treatments was sampled in two consecutive years in maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Soil chemical properties, plant growth and physiological parameters were measured. The MicroRespTM method was applied to assess the community level physiological profiles (CLPPs) of the rhizosphere soil, and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonization of the roots was determined. Samples were taken in the early vegetative stages, at flowering, and at harvest in both years. The measured parameters were analysed using multifactorial ANOVA to determine treatment effects, crop-dependent differences, and seasonality. PCA analysis was performed on the data matrix to reveal more complex correspondences, and Pearson's product-moment correlation was used to confirm relationships between some of the measured soil and plant parameters. Fertilization treatments caused long-term changes in some biological parameters such as: MicroRespTM parameters, citrate utilization, total substrate-induced respiration value, and the ratio of utilization of amino acids and sugars. The rate of AMF colonization responded mainly to the plant nutrition status and the plant requirements, suggesting a plant-mediated effect in the case of mycorrhiza. Mineral nitrogen fertilization and soil acidification were found to be the main factors affecting the catabolic activity of soil microbiota, while AMF colonization responded to the balance of plant nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of grain-based bioethanol is increasing due to the rising demand for biofuels and the global decline in fossil fuel sources. Distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) from corn or wheat are the main by-product of bioethanol fermentation, primarily through dry milling technology, and have been used as low-cost animal feed. With the increase in ethanol production from grains, the production of DDGS from corn or wheat also increases. Several studies have found that DDGS has high nutritional value but variable composition, and researchers have found ways to enhance its quality and safety. Various approaches have been proposed to improve the digestibility and nutritional value of DDGS. However, despite its high nutritional value, DDGS has not yet been fully studied and is less utilized in broiler feeding. The benefits and risks associated with the use of DDGS have been studied for a long time, but more research is needed to establish quality and safety standards for DDGS. This review aims to highlight the challenges of using DDGS in broiler chicken nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize and wheat are the main cereal forage crops cultivated at a global scale. They are among preferred forage grains for poultry nutrition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the productive performance of broiler chickens, whose compound feeds contained either maize, or wheat alone and maize +wheat combination. The experiment was performed with 120 day-old male ROSS hybrid chicks reared on the floor for 49 days. The birds were divided into three groups, each one consisting of two subgroups, as follows: group Е1 – fed forage with maize and wheat; group Е2 – fed forage with wheat and group Е3 – forage with maize. The live weight, feed intake, feed conversion and slaughter traits were investigated. By the 49 th day of age, the live weight of chickens from groups Е1 and Е2 fed diet with maize and wheat (35.99%+28%), and only wheat without maize (66%) were the heaviest, 3147.18 g and 3361.32 g, respectively. Chicks from group E3 fed the diet containing only maize (64.12%) without wheat had the lowest average live weight (2587.75 g at Р<0.0001). Wheat, as a single cereal in broiler compound feeds, and its combination with maize had the most beneficial effect on weight gain and feed conversion over the entire fattening period (P<0.001). The improved weight gain of birds fed these diets was accompanied with higher feed intake (P<0.001) compared to birds fed forage with maize only. The slaughter yield and the breast with bone cut increased statistically significantly in the wheat-fed groups (P<0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) were analyzed in grains, specifically wheat and corn, from Albania. To summarize, 71 wheat and 45 corn samples from different growing areas were collected. The multi-toxin analytical procedure involved sample extraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The incidence of AF was 18% in the analyzed wheat and 71% in the corn samples. The concentration of AFs was much higher in the corn samples than in the wheat samples. The maximum permitted levels for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and total AFs were not exceeded in the wheat samples, while they were exceeded in 36% of the corn samples. In the wheat samples, the AFB1 concentration varied between 0.2 and 0.4 µg kg−1. However, the highest concentrations in the corn samples were 2057, 2944, and 3550 µg kg−1. OTA was present in only three corn samples and one wheat sample. However, all contaminated samples exceeded the maximum permitted levels. This report reveals the presence of AFs and OTA in grain commodities, specifically wheat and corn, grown in Albania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study published in the Journal of Integrative Plant Biology explores the potential of the zinc finger gene TaCHP to enhance wheat yield in saline-alkaline conditions. The researchers conducted multi-year, multi-site field trials and found that overexpressing TaCHP significantly increased wheat yields in saline-alkaline fields without affecting yields under normal conditions. Genetic variations in the promoter of TaCHP were also identified, with one haplotype (Hap1) conferring greater salt tolerance than the other (Hap2). The study suggests that TaCHP and its tolerant haplotype have promising applications in molecular breeding for stress-tolerant wheat. [Extracted from the article]

Drought is a most prevalent environmental stress affecting the productivity of rainfed wheat and maize in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. Sustainable agricultural practices such as intercropping are important for enhancing crop performance in terms of better physiological and biochemical characteristics under drought conditions. