Search

Prilikom stvaranja novih sorti pšenice (Triticum aestivum L.), pored visokog potencijala za prinos i dobrog tehnološkog kvaliteta neophodno je i inkorporirati gene odgovorne za otpornost prema poleganju, niskim temperaturama i adaptabilnost na različite uslove proizvodnje. NS Lenija, nova sorta ozime pšenice stvorena u Institutu za ratarstvo i povrtarstvo (Institut od nacionalnog značaja za Republiku Srbiju) nastala je veštačkim ukrštanjem tri divergentna roditelja: sorte Kupava (Rusija) i sorti Donna (Srbija) i Arija (Srbija). Ukrštanjem ovih roditelja uspešno su iskombinovani geni odgovorni za visok potencijal za prinos, dobar tehnološki kvalitet, adaptabilnost i stabilnost, koji omogućavaju da se ova sorta može uspešno gajiti u agroekološkim uslovima Jugoistočne Evrope. Tokom trajanja dvogodišnjih ogleda Komisije za priznavanje sorti, NS Lenija je uspešno prošla DUS test (različitost, uniformnost i stabilnost), i na 7 ispitivanih lokaliteta ostvarila je u proseku značajno veći prinos zrna u odnosu na prosek prinosa zrna sorti standarda. Prilikom ocena hemijsko-tehnoloških osobina, svrstana je u kvalitetnu klasu II, u farinogramsku kvalitetnu grupu A-2, i u tehnološku grupu poboljšivača., During the creation of new wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.), in addition to high yield po tential and good technological quality, it is necessary to incorporate genes responsible for resistance to lodging, low temperatures and adaptability to different production conditions. NS Lenija, a new winter wheat cultivar developed at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops (National Institute of the Republic of Serbia) was created by crossing the three divergent parents: cultivar Kupava (Russia) and the cultivars Donna (Serbia) and Aria (Serbia). By crossing these parents, genes responsible for high yield potential, good technological quality, adaptability and stability were successfully combined, enabling this cultivar to be successfully cultivated in the agroecological conditions of Southeast Europe. During the two-year trials of the Commission for the registration of varieties, NS Lenija successfully passed the DUS test (distinctness, uniformity and stability), and on the 7 tested locations achieved a significantly higher average grain yield compared to the grain yield of the check cultivars. When evaluating its chemical and technological properties, it was classified in quality class II, farinograph quality group A-2, and in the technological group of improvers.

Usled napretka u oplemenjivanju kao i u samoj biljnoj proizvodnji, prinos zrna pšenice je više nego udvostručen tokom poslednjih nekoliko decenija u Jugoistočnoj Evropi kao i u Republici Srbiji. Takođe, ranija istraživanja su ustanovila vezu između dinamike starenja i glavnih komponenti prinosa zrna i drugih agronomskih osobina kod pšenice. Ubrzanjem starenja biljke skraćuje se period nalivanja zrna što može imati negativan uticaj na konačnu masu zrna ukoliko su mehanizmi za eksploatisanje resursa stečenih u fotosintetskom periodu nedostupni. Zbog navedenog, stay-green fenotip pšenice bi mogao da bude jedan od ciljeva u oplemenjivanju, budući da je duže trajanje zelene lisne površine povezano sa mehanizmima i osobinama koje ublažavaju negativan uticaj spoljne sredine tokom perioda nalivanja zrna. U cilju utvrđivanja varijabilnosti stay-green osobina tokom više godina kontinuirano su praćeni različiti vegetacioni indeksi kod istorijskog seta sorti pšenice., Due to the progress in both plant breeding and crop production, over the last few decades wheat grain yield has more than doubled in southeastern Europe, as in the Republic of Serbia. Also, earlier studies have reported the relationship between senescence dynamics and grain yield main components, along with other agronomic wheat traits. Acceleration of plant senescence reduces the duration of grain filling, and may have a negative impact on the final grain weight if the mechanisms to exploit the resources gained during the photosynthetic period are unavailable. Therefore, a stay-green phenotype could be one of the breeding aims, since the longer duration of green leaf area is related to mechanisms and traits that alleviate negative environmental effects during the grain filling. In order to determine the variability of stay-green traits, over several years, various vegetative indexes were continuously monitored in a historical set of wheat cultivars.

Despite the ongoing evolution of wheat pathogens due to the selection pressures of agro-ecological conditions, many studies have often overlooked the combined impact of both biotic and abiotic factors on disease occurrence. From 2016 to 2023, a comprehensive screening of obligate pathogens, including B. graminis f. sp. tritici, P. graminis f. sp. tritici, P. triticina, and P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, was carried out. This screening was conducted on a phenotyping platform encompassing 2715 winter wheat genotypes and their wild relatives, both with and without resistant genes (Lr, Yr, and Sr) for rust diseases. The data were analyzed using PCAmix, best subsets regression, and linear regression modeling. The findings from this study reveal that the plant reactions to leaf and yellow rust infections is far from straightforward. It is heavily influenced not only by prevalent rust races and climatic factors that impact pathogen life cycles but also by variations in the susceptibility reactions of wheat genotypes to the broader agro-ecological conditions. We also observed a tendency for leaf rust and yellow rust to coexist within the same host plant, even though yellow rust is typically considered more aggressive. We reported for the first time genes related to yellow rust resistance breakdown in Serbia in 2023. Lastly, we underscored the importance of investigating resistance responses to rust diseases not exclusively through the interrelation between resistance genes and pathogen virulence, but also by considering how plants respond to the combined stresses of abiotic and biotic factors. Consequently, our study sets the groundwork for further research into how plants respond to multiple stressors and contributes for further investigations related with effective integrated rust management.

Pšenica (Triticum spp.) je jedna od najadaptabilnijih biljnih vrsta, zbog sposobnosti da se prilagodi variranju uslova spoljne sredine. Međutim, visoke temperature, količina i raspored padavina tokom rasta i razvića biljke i nalivanja zrna utiču na fiziološko-biohemijske procese, a time i na kvalitet zrna pšenice. Visoka tehnologija gajenja poljoprivrednih useva smanjuje negativan uticaj meteoroloških uslova. Sa druge strane, tehnološki razvoj i intenzivirana poljoprivredna proizvodnja uzrokuju globalne klimatske promene. Cilj ovog rada bio je da se analizira uticaj abiotskih faktora (minimalna, maksimalna i srednja temperatura vazduha i suma padavina) na kvalitet zrna ozime pšenice. Analizirano je dvadeset sorti ozime pšenice, domaćeg i stranog porekla, tokom dve vegetacione sezone (2021/2022 i 2022/2023) Istraživanja su izvedena na oglednom polju (Rimski šančevi) i u laboratoriji Instituta za ratarstvo i povrtarstvo, Novi Sad, Srbija., Wheat (Triticum spp.) is one of the most adaptable crop species due to its ability to adjust to the variations of the environmental factors. However, high temperatures, precipitation quantity and distribution during plant development and grain filling affect biochemical processes and consequently grain quality. Advanced technology in growing agricultural crops decreases the negative impact of meteorological conditions. On the other hand, increased technological development and intensified agricultural production cause global climate change. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of abiotic factors (minimum, maximum and optimum average temperature and precipitation sum) on the quality of winter wheat grain. Twenty national and international winter wheat cultivars were analyzed in two growing seasons. The trial was carried out on the experimental fields and in laboratories of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops.

Food production is one of the world's biggest problems. Statistics record a dizzying increase in the world's population, with a particularly pronounced trend in the underdeveloped countries of the world, which are also the weakest food producers, which contributes to an uneven ratio in the production of components that are components of everyday food products. The goal of this bio paper is to make a market analysis of the production of wheat and corn for the market of the Republic of Croatia as inputs from which ready-made food is produced and to point out the importance of fiscal relief of production. This research will show how important it is to implement a sustainable production management policy to reduce production costs. The emphasis of the research was focused on models for reducing the tax burden on businesses to raise the level of market competitiveness. In the research, a supply and demand curve for wheat and corn was formed based on current prices and production volumes, and changes were shown when the tax burden is reduced. Adequate management of the production process must be put into the function of protecting the domestic market. In this way, it is possible to meet domestic needs and create conditions for the expansion of food production. Considering the current market circumstances, this topic is given great importance, since the available data show that the purchasing power of the majority of the population in the country is declining, that is, food is becoming more expensive and scarcer.