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant enzyme activities are associated with improved abiotic tolerance in crop plants, however, its molecular mechanism remains obscure. A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of intercropping treatment viz. wheat mono-crop (WMC), maize mono-crop (MMC), intercropping maize (IM) and wheat (IW) crops, and nitrogen (N) application rates viz. control and full-dose of N (basal application at 150 and 235 kg ha−1 for wheat and maize, respectively) on chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange traits, lipid peroxidation, antioxidative properties and expression patterns of six tolerance genes in both crops under rainfed conditions. As compared with their respective monocropping treatments, IW and IM increased the Fo/Fm by 18.35 and 14.33%, PS-11 efficiency by 7.90 and 13.44%, photosynthesis by 14.31 and 23.97%, C-capacity by 32.05 and 12.92%, and stomatal conductance by 41.40 and 89.95% under without- and with-N application, respectively. The reductions in instantaneous- and intrinsic-water use efficiency and MDA content in the range of 8.76–26.30% were recorded for IW and IM treatments compared with WMC and MMC, respectively. Compared with the WMC and MMC, IW and IM also triggered better antioxidant activities under both N rates. Moreover, we also noted that intercropping and N addition regulated the transcript levels of six genes encoding non-enzymatic antioxidants cycle enzymes. The better performance of intercropping treatments i.e., IW and IM were also associated with improved osmolytes accumulation under rainfed conditions. As compared with control, N addition significantly improved the chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange traits, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities under all intercropping treatments. Our results increase our understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of intercropping-induced water stress tolerance in wheat and maize crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of cover crops (CCs) has gained popularity in the continuous corn (Zea mays L.) production system due to their multiple benefits including scavenging or fixing nitrogen (N) in the soil. However, a CC's ability to develop early cover, scavenge N, and provide N to the following cash crop is species‐dependent and affected by environment. A field study was conducted in three diverse environments to determine growth characteristics of nine CC treatments (i.e., monocultures or mixes of grasses, legumes, and brassica), and their effect on the following corn crop was compared to no cover crop treatment (noCC). Cover crops significantly differed for above‐ground biomass, plant tissue carbon (C) and N concentrations, carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), and total N uptake (TNU). Among monocultures, grasses had the highest biomass and C/N ratio, and legumes had the highest N concentrations and TNU. Corn grain yield was highest following radish, whereas lowest corn yield was found following cereal rye + crimson clover mix in environment 1. Cover crops varied for C/N ratios in all three environments, but only affected corn plant height (PH) and grain yield in one environment. Cover crops belonging to the same species also exhibit different responses for characteristics measured, depending upon the environment. The expected returns were also variable, especially in CC mixes. The study provides valuable information on the species‐specific functionality of CCs in continuous corn under variable environmental conditions. The information will benefit future studies to explore a high diversity mixture of CCs that may outperform across all three environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of forage as silage allows its application during the dry season in dairy cattle feeding. The most commonly used forage for this purpose is maize (Zea mays L.), but due to the possible effects of climate change, the diversification of crops with shorter agronomic cycles as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) should be considered. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the chemical composition of silages, the productive response of dairy cows fed wheat and maize silage, as well as their feeding costs. Three treatments were evaluated with 9.8 kg DM cow-1 d-1 silage plus 4.6 kg DM cow-1 d-1 commercial concentrate each. Treatments were 100% wheat silage (WS), 50% wheat silage-50% maize silage (WMS), and 100% maize silage (MS). Six Holstein cows were used in groups of three randomly assigned to treatment sequence in a 3x3 Latin square design repeated twice. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) between treatments in silage chemical composition, except in NDF and ADF (P > 0.05). There were nonsignificant differences in animal variables (P > 0.05) with mean milk yield of 15.4 kg cow-1 d-1, 33.7 g kg-1 milkfat, 30.5 g kg-1 milk protein, 481.2 kg live weight and 2.1 body condition score. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in silage and total DM intake in the third experimental period (three periods, 14 d each one) with 8.1 and 12.7 kg DM cow-1 d-1, respectively. Although cost for wheat silage were higher than maize silage, all three treatments showed positive margins on feeding costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification causes plant diversity loss and environmental homogenization, which may result in changes to plant-microbiome interactions mediating plant growth and stress tolerance. We hypothesized that foliar fungal microbiomes would depend on plant traits and environmental filters, constrained by neighboring vegetation expected to serve as a fungal source. Thus, we sampled foliar fungi from four crops (three annual and one perennial), four sites per crop, and three varieties per annual crop, across a 500-km expanse in North Carolina, USA and tested the role of host traits, environmental traits, and vegetative landcover on foliar fungal community structure. Crop species and site were major determinants of community structure, primarily due to differences in plant size and growing season. Site consistently explained 10× more variation in community structure than host variety across the annual crops. Finally, reduced natural vegetative cover surrounding farms was correlated with decreased fungal richness and more homogeneous microbiome assembly. Based on these results, we posit that foliar fungal assembly in crops results from host and environmental filters acting on inputs from the nearby vegetation. Future efforts at agricultural microbiome management must therefore consider landscape management and will require an improved understanding of how agricultural intensification alters microbial source pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Wheat and corn silages are common feedstuffs used in Israel. For long-term use of the feedstuffs without compromising the nutritional value, there is a need for an effective preservation method. We conducted a study to assess the effect of adding microbial inoculum (MI) and urea on the chemical composition including the amino acids profile, aerobic stability and in vitro digestibility of wheat and corn silages. The silages were subjected to four treatments: control, MI, urea and a combination of MI + urea. Silages were analyzed for quality parameters and in vitro digestibility. The results showed that additives improved the quality parameters of wheat and corn silages. The inclusion of MI produced the most aerobically stable silages, whereas the inclusion of urea compromised its aerobic stability. None of the additives affected the true CP content of silages. Additives improved in vitro cell wall carbohydrates' digestibility in both silages and had the best production when MI was combined with urea. These results imply that additives enhance the nutritional value, aerobic stability and digestibility of silages. Wheat and corn silages are widely used as ruminant feed in Israel due to their availability and cost-effectiveness. To ensure long-term preservation without compromising nutritional quality, effective methods must be employed. The inclusion of additives during harvest and ensiling can enhance efficiency and address preservation challenges. In the current study, the effects of