Landraces of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum), were the main cereals of Montenegro until the mid-20th century, where they were collectively recognized as Rogosija. After the Second World War, the introduction of high-yielding common wheat cultivars threatened the survival of Rogosija landraces, that were almost extinct in farmers’ fields. Starting from 1955, sampling of durum wheat accessions in Montenegrin regions allowed the conservation of a Rogosija durum collection in the Montenegro Plant Gene Bank. This assortment represents an unexplored durum wheat germplasm that can be analyzed for the identification of valuable alleles, useful to increase the wheat crop adaptability to climate change. Aims of this study were: i) to estimate the genetic diversity andpopulation structure of the Rogosija collection using SNP markers; ii) to investigate correlation between genetic clusters and the Montenegro ecogeographic conditions. The collection was analyzed with a high-throughput genotyping system based on the 25K Illumina SNP wheat array. A total of 6,915 high-quality SNPs were retained and mapped on the durum genome. Principal components and phylogenetic analyses discriminated two different genetic durum clusters. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that 16% of the total variation was due to differences among the genetic clusters, whereas the remaining variance occurred within clusters. To estimate whether the genetic clusters detected are related to Montenegrin ecogeographic regions, the durum accessions were geo-referenced and evaluated according to ecological data of the collecting sites. Interestingly, one genetic cluster included samples located around Lake Skadar, while the second genetic cluster comprised accession sampled in the Montenegrin littoral coast. This result suggests that the Rogosija durum collection stored in the Montenegro Plant Gene Bank enclosed two Rogosija durum populations, evolved in two different eco-geographic micro-areas.

Biljni genetički resursi sadrže za oplemenjivače korisne, ali često dovoljno neispitane osobine koje imaju potencijal da poboljšaju otpornost useva u uslovima fluktuirajućih klimatskih promena. Lokalne populacije i stare domaće sorte pšenice poseduju sposobnost adaptacije na lokalne agroekološke uslove, ali ih obično karakteriše kasnostasnost i relativno niski prinosi. S obzirom na značaj ovih osobina i za oplemenjivače i proizvođače, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se ispitaju lokalni genetički resursi pšenice iz kolekcije Instituta za ratarstvo i portarstvo, Novi Sad, i utvrde genotipovi sa većim potencijalom za prinos, ranostasnost i efikasnost remobilizacije hranljivih materija. Eksperimentalni ogled sa potpuno slučajnim blok dizajnom u tri ponavljanja postavljen je na Rimskim šančevima tokom dve vegetacione sezone 2020/21 i 2021/2022. Pored toga, ispitivano je postojanje korelacije između ovih osobina i vegetacionog indeksa, površine lista zastavičara i sadržaja hlorofila. Prinos, efikasnost remobilizacije suve materije i doprinos remobilizaciji suve materije su bili u pozitivnoj korelaciji sa normalizovanom diferencijalnim vegetacionim indeksom, površinom zastavičara i sadržajem hlorofila, dok je vreme cvetanja bilo u negativnoj korelaciji sa svim ostalim osobinama. Od ukupno 30 ispitanih genotipova, jedna lokalna populacija i tri sorte su se izdvojile po ranostasnosti, relativno visokom prinosu i srednjoj do visokoj vredosti efikanosti i doprinosa remobilizaciji hranljivih materija. Rezultati sugerišu da ovi genotipovi predstavljaju interesantan potencijalni materijal koji bi se mogao uključiti u oplemenjivačke programe uz dodatna istraživanja., Plant genetic resources harbor for breeders valuable yet often unexplored traits that have the potential to enhance crop resilience in the face of fluctuating climates. Old local varieties and landraces possess adaptations to local environments, but are typically characterized by late maturity and relatively low yields. Since earliness and high yields are highly valued both by breeders and farmers, this study aimed to screen traditional Serbian landraces and varieties for the high yield potential, early maturing, and better nutrient remobilization efficiency. An experimental trial with the randomized complete block design in three replications was conducted at the Rimski šančevi, Serbia during 2020/21 and 2021/2022. In addition, the correlation between these traits and vegetation index, flag leaf area, and chlorophyll content were tested. Yield, dry matter remobilization efficiency, and dry matter remobilization contribution exhibited positive correlations with normalized difference vegetation index, flag leaf area, and chlorophyll content, while flowering time showed negative correlations with all other traits. Nevertheless, one landrace and three traditional varieties out of 30 evaluated germplasm displayed early flowering, high yield, and medium to high nutrient remobilization traits. Our results suggest that these genotypes represent interesting potential breeding materials warranting further investigation.

The tertiary gene pool of wheat includes wild relatives like Aegilops geniculata (UUMM, 2n=4x=28) that are valuable genetic reservoirs for novel abiotic and biotic resistance genes. However, modern wheat varieties share limited genomic commonality with these gene pool members presenting barriers to recombination and genetic mapping of desirable genes. We mapped a broad-spectrum leaf rust resistance gene Lr57 located on chromosome 5Mg of Ae. geniculata using a simple but powerful methodology for high-resolution genetic mapping in tertiary gene pool members of wheat. Five gene candidates were revealed all with possible defense related functions. Strategic application of differential expression analysis, Virus-Induced Gene Silencing, and mutagenesis analysis reduced the candidate gene of interest to a singular and novel ID-NLR resistance gene containg a protein kinase, NB-Arc, and LRR domain. Using multiple strategies, validation of Lr57 candidate was completed. Gene complementation by transformation of Lr57 candidate is currently being conducted.

Wheat is an important contributor to global food security, and further improvements are required to feed a growing human population. Functional genetics and genomics tools can help us to understand the function of different genes and to engineer beneficial changes. In this study, we used a promoter capture assay to sequence 2-kb regions upstream of all high-confidence annotated genes from 1,513 mutagenized plants from the tetraploid wheat variety Kronos. We identified 4.3 million induced mutations with an accuracy of 99.8%, resulting in a mutation density of 41.9 mutations per kb. We also remapped Kronos exome capture reads to Chinese Spring RefSeq v1.1, identified 4.7 million mutations, and predicted their effects on annotated genes. Using these predictions, we identified 59% more nonsynonymous substitutions and 49% more truncation mutations than in the original study. To show the biological value of the promoter dataset, we selected two mutations within the promoter of the VRN-A1 vernalization gene. Both mutations, located within transcription factor binding sites, significantly altered VRN-A1 expression, and one reduced the number of spikelets per spike. These publicly available sequenced mutant datasets provide rapid and inexpensive access to induced variation in the promoters and coding regions of most wheat genes. These mutations can be used to understand and modulate gene expression and phenotypes for both basic and commercial applications, where limited governmental regulations can facilitate deployment. These mutant collections, together with gene editing, provide valuable tools to accelerate functional genetic studies in this economically important crop.

Many resistance genes deployed against pathogens in crops are intracellular nucleotide-binding (NB) leucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptors (NLRs). The ability to rationally engineer the specificity of NLRs will be crucial in the response to newly emerging crop diseases. Successful attempts to modify NLR recognition have been limited to untargeted approaches or depended on previously available structural information or knowledge of pathogen-effector targets. However, this information is not available for most NLR-effector pairs. Here, we demonstrate the precise prediction and subsequent transfer of residues involved in effector recognition between two closely related NLRs without their experimentally determined structure or detailed knowledge about their pathogen effector targets. By combining phylogenetics, allele diversity analysis, and structural modeling, we successfully predicted residues mediating interaction of Sr50 with its cognate effector AvrSr50 and transferred recognition specificity of Sr50 to the closely related NLR Sr33. We created synthetic versions of Sr33 that contain amino acids from Sr50, including Sr33syn, which gained the ability to recognize AvrSr50 with 12 amino-acid substitutions. Furthermore, we discovered that sites in the LRR domain needed to transfer recognition specificity to Sr33 also influence autoactivity in Sr50. Structural modeling suggests these residues interact with a part of the NB-ARC domain, which we named the NB-ARC latch, to possibly maintain the inactive state of the receptor. Our approach demonstrates rational modifications of NLRs, which could be useful to enhance existing elite crop germplasm. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Sulfuryl fluoride (SF) is an inorganic fumigant, currently being used widely to disinfest various postharvest commodities and processed products. Though SF has been used in treating stored commodities for more than two decades, so far, no information is available in relation to monitoring the changes in susceptibility levels to SF in stored product insects. In this study, we characterized dose mortality responses to SF in multiple field insect populations and phosphine-resistant reference strains of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, towards establishing a discriminating dose for detection of resistance. Adult beetles, after two weeks of eclosion, were exposed to a series of SF concentrations (0.05–2.5 mg L−1) over 48 h (2.4–120 g hm−3). Mortality response in each population/strain was evaluated after 7 days and subjected to probit analysis. A two-step approach was adopted, both based on the key toxicity parameters, LC values, response ratio, and confidence intervals. Firstly, LC95 of the most susceptible population, 0.84 mg L−1 over 48 h (40 g hm−3) was identified as the baseline dose and proposed to monitor changes in susceptibility levels to SF in freshly collected field populations of T. castaneum. Then the discriminating dose was derived, 1.7 mg L−1 over 48 h by multiplying LC95 of the most susceptible population by a factor of 2, which could potentially be used to identify genetically resistant individuals to SF. Dose mortality responses of T. castaneum populations/strains from Australia revealed low-level (1.8-fold) region-wide variations in basal tolerance to SF, emphasizing the importance of adopting a two-dose approach to monitor resistance to SF. Overall, our results hold enormous potential for researchers and stakeholders in Australia and across the globe towards its use in the early detection of resistance to SF in T. castaneum and its management.