microbial inoculum (MI) and urea on the chemical composition, amino acid profiles, aerobic stability, and in vitro digestibility of wheat and corn silages were investigated. Samples of wheat and corn were subjected to four treatments: control, MI, urea and a combination of MI + urea. The treatments were ensiled in anaerobic conditions and opened after 1, 7, 14 or 28 days. The results showed that additives improved the quality parameters of wheat and corn silages. The inclusion of MI produced the most aerobically stable silages. The inclusion of urea in silages decreased aerobic stability. Additives improved in vitro cell wall carbohydrates' digestibility in both silages and was the best when MI was combined with urea. These results imply that additives could be incorporated in silages to enhance their nutritional value, aerobic stability and digestibility. Nonetheless, increased CP content with additives was not accompanied with a parallel increase in amino acids' content in corn silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize and wheat are important stable food and cash crops in Ethiopia. However, the productivity and quality of these crops are highly limited by high weed infestations. Identification and quantification of weeds are very important. The survey was conducted to identify and document weed species in study areas. Therefore, the objectives were to determine the distribution of weeds, to document major cereal crops weed species and to identify newly introduced weeds in study areas. The study was carried out in Siltie zone (Sankura and Lanfuro districts) and Gurage zone (Mareko and Meskan districts) during 2022 cropping season. A total of 22 fields for each crop were randomly assessed within minimum of 3 kilometres distance. The selected field was assessed by using 0.5 m × 0.5 m quadrants. The assessment in farms was performed with a simple random sampling technique by throwing quadrants. There were three random sampling sites per field taken. The survey result revealed that thirteen weed families and twenty nine weed species were identified in maize field while fifteen weed families and thirty weed species in wheat field. The family Poaceae, Asteraceae and Solanaceae were dominant families in both maize and wheat fields. The frequency (0.05 up to 0.95%) and the dominance (0.09% up to 38.55%) of weed species were recorded in maize field, while the frequency (0.05 up to 0.95%) and the dominance (0.05% up to 57.81) of weed species in wheat field. Galinsoga parviflora, Phalaris minor and Guzotia scabra weeds in maize field and Galinsoga parviflora, Avena fatua, Guzotia scabra, Phalaris minor and Cyperus species weeds in wheat field were the most frequent and dominant weeds in four selected districts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover crops (CC) have great potential to enhance the sustainability of agroecosystems. However, the wide range of possible rotations of CC and cash crops (CaC) means that important knowledge gaps persist on how CC affects CaC. We investigated the legacy effects of five common CC (three monocultures: vetch, melilotus, and barley, and two mixtures: barley-vetch and barley-melilotus) on two of the most important CaC, maize and wheat. A microcosm, semi-controlled experiment was established simulating warm, low-income Mediterranean conditions. After two cycles, soil physicochemical and microbial properties, as well as plant growth and nutrition variables, were measured at the CC early growth CaC stage. In maize, barley CC had the best soil microbial and nutritional legacy effects, which resulted in the highest biomass and nutrient status. In contrast, barley produced the worst results on wheat, showing the disadvantages of growing two crops from the same tribe consecutively. CC mixtures also did not offer a productive advantage over pure CC. Additionally, our findings suggest that archaea seem to play a role in increasing N and Zn content in maize shoots. Furthermore, shoot B contents showed highly significant regressions with the CaC biomass. These results can help select the appropriate CC in each case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emission estimation derived from the application of synthetic fertilizers using default emission factors and in a homogeneous way throughout the country for the Inventories of Greenhouse Gases of Argentina do not reflect local productive characteristics and the regional differences. The objectives of this study were a) to disaggregate synthetic nitrogen (N) data by region, crop and weather, b) to analyze and synthesize the state of the art of research in Argentina about the development of local N2O emission factors (FE) for synthetic fertilizers application. For the first objective, a methodology was developed that consists of multiplying the average N dose applied per region by the area sown per crop. For the second, a compilation of scientific papers published in national and international journals was carried out. It was possible to disaggregate the N application data by district and crop by crossing different sources of information: 36.7% of N at country level is applied in the Province of Buenos Aires, 26.3% in Córdoba, 12% in Santa Fe and 7.3% in Entre Ríos. Corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are the crops with the highest application of N (33.9 and 23.3% respectively). Concerning the state of the art of local research, we found 11 papers that allow us to propose FE for direct N2O emissions, and 15 that allow us to estimate volatilization or leaching fractions that result in indirect N2O emissions. The average values estimated and reported from the literature were 0.0124 kg N2O-N (kg N)-1(direct N2O emission factors), 0.081 kg N volatilized (kg N)-1(volatilization fraction) and 0.244 kg N (kg N)-1 (leaching fraction). Compared to the values used in the National Inventory, the difference is up to 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-purpose cover crops (DPCCs) are gaining popularity for their potential to provide additional forage, while also providing significant ecosystem services. In the Northeastern United States, DPCCs can be incorporated into corn silage (Zea mays L.) production, increasing the environmental sustainability and economic resiliency of dairy systems. In a three-year field study, rye (Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and triticale (xTriticosecale) DPCCs provided an average of 4.1 Mg ha−1 of forage, without impacting subsequent corn silage yield. The relative feed values of triticale and wheat were 120 and 122, respectively, significantly greater than that of rye at 109. DPCCs removed 60 kg ha−1 of nitrogen (N) and 20 kg ha−1 of phosphorus (P) on average at harvest; this removal is important for nutrient management in manured systems with high P levels. The results of this experiment suggested that in addition to capturing nutrients from the fall manure application, DPCCs captured nutrients already present in the soil. The DPCC residue left in the field after harvest represented 46% of the total plant biomass, and returned 1.6 Mg ha−1 of carbon. Decomposition trends of DPCCs demonstrated nitrogen immobilization dynamics. Twenty percent of all the residual nitrogen was released in the first week after termination. The residual biomass continued to decompose, but