To adapt to climate change, several agricultural strategies are currently being explored, including a shift in land use areas. Regional differences in microbiome composition and associated phytopathogens need to be considered. However, most empirical studies on differences in the crop microbiome focused on soil communities, with insufficient attention to the phyllosphere. In this study, we focused on wheat ears in three regions in northeastern Germany (Magdeburger Börde (MBB), Müncheberger Sander (MSA), Uckermärkisches Hügelland (UKH)) with different yield potentials, soil, and climatic conditions. To gain insight into the fungal community at different sites, we used a metabarcoding approach (ITS-NGS). Further, we examined the diversity and abundance of Fusarium and Alternaria using culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques. For each region, the prevalence of different orders rich in phytopathogenic fungi was determined: Sporidiobolales in MBB, Capnodiales and Pleosporales in MSA, and Hypocreales in UKH were identified as taxonomic biomarkers. Additionally, F. graminearum was found predominantly in UKH, whereas F. poae was more abundant in the other two regions. Environmental filters seem to be strong drivers of these differences, but we also discuss the possible effects of dispersal and interaction filters. Our results can guide shifting cultivation regions to be selected in the future concerning their phytopathogenic infection potential., Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Peer Reviewed

Wheat is highly sensitive to heat shocks and their timing. Hence, field-based ranking for heat tolerance may be confounded by phenological variations at the time of heat events. A photoperiod-extension method (PEM) was developed, allowing screening of wheat genotypes at matched developmental stages despite phenological variations. Paired trials were conducted to compare PEM and conventional field screening. In the PEM, artificial lighting was installed at one end of each row, inducing a gradient of flowering times. Individual stems or plot quadrats of each genotype were tagged at flowering. Late-sown plants experienced significantly more heat and greater grain yield reductions than early sown plants. Strong correlations between trials experiencing a similar degree of heat were found both for individual grain weight (IGW) and total grain weight with the PEM, either with individual stem tagging or quadrat tagging. By contrast, correlations for IGW and yield in these environments were either poor or negative for conventional trials. With the PEM, strong genetic correlations were found between irrigated environments of similar heat stress, with respective r correlations ranged from 0.46 to 0.8 for IGW; and 0.54–0.75 for total grain weight. By contrast these correlations were substantially weaker for conventional yield plots (average r values ranged from 0.11 to 0.53 for IGW; and 0.05–0.36 for grain yield. The quadrat sampling appeared overall more suitable for high-throughput phenotyping. The method promises to improve the efficiency of heat tolerance field screening, particularly when comparing genotypes of different maturity types.

Soil-borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV) and Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus (SBCMV), genus Furovirus, family Virgaviridae, cause significant crop losses in cereals. The viruses are transmitted by the soil-borne plasmodiophorid Polymyxa graminis. Inside P. graminis resting spores, the viruses persist in the soil for long time, which makes the disease difficult to combat. To open up novel possibilities for virus control, we explored the influence of physical and chemical soil properties on infection of wheat with SBWMV and SBCMV. Moreover, we investigated, whether infection rates are influenced by the nutritional state of the plants. Infection rates of susceptible wheat lines were correlated to soil structure parameters and nutrient contents in soil and plants. Our results show that SBWMV and SBCMV infection rates decrease the more water-impermeable the soil is and that virus transmission depends on pH. Moreover, we found that contents of several nutrients in the soil (e.g. phosphorous, magnesium, zinc) and in planta (e.g. nitrogen, carbon, boron, sulfur, calcium) affect SBWMV and SBCMV infection rates. The knowledge generated may help paving the way towards development of a microenvironment-adapted agriculture.

Plant genetic resources are a valuable, but largely unexplored pool of potentialy useful traits that could be useful for crop improvement for more resilience to fluctuating climates. Traditional varieties and landraces are, in general, well adapted to local environments, to but usually mature late and have low yield, one of the most valued trait among both breeders and farmers. The aim of this study was to evalute 30 local Serbian landraces and obsolete varieties for yield potential, earliness (as flowering time), and ability to remobilize nutitrients to the grain, and to determine their correlations with NDVI, flag leaf area and chlorophyll content. A two-year field trial with 5 m2 plots in three replications was performed at the experimental station at Rimski Šančevi, Novi Sad, Serbia. The yield, dry matter remobilisation efficiency (DMRE) and contribution (DMRC) were in positive correlations with NDVI, flag leaf area and chlorophyll content. Flowering time was negetively correlated to all other traits.The genotypes were separated as low (9 t/ha). Despite the negative correlation between the flowering time and other traits, a several genotypes (landrace L285, varieties Novosadska crvenka, Hibrid 0.13 and Partizanka) showed earliness (130-133 days), high yields (9.11-9.88 t/ha), and high or medium DMRE (0.36-0.44) and DMRC (0.55-0.62) and harvest indices (0.55-0.60). Those varieties also had medium or, in case of L285, low flag leaf areas. The results indicated that this is a interesting potential breeding material being worthwhile for further investigations.

Prouzrokovač žute rđe (Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici) dobio je na posebnom značaju u Srbiji od proizvodne 2013/2014, iako je u genetičkoj kolekciji na Rimskim šančevima registrovan od strane Jevtića i sar. još 1997. godine. Imajući u vidu način prenošenja prouzrokovača žute rđe i visoku sposobnost prevazilaženja otpornosti biljaka domaćina, cilj ovog rada je da ukaže na faktore koji utiču na dinamiku pojave i osnovne probleme u kontroli ovog patogena u Srbiji. Klimatski faktori 2023. godine pogodovali su jačoj pojavi žute rđe pšenice u Srbiji kao i 2014, 2016. i 2018. Međutim, ne treba izgubiti iz vida da se rasni sastav ovog patogena može menjati iz godine u godinu, kao i da reakcija osetljivosti i/ili otpornosti genotpova pšenice zavisi od kombinovanog efekta abiotičkog i biotičkog stresa. Kompleksnost delovanja faktora koji utiču na nivo osetljivosti ili pad otpronosti pšenice prema žutoj rđi potvrđen je i u genetičkoj kolekciji na Rimskim šančevima 2023. godine kada je značajno veći broja genotipova (80%) bio zaražen žutom rđom nego prethodnih godina sa indeksom oboljenja preko 41%. Procenat genotipova sa reakcijom osetljivosti prema žutoj rđi (DI>41%) bio je 47,7 % u 2016. i 43 % u 2018. godini., The causal agent of yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici) gained special attention in Serbia since the 2013/2014 production year, although its presence in the genetic collection at Rimski šančevi was noted by Jevtić et al. as early as 1997. Considering the mode of transmission of the yellow rust and its high ability to overcome host plant resistance, the aim of this study is to highlight the factors that influence the dynamics of its occurrence and the main challenges in controlling this pathogen in Serbia. The climatic factors in 2023 favored occurrence of wheat yellow rust in Serbia, similar to 2014, 2016, and 2018. However, it should be noted that the race composition of this pathogen can change from year to year, and the susceptibility and/or resistance of wheat genotypes to yellow rust depends on the combined effect of abiotic and biotic stressors. The complexity of factors influencing the level of susceptibility or resistance breakdown in wheat towards yellow rust has also been confirmed in the genetic collection at Rimski šančevi in 2023 when a significantly higher number of genotypes (80%) were infected with yellow rust compared to previous years, with a disease index exceeding 41%. The percentage of genotypes showing susceptibility reaction to yellow rust (DI>41%) was 47.7% in 2016 and 43% in 2018.