the nitrogen decomposition was arrested. While, in this study, corn yields were not impeded, our findings demonstrated the potential to affect the fertility needs of corn in a multi-year rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant health (in this case winter wheat, corn and sunflower crops) is fundamental to the sustainability and competitiveness of agriculture, food safety and environmental protection. Currently, modern winter wheat, corn and sunflower crop protection strategies are focused on combating harmful organisms (diseases, weeds and pests) that cause quantitative and qualitative losses to these crops. The research in this paper focused on the presentation of all plant protection products applied to wheat, corn and sunflower crops by 50 farmers from Ilfov county in the 2019 agricultural year. The assortment of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides used is extremely varied. We also made observations in the field to identify which diseases and pests were present in the crops and consulted the farmers on the extent of their control. The degree of attack of powdery mildew, two weeks after the application of the treatments, was calculated based on the incidence and severity of the diseases. The diagnosis of diseases was made by visual observation of the typical symptoms of their manifestations. Information from farmers was obtained on the basis of questionnaires. Total control of weeds in farmers' crops was provided by an assortment represented by 8 wheat herbicides, 2 sunflower herbicides and 10 maize herbicides. Due to environmental concerns and concern for human health, the application of products for the protection of wheat, corn and sunflower crops was done taking into account good practices in the context of promoting integrated management of diseases, weeds and pests according to European directive 2009/128/EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the known influence of groundwater conditions and nitrogen application on crop growth and the soil microenvironment, less information is available on the influence of groundwater depth and nitrogen application amount on the movement and accumulation of soil water and residual nitrate in deep soil in summer maize–winter wheat rotation systems. Therefore, a large lysimeter experiment was conducted to examine how groundwater depth and nitrogen application amount influence the transport and accumulation of soil water and nitrate in the summer maize (Zea mays L.)–winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation system. The results showed that nitrogen reduction increased soil water storage both in the summer maize and winter wheat fields. The residual soil nitrate accumulation in the entire soil profile of summer maize and winter wheat under deeper groundwater depth treatment was higher than that of shallow groundwater depth treatment. Hence, the deeper the groundwater depth, the longer the nitrate transport path, and the nitrate that would have entered the groundwater accumulates in deep soil. The residual soil nitrate accumulation in the whole soil profile of winter wheat was 76.05–130.11 kg ha−1 higher than that of summer maize. Structural equation models (SEMs) showed that the nitrogen application amount not only exhibited a directly positive effect on the residual soil nitrate accumulation but also indirectly influenced it by regulating total soil nitrogen; groundwater depth only exhibited a directly negative effect on residual soil nitrate accumulation; and soil depth had an indirect positive effect on residual soil nitrate accumulation through the regulation of soil water storage. Together, our findings prove that groundwater depth and nitrogen application amount jointly regulate the residual soil nitrate accumulation in agricultural soil rotated with winter wheat and summer maize. Therefore, in formulating a fertilization strategy for regional agricultural green development, it is necessary to consider the fertilizer application amount rate and the groundwater depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil degradation and high environmental costs impede agricultural production in North China. A 6-year field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of tillage practice and nitrogen application rate on changes in soil fertility and wheat yield. Four tillage systems (rotary tillage without maize straw return through 6 years, RT; rotary tillage with maize straw return through 6 years, RS; deep tillage with maize straw return through 6 years, DS; and rotary tillage through 2 years followed by deep tillage next year with maize straw applied for two cycles, RS/DS) and three N levels (HN, 300 kg N ha−1, refers to traditional farming practice; MN, 0.75 × HN, 225 kg N ha−1, to recommended N rate; and LN, 0.5 × HN, 150 kg N ha−1, to reduced N rate) were tested. The soil organic carbon, labile organic carbon, inorganic N, available phosphorus, and available potassium under straw return treatments were significantly higher than RT in the 0–30 cm soil layer (p < 0.05). The microbial diversity, invertase, urease, and alkaline phosphatase activities also increased when maize straw was returned. Tillage practices could distribute maize straw in different depths of the soil and then affect soil nutrients, enzyme activity, and microbial diversity. The RS treatment presented the greatest effects in the 0–10 cm layer, while more significant impacts were observed in DS and RS/DS treatments at the 10–30 cm depths. The levels of soil nutrients and enzyme activity increased with an increased N rate. Compared to that under LN, wheat yields increased under HN and MN treatments, whereas there were no significant differences between HN and MN (p > 0.05). An increasing tendency of grain yield was observed in DS and RS/DS, while conversely so in RS. RS/DS had lower farm costs than DS during the study duration. Thus, RS/DS at 225 kg N ha−1 is the best method for improving soil fertility and wheat yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sipha maydis (Passerini) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a pest of cultivated cereals and wild grasses introduced into America and first reported in South America at Argentina in 2002. In Brazil, this aphid was detected first in wheat in Oct 2006 at Rio Grande do Sul State. Between 2007 and 2013 the aphid was reported in several localities in the humid subtropical region of Brazil (southern states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná) on different plant species including Triticum aestivum L., Avena strigosa Schreb., Lolium multiflorum Lam., Hordeum vulgare L., Zea mays L. (all Poaceae) and uncultivated grasses. Sipha maydis also has been captured in yellow tray traps. Peak flight activity for S. maydis occurred in the spring-summer transition and was apparently correlated with average air temperature. Sipha maydis was able to complete its life cycle on A. strigosa, L. multiflorum, H. vulgare, Z. mays, and T. aestivum. During the nymphal phase the best hosts were A. strigosa, L. multiflorum, H. vulgare, and T. aestivum. Hordeum vulgare and T. aestivum were the best for the reproductive period and longevity. The intrinsic rate of increase was greatest on A. strigosa, L. multiflorum, and T. aestivum. Generation time was longer on H. vulgare, Z. mays, and T. aestivum. Net rate reproduction was greater in H. vulgare and T. aestivum, and the finite rate of increase was greatest on A. strigosa, L. multiflorum, H. vulgare, and T. aestivum. Although the distribution of S. maydis is expanding and covering the main wheat-growing region of Brazil, and despite the wide range of hosts and the direct damage it causes to local foraging sites, aphid populations are low and their economic importance is limited. However, it reveals that S. maydis has the potential to colonize subtropical regions. Sipha maydis (Passerini) é uma praga de cereais cultivados e gramíneas silvestres introduzida na América e relatada pela primeira vez na América do Sul na Argentina em 2002. No Brasil, o pulgão-preto-dos-cereais foi detectado pela primeira vez em Triticum aestivum L. em outubro de 2006 no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Entre 2007 e 2013, o pulgão foi relatado em várias localidades da região subtropical húmida do Brasil (Estados da Região Sul: Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina e Paraná) em diferentes espécies de plantas como T. aestivum, Avena strigosa Schreb., Lolium multiflorum Lam., Hordeum vulgare L., Zea mays L. (todas Poaceae), e gramíneas não cultivadas. Sipha maydis também foi capturado em armadilhas do tipo bandeja amarela para pulgões alados. O pico de ocorrência das formas aladas na transição primavera-verão é aparentemente correlacionado com a temperatura média do ar. S. maydis foi capaz de completar o ciclo de vida em A. strigosa, L. multiflorum, H. vulgare, Z. mays, e T. aestivum. Durante a fase de ninfa, os melhores hospedeiros foram A. strigosa, L. multiflorum, H. vulgare, e T. aestivum. A H. vulgare e o T. aestivum foram os melhores para o período reprodutivo e longevidade. A taxa intrínseca de aumento foi grande em A. strigosa, L. multiflorum, e T. aestivum; o tempo de uma geração foi mais longo em H. vulgare, Z. mays, e T. aestivum; a taxa líquida de reprodução foi ótima em H. vulgare e em T. aestivum e a taxa de aumento finito foi grande em A. strigosa, L. multiflorum, H. vulgare, e T. aestivum. Embora a distribuição de S. maydis esteja se expandindo e cobrindo a principal região tritícola do Brasil, e a despeito da ampla gama de hospedeiros e dos danos diretos que causa aos sítios de alimentação, as populações de pulgões são baixas e sua importância econômica ainda é limitada. No entanto, revela que S. maydis tem potencial para colonizar regiões subtropicais. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During grain filling, starch and other nutrients accumulate in the endosperm; this directly determines grain yield and grain quality in crops such as rice (Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays), and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Grain filling is a complex trait affected by both intrinsic and environmental factors, making it difficult to explore the underlying genetics, molecular regulation, and the application of these genes for breeding. With the development of powerful genetic and molecular techniques, much has been learned about the genes and molecular networks related to grain filling over the past decades. In this review, we highlight the key factors affecting grain filling, including both biological and abiotic factors. We then summarize the key genes controlling grain filling and their roles in this event, including regulators of sugar translocation and starch biosynthesis, phytohormone‐related regulators, and other factors. Finally, we discuss how the current knowledge of valuable grain filling genes could be integrated with strategies for breeding cereal varieties with improved grain yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen metabolism (NM) plays an essential role in response to abiotic stresses for plants. Enzyme activities have been extensively studied for nitrogen metabolism-associated pathways, but the knowledge of nitrogen metabolism-associated genes involved in stress response is still limited, especially for rice. In this study, we performed the genome-wide characterization of the genes putatively involved in nitrogen metabolism. A total of 1110 potential genes were obtained to be involved in nitrogen metabolism from eight species (Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., Glycine max (L.) Merr., Brassica napus L., Triticum aestivum L., Sorghum bicolor L., Zea mays L., Oryza sativa L. and Amborella trichopoda Baill.), especially 104 genes in rice. The comparative phylogenetic analysis of the superfamily revealed the complicated divergence of different NM genes. The expression analysis among different tissues in rice indicates the NM genes showed diverse functions in the pathway of nitrogen absorption and assimilation. Distinct expression patterns of NM genes were observed in rice under drought stress, heat stress, and salt stress, indicating that the NM genes play a curial role in response to abiotic stress. Most NM genes showed a down-regulated pattern under heat stress, while complicated expression patterns were observed for different genes under salt stress and drought stress. The function of four representative NM genes (OsGS2, OsGLU, OsGDH2, and OsAMT1;1) was further validated by using qRT-PCR analysis to confirm their responses to these abiotic stresses. Based on the predicted transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), we built a co-expression regulatory network containing transcription factors (TFs) and NM genes, of which the constructed ERF and Dof genes may act as the core genes to respond to abiotic stresses. This study provides novel sights to the interaction between nitrogen metabolism and the response to abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper purpose was to assess the impact of climate change on wheat, maize and sunflower yield in the period 2017-2021, using statistical data from National Institute of Statistics (NIS) and National Administration of Meteorology (NAM) and other sources. Comparison method was used to evaluate the deviations between the registered air temperatures and precipitations and the 1981-2010 climatological norm. Graphic method reflected the dynamics of monthly air temperatures and rainfalls in each year. Descriptive statistics for mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation reflected an more comprehensive image upon air temperature, precipitations and yield. Correlations and regression equations were used to establish the intensity of the kinks between climate factors and yield. The highest average air temperature In Romania was 12.130C in 2019. In the period 2017-2020, the average annual temperatures exceeded the climatological norm 1981-2010 accounting for 9.10C. The lowest rainfalls, 614.2 mm, were recorded in 2019, being below of 633.1 mm the norm for the period 1981-2010. The high temperatures associated with drought and low precipitations have deeply affected yield of many agricultural crops, including maize, wheat and sunflower. The highest wheat yield 4,888 kg/ha was achieved in 2017, and the lowest one, 2,966 kg/ha in 2020. Maize registered the highest performance of 7,644 kg/ha in 2018, and the lowest one, 3,977 kg/ha in 2020. Sunflower carried out the high performance 3,041 kg/ha in 2018, and the lowest one, 1,858 kg/ha in 2020. The worst agricultural years for these