Wheat is a target crop within the food security context. The responses of wheat plants under elevated concentrations of CO (e[CO]) have been previously studied; however, few of these studies have evaluated several organs at different phenological stages simultaneously under free-air CO enrichment (FACE) conditions. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of e[CO] in two cultivars of wheat (Triumph and Norin), analyzed at three phenological stages (elongation, anthesis, and maturation) and in different organs at each stage, under FACE conditions. Agronomic, biomass, physiological, and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics were examined in both ambient CO (a[CO]) fixed at 415 µmol mol CO and e[CO] at 550 µmol mol CO. We found minimal effect of e[CO] compared to a[CO] on agronomic and biomass parameters. Also, while exposure to 550 µmol mol CO increased the photosynthetic rate of CO assimilation (An), the current study showed a diminishment in the maximum carboxylation (V) and maximum electron transport (J) under e[CO] conditions compared to a[CO] at physiological level in both cultivars. However, even if no significant differences were detected between cultivars on photosynthetic machinery, differential responses between cultivars were detected in C and N dynamics at e[CO]. Triumph showed starch accumulation in most organs during anthesis and maturation, but a decline in N content was observed. Contrastingly, in Norin, a decrease in starch content during the three stages and an increase in N content was observed. The amino acid content decreased in grain and shells at maturation in both cultivars, which might indicate a minimal translocation from source to sink organs. These results suggest a greater acclimation to e[CO] enrichment in Triumph than Norin, because both the elongation stage and e[CO] modified the source–sink relationship. According to the differences between cultivars, future studies should be performed to test genetic variation under

Soil pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) is a serious environmental problem due to the relatively higher biotoxicity and persistence of PHCs in soil. The aim of current study was to prepare and characterize bacterial consortia for PHCs removal and plant growth enhancement in hydrocarbons contaminated soil. In this study, we isolated a number of microbes from PHCs contaminated sites and developed the bacterial consortia (BC). Subsequently, two of the developed bacterial consortia (BC1 and BC2) were used in pot experiments for their ability to remove PHCs and promote wheat plant growth in soil contaminated with PHCs. Results showed that PHCs had significant toxicity to wheat plant when grown in PHCs contaminated soil and causing 18–37% and 14–34% reductions in agronomic and physiological attributes of wheat plants, respectively. However, the phytotoxicity of PHCs to wheat plants were considerably decreased in the presence of BC, showing up to 32% and 27% higher agronomic and physiological attributes of wheat plants, respectively, as compared to un-inoculated controls with PHCs. Furthermore, the BC addition also improved nutrient uptake and antioxidant mechanism of wheat plants. Notably, only wheat plants could remediate 48% of the initial amount of PHCs and the addition of BC1 and BC2 in the planted pots further enhanced this removal and remediated 71% and 78% of PHCs, respectively. Our findings indicate that the application of multi-trait bacterial consortia for PHCs remediation and plant growth enhancement under PHCs stress could be an eco-friendly and efficient way to overcome the contamination and toxicity of PHCs.

Sulfuryl fluoride (SF) is an inorganic fumigant, currently being used widely to disinfest various postharvest commodities and processed products. Though SF has been used in treating stored commodities for more than two decades, so far, no information is available in relation to monitoring the changes in susceptibility levels to SF in stored product insects. In this study, we characterized dose mortality responses to SF in multiple field insect populations and phosphine-resistant reference strains of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, towards establishing a discriminating dose for detection of resistance. Adult beetles, after two weeks of eclosion, were exposed to a series of SF concentrations (0.05–2.5 mg L−1) over 48 h (2.4–120 g hm−3). Mortality response in each population/strain was evaluated after 7 days and subjected to probit analysis. A two-step approach was adopted, both based on the key toxicity parameters, LC values, response ratio, and confidence intervals. Firstly, LC95 of the most susceptible population, 0.84 mg L−1 over 48 h (40 g hm−3) was identified as the baseline dose and proposed to monitor changes in susceptibility levels to SF in freshly collected field populations of T. castaneum. Then the discriminating dose was derived, 1.7 mg L−1 over 48 h by multiplying LC95 of the most susceptible population by a factor of 2, which could potentially be used to identify genetically resistant individuals to SF. Dose mortality responses of T. castaneum populations/strains from Australia revealed low-level (1.8-fold) region-wide variations in basal tolerance to SF, emphasizing the importance of adopting a two-dose approach to monitor resistance to SF. Overall, our results hold enormous potential for researchers and stakeholders in Australia and across the globe towards its use in the early detection of resistance to SF in T. castaneum and its management.