three crops was 2020, but 2017 favored wheat, while 2018 favored maize and sunflower. The correlation coefficient had in general small values between average temperature and yield, but a higher link with precipitations level. The multiple correlation between yield, air temperatures and precipitations was: r= 0.817 for wheat, r = 0.116 for maize and r = 0.504 for sunflower. In the South Eastern Dobrogea, the driest area in Romania, the rainfalls declined by 65% in the period 2018-2020 having a deep negative impact on sunflower seeds yield, which decreased from 4,282 kg/ha in 2018, to 1,503 kg/ha in 2020. The correlation between precipitations and sunflower yield positive and very strong (r = 0.737). As a conclusion, the climate conditions should be analyzed in each farm and farmers have to take measure to adapt the technologies for sustaining production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, the price volatility relationship between wheat, cotton and corn markets was investigated and daily data for the period 02.04.2005-11.03.2020 were used. The VAR-Asymmetric BEKK-GARCH model, which analyzes the markets simultaneously in a single system, was chosen. Persistent long-term uncertainty in the wheat market affects the market positively. Long-term uncertainty in the cotton market creates uncertainty both in its own market and in the corn market. Persistent long-term uncertainty in the corn market creates permanent uncertainties both in its own market and in other markets, and these effects are statistically significant. Markets were more affected by long-term shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research to determine of color properties of seed related to help in safe passage for seed through cleaning and separation processes. Also investigate some seed properties can be used in design and development of multi-seed planting machine. Soya bean, wheat, corn, cotton faba bean and sunflowers were tested at department of agriculture engineering, faculty of agriculture, Tanta University, Egypt. Through 2022. The design of feed mechanism system required easy movement for seeds this is a critically moving during the filling of the feed disk, so must detriments of the small differences in the surface area and topography of the grains and determine some image analyses. There are clear differences between faba bean and soybean in Hue value was 0. 626. the intensity, and the browning index was 91.75 and 16.25 in faba bean while in soybean were 0. 565,85.33, and 21.79 respectively. While the differences between corn and wheat in Hue value was 0. 699.Also the intensity, and the browning index was 100.08, 17.30 in corn while in wheat were 0. 708. 97.94, and 13.38 respectively. Also, clear differences between cotton and sunflowers in Hue value was 0. 634. Also the intensity, and the Black & White band was 87.40, and 87.40 in cotton while in sunflowers were 0. 480, 96.75 and 96.75 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture (SM) is a key variable of the regional hydrological cycle and has important applications for water resource and agricultural drought management. Various global soil moisture products have been mostly retrieved from microwave remote sensing data. However, currently there is rarely spatially explicit and time-continuous soil moisture information with a high resolution at the national scale. In this study, we generated a 1 km soil moisture dataset for dryland wheat and maize in China (ChinaCropSM1 km) over 1993–2018 through a random forest (RF) algorithm based on numerous in situ daily observations of soil moisture. We independently used in situ observations (181 327 samples) from the agricultural meteorological stations (AMSs) across China for training (164 202 samples) and others for testing (17 125 samples). An irrigation module was first developed according to crop type (i.e., wheat, maize), soil depth (0–10, 10–20 cm) and phenology. We produced four daily datasets separately by crop type and soil depth, and their accuracies were all satisfactory (wheat r 0.93, ubRMSE 0.033 m 3 m -3 ; maize r 0.93, ubRMSE 0.035 m 3 m -3). The spatiotemporal resolutions and accuracy of ChinaCropSM1 km were significantly better than those of global soil moisture products (e.g., r increased by 116 %, ubRMSE decreased by 64 %), including the global remote-sensing-based surface soil moisture dataset (RSSSM) and the European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (CCI) SM. The approach developed in our study could be applied to other regions and crops in the world, and our improved datasets are very valuable for many studies and field management, such as agricultural drought monitoring and crop yield forecasting. The data are published in Zenodo at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6834530 (wheat 0–10) (Cheng et al., 2022a), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6822591 (wheat 10–20) (Cheng et al., 2022b), https://doi/org/10.5281/zenodo.6822581 (maize 0–10) (Cheng et al., 2022c) and https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6820166 (maize 10–20) (Cheng et al., 2022d). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of present study was to investigate the potential of indigenous plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) for enhancing the nutrient availability and plant growth. Field experiment was conducted and total three sampling sites [Bhimber (BH), Samahni (SA) and Barnala (BA)] were selected. Samples were collected from fallow fields under long term (about 70 years) cultivation of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays). Soil nutrients and physicochemical properties were determined and climatic data was obtained from the nearest metrological station. Total 26 different isolates were obtained from the soils, out of which 10 were from SA while 8 each from BH and BA soils. The highest amount of IAA (44.8 µg/mL), siderophore production (12.83 µg/mL), N-fixation (128.6 µg/mL) and P-sol (40.01 µg/mL) was recorded in SA as compared to BH and BA soils while Ksol (13.61 µg/mL) and Znsol (28.2 µg/mL) was highest in BA. Bacillus spp. showed maximum IAA production (52.01 µg/mL), Ksol (19.1 µg/mL) and ZnSol (34.64 µg/mL). The maximum GA (1371 µg/mL), siderophore production (17.22 µg/mL) and Psol (62.64 µg/mL) was observed by Pseudomonas spp. The production and solubilization of some important plant growth hormones and nutrients were highest in SA by Bacillus, Rhizobium, Pseudomonas, BH by Pseudomonas and BA by Bacillus. It was concluded that PGPB have potential to promote growth of plants and nutrient regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spring wheat–summer maize (SWSM) annual crop systems were formed to satisfy the maize grain mechanized harvest thermal requirement in the thermal–resource–limited region of the North China Plain. However, the nitrogen (N) application rate effect on SWSM annual yield formation, N accumulation and utilization were barely evaluated. Two–year field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of the N application rate on the annual yield of SWSM, observe N accumulation and utilization, and identify the optimized N application. The experiments were conducted under 5 N levels of 0 (N0), 180 (N180), 240 (N240), 300 (N300), and 360 (N360) kg ha−1. The results showed that spring wheat, summer maize and annual cereal yield under the N240 and N480 treatments obtained the highest grain yield (GY) of 5038, 1282 and 16,320 kg ha−1, respectively, and the optimal N application rate was estimated using a linear–plateau model to be 231–307, 222–337 and 463–571 kg ha−1 with maximum GY of 4654–5317, 11,727–12,003 and 16,349–16,658 kg ha−1, respectively. With the increase in the N application rate, the dry matter accumulation (DM) were significantly increased by 16.9–173.5% for spring wheat and 11.1≈–76.8% for summer maize, respectively; and the annual cereal DM was 15.1–179.7% greater than that with N0 treatment, respectively. Spring wheat, summer maize and the annual cereal total N accumulation (TN) under N360 and N720 treatments were significantly increased by 5.4–19.1%, 16.6–32.3% and 11.5–26.2%, respectively, compared to the other treatments; however, N use efficiency for biomass and grain production (NUEbms and NUEg) were decreased significantly by 10.9–13.6% and 8.9–20.7%, 6.8–13.8% and 12.2–15.6%, and 5.5–11.7% and 10.0–16.0%, respectively. Meanwhile, the N partial factor productivity (PFPN), N agronomy use efficiency (ANUE), N recovery efficiency (NRE) and N uptake efficiency (NEupk) under the N240 treatment for spring wheat and summer maize obtained high levels of 20.99 and 47.01 kg−1, 9.27 and 16.35 kg−1, 32.53% and 32.44%, and 0.85 and 0.72 kg−1, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that the N application rate, TN and NEupk played significantly positive roles on GY, spring wheat spilke grain number, summer maize ear grain number and 1000–grain weight, DM LAImax and SPADmax, while NUEbms, NUEg, PFPN and ANUE always played negative effects. These results demonstrate that spring wheat, summer maize and annual cereal obtained the highest GY being 4654–5317, 11,727–12,003 and 16,349–16,658 kg ha−1 with the optimal N application rate 231–307, 222–337 and 463–571 kg ha−1, respectively, which provide N application guidance to farmer for spring wheat–summer maize crop systems to achieve annual mechanical harvesting in the thermal–resource–limited region of the North China Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature inhibits the growth and development of maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings. The current study attempts to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of exogenous trehalose for the improvement of maize and wheat responses to heat stress. Results show that, in maize seedlings, exogenously-supplied trehalose was able to effectively elevate the capacity of photosynthetic carbon assimilation and improve the carbohydrate content via up-regulating the transcript levels of key enzymes including phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), NADP-malate dehydrogenase (NADP-MDH), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME), pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) and Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small subunit. Besides, it was also able to improve C4 pathway enzyme activities, including PEPC, NADP-MDH, NADP-ME and Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RUBPCase). In wheat seedlings, exogenously-supplied trehalose promoted photosynthetic carbon assimilation by elevating the activity of RUBPCase. These results show that exogenous trehalose improved photosynthetic carbon assimilation capacities in maize and wheat seedlings under heat stress through different mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Determining whether isotope fractionation occurs during root water uptake is a prerequisite for using stem or xylem water isotopes to trace water sources. However, it is unclear whether isotope fractionation occurs during root water uptake in gramineous crops.We conducted prevalidation experiments to estimate the isotope measurement bias associated with cryogenic vacuum distillation (CVD). Next, we assessed isotope fractionation during root water uptake in two common agronomic crops, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.), under flooding after postdrought stress conditions.Cryogenic vacuum distillation caused significant depletion of 2H but negligible effects on 18O for both soil and stem water. Surprisingly CVD caused depletion of 2H and enrichment of 18O in root water. Stem and root water δ18O were more than soil water δ18O, even considering the uncertainty of CVD. Soil water 18O was depleted compared with irrigation water 18O in the pots with plants but enriched relative to irrigation water 18O in the pots without plants.These results indicate that isotope fractionation occurred during wheat and maize root water uptake after full irrigation and led to a heavy isotope enrichment in stem water. Therefore, the xylem/stem water isotope approach widely used to trace water sources should be carefully evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal-to-filial nutrition transfer is central to grain development and yield. nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter (NRT1-PTR)-type transporters typically transport nitrate, peptides, and ions. Here, we report the identification of a maize (Zea mays) NRT1-PTR-type transporter that transports sucrose and glucose. The activity of this sugar transporter, named Su crose and G lucose Car rier 1 (SUGCAR1), was systematically verified by tracer-labeled sugar uptake and serial electrophysiological studies including two-electrode voltage-clamp, non-invasive microelectrode ion flux estimation assays in Xenopus laevis oocytes and patch clamping in HEK293T cells. ZmSUGCAR1 is specifically expressed in the basal endosperm transfer layer and loss-of-function mutation of ZmSUGCAR1 caused significantly decreased sucrose and glucose contents and subsequent shrinkage of maize kernels. Notably, the ZmSUGCAR1 orthologs SbSUGCAR1 (from Sorghum bicolor) and TaSUGCAR1 (from Triticum aestivum) displayed similar sugar transport activities in oocytes, supporting the functional conservation of SUGCAR1 in closely related cereal species. Thus, the discovery of ZmSUGCAR1 uncovers a type of sugar transporter essential for grain development and opens potential avenues for genetic improvement of seed-filling and yield in maize and other grain crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the effect of nitrogen (N) fertilization on soil-derived N uptake, N difference (FNRDiff) and 15 N tracer (FNR15N) methods may give significantly different estimates of the fertilizer N recovery (FNR) in crops. To better understand quantitative differences in FNR (∆FNR) between the two methods, we evaluated the effect of fertilizer N input rates on ∆FNR and soil-derived N uptake by considering data from field 15 N tracer experiments of cereal crops across China, including N-unfertilized treatments. The FNRDiff was significantly higher than the corresponding FNR15N in wheat (38% vs. 36%), maize (38% vs. 31%), and rice (40% vs. 31%) under fertilizer applications of 40–500 kg N ha−1. Except in wheat at 250–500 kg N ha−1, FNRDiff was higher than FNR15N at various N input rates in the three crops, and ∆FNR decreased with increasing rates of applied N. The ∆FNR apparently occurred because added-N interaction (ANI) increased soil-derived N uptake (by 5% for wheat, 11% for maize, and 24% for rice). For wheat in particular, ANI values decreased significantly as N input rates increased, with a switch from positive to negative above 252 kg N ha−1. This result suggests that the decrease in soil-derived N uptake is mainly caused by the negative rhizosphere N priming and the law of diminishing returns (current-season non-fertilizer N input or previous-season residual fertilizer N) under high N input, but not by the N pool substitution. Finally, we propose a new method for accurately distinguishing direct and indirect pathway contributions to ∆FNR. This study helps to improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms of discrepancies between the N difference method and the 15 N tracer method for estimating the fertilizer N recovery in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate eight different integrated crop management (ICM) modules for 5 years in a maize-wheat rotation (MWR); wherein, ICM1&2-ˈbusiness-as-usualˈ (conventional flatbed maize and wheat, ICM3&4-conventional raised bed (CTRB) maize and wheat without residues, ICM5&6-conservation agriculture (CA)-based zero-till (ZT) flatbed maize and wheat with the residues, and ICM7&8- CA-based ZT raised bed maize and wheat with the residues. Results indicated that the ICM7&8 produced significantly (p < 0.05) the highest maize grain yield (5 years av.) which was 7.8–21.3% greater than the ICM1-6. However, across years, the ICM5-8 gave a statistically similar wheat grain yield and was 8.4–11.5% greater than the ICM1-4. Similarly, the CA-based residue retained ICM5-8 modules had given 9.5–14.3% (5 years av.) greater system yields in terms of maize grain equivalents (MGEY) over the residue removed CT-based ICM1&4. System water productivity (SWP) was the highest with ICM5-8, being 10.3–17.8% higher than the ICM1-4. Nevertheless, the highest water use (TWU) was recorded in the CT flatbed (ICM1&2), ~ 7% more than the raised bed and ZT planted crops with or without the residues (ICM4-8). Furthermore, the ICM1-4 had produced 9.54% greater variable production costs compared to the ICM5-8, whereas, the ICM5-8 gave 24.3–27.4% additional returns than the ICM1-4. Also, different ICM modules caused significant (p < 0.05) impacts on the soil properties, such as organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), dehydrogenase (SDH), alkaline phosphatase (SAP), and urease (URE) activities. In 0.0–0.15 m soil profile, residue retained CA-based (ICM5-8) modules registered a 7.1–14.3% greater SOC and 10.2–17.3% SMBC than the ICM1-4. The sustainable yield index (SYI) of MWR was 13.4–18.6% greater under the ICM7&8 compared to the ICM1-4. Hence, this study concludes that the adoption of the CA-based residue retained ICMs in the MWR could sustain the crop yields, enhance farm profits, save water and improve soil properties of the north-western plans of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The precise and accurate identification and quantification of transcriptional start sites (TSSs) is key to understanding the control of transcription. The core promoter consists of the TSS and proximal non‐coding sequences, which are critical in transcriptional regulation. Therefore, the accurate identification of TSSs is important for understanding the molecular regulation of transcription. Existing protocols for TSS identification are challenging and expensive, leaving high‐quality data available for a small subset of organisms. This sparsity of data impairs study of TSS usage across tissues or in an evolutionary context. To address these shortcomings, we developed Smart‐Seq2 Rolling Circle to Concatemeric Consensus (Smar2C2), which identifies and quantifies TSSs and transcription termination sites. Smar2C2 incorporates unique molecular identifiers that allowed for the identification of as many as 70 million sites, with no known upper limit. We have also generated TSS data sets from as little as 40 pg of total RNA, which was the smallest input tested. In this study, we used Smar2C2 to identify TSSs in Glycine max (soybean), Oryza sativa (rice), Sorghum bicolor (sorghum), Triticum aestivum (wheat) and Zea mays (maize) across multiple tissues. This wide panel of plant TSSs facilitated the identification of evolutionarily conserved features, such as novel patterns in the dinucleotides that compose the initiator element (Inr), that correlated with promoter expression levels across all species examined. We also discovered sequence variations in known promoter motifs that are positioned reliably close to the TSS, such as differences in the TATA box and in the Inr that may prove significant to our understanding and control of transcription initiation. Smar2C2 allows for the easy study of these critical sequences, providing a tool to facilitate discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the variation of the quality indices of the seeds obtained in the period 2021-2022 at an agricultural company is tracked and the factors responsible for the defects found were analyzed. The company under study is based in Mânăstirea commune, Călărași county and has an area of 183.55 ha. From the crops practiced by the society, we analyzed the quality parameters of wheat, corn and barley, the main crops practiced. We carried out an analysis of the quality of the cereals sold within the company, following the values of the most important selection criteria, based on the analysis bulletins owned by the analyzed company. Almost all the qualitative parameters were included within the norms stipulated by STAS, there being small excesses in the case of some, which led to the inclusion of the barley obtained by the company in the grade 2 category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Redroot (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) and smooth pigweed (A. hybridus L.) are troublesome weeds in row crops in Serbia. Both species are very competitive, hosts for pathogens and insects, produce pollen which is highly allergenic; and the most recent research reported herbicide resistance in some populations across Serbia. An integrated approach for the control of both Amaranthus species must be evaluated and presented in order to reduce their negative potential in agriculture. In this paper, 9 yr results on redroot pigweed and smooth pigweed weed control are presented. In three different experiments, weed density and biomass of redroot and smooth pigweed were recorded: a) Crop rotation, b) row spacing and time of herbicide application, c) influence of nozzles and adjuvants. The influence of crop rotation and PRE herbicide mixture, PRE and POST mixture, and impact of nozzles and adjuvants were evaluated. PRE herbicide mix of S-metolachlor and isoxaflutole influenced 98.1% and 100% efficacy in the maize (Zea mays L.) continuous and in maize rotated with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), respectively. The mixture of two herbicides, applied either in PRE or POST, resulted in 100% of control of both species. Finally, similar results were obtained for nicosulfuron application with extended range (XR) or turbo TeeJet induction (TTI) nozzles, and combined with nonionic surfactant (NIS) or ammonium sulphate (AMS) adjuvants. The novelty of obtained results indicates that only holistic approach based on different weed management practices can contribute to sustainable Amaranthus control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]