The relative time to maturity of grain crops is an important consideration for producers, yet there are no universally accepted classification schemes for cultivar phenology to guide decisions on variety selection and time of sowing. A first edition of an industry guide for wheat variety maturity was recently developed for use across Australia, representing a significant step forward for the grains industry. The aim of this paper was to revise and extend this industry guide to make it more robust, agronomically functional and meaningful to industry. The Australian Cereal Phenology Classification (ACPC) presented herein was developed using an unprecedented phenological data set with a diverse array of genotypes, environments and management. Field experiments were carried out with 70 wheat and 30 barley cultivars at 15 sites across Australia between 2017 and 2020. Thermal time to anthesis data were used to rank cultivars according to their relative phenology and divide them into classes, and then boundary cultivars of both species were selected to separate these classes. The resulting classification scheme divides wheat and barley into phenology classes ranging from ‘quick’ to ‘mid’ to ‘slow’. New cultivars to market can be assigned a phenology classification based on their thermal time to anthesis relative to the boundary cultivars. The ACPC will help growers, agronomists, breeders and researchers make informed decisions regarding cultivar comparison and selection while reducing misclassification and confusion across regions. The same methodology used to derive and validate the ACPC can be applied internationally to standardise descriptions of crop phenology.

During grain storage and processing, aeration and drying are often conducted to control grain temperature and moisture content. To reduce energy consumption and reach the desired drying and aeration effect, the system must be optimized. The factor most influencing the system optimization is the airflow resistance which is influenced by porosity and touristy of the grain bulks. Dockage size and percentage influence the porosity and touristy. In this study, a cubic chamber (inner dimensions: 50×50×50 cm3) was used to measure the airflow resistance (pressure drop) of wheat mixtures with different sizes (≤1.1 mm, 1.1-2.0 mm and ≥ 3.3 mm) and percentages (0, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0%) of dockage and different moisture contents (14.5, 16.5 and 18.5%) under different airflow velocities (1.1 to 6.6 m.s-1) and airflow directions (vertical and horizontal directions). The air velocity inside the wheat mixtures was directly measured at six locations by using Pitot tubes. In wheat mixtures with any dockage percentages and sizes, pressure drop decreased with the decrease of airflow velocity in both vertical and horizontal directions. Adding 1 to 5 Kg of fine materials (≤1.1 mm) into 100 Kg of clean wheat led to an average increase of 30% for airflow resistance in the vertical direction and 50% in the horizontal direction. Dockage size of 1.1 to 2 mm did not affect pressure drop. Chaff (≥ 3.3) could decrease the airflow resistance, while adding 2.5 percentage points of chaff only resulted in less than 25.9 percentage point reduction of pressure drop. The mixed size of 7.5% dockage had an average 45.6 and 41.2 percent point increase of pressure drops in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. Pressure drop in the vertical direction was approximately 50% more compared to those observed in the horizontal direction for any moisture content of wheat. The increase in resistance could be 100% higher and depended on the percentage of dockage, dockage size, and dockage distribution. Incr

Kako bi se unapredila proizvodnja strnih žita, neophodno je bolje razumeti fiziološke procese koji su povezani sa nakupljanjem suve materije, usvajanjem azota i efikasnošću upotrebe azota. Usled toga, dvogodišnji ogled sa šest sorti ozimog ječma i pšenice izveden je na lokalitetu Rimski šančevi kako bi se utvrdio uticaj sorte i datuma setve na nakupljanja suve materije i usvajanja azota, i da bi se ispitao način na koji ovi faktori doprinose određivanju prinosa zrna i azota., To increase small grain production, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of the physiological processes related to dry matter accumulation, nitrogen uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency. To this end, a field trial was conducted with six two-rowed winter barley and six winter wheat cultivars, grown under four different sowing dates during two growing seasons. The trial aimed to determine dry matter and nitrogen accumulation in plants and examine how these factors contributed to grain and nitrogen yield determination.

Ovo je novostvorena sorta ozime pšenice NS Olena priznata od strane Uprave za zaštitu bilja Ministarstva poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede Republike Srbije., This is registered newly-developed winter wheat cultivar NS Olena released by the Plant Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia.

Ovo je novostvorena sorta ozime pšenice NS Liana priznata od strane Uprave za zaštitu bilja Ministarstva poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede Republike Srbije., This is registered newly-developed winter wheat cultivar NS Liana released by the Plant Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia.

Magnaporthe oryzae (anamorf Pyricularia oryzae) je prouzrokovač sušice klasa i lista strnih žita. Osim što je patogen komercijalno značajnih biljnih vrsta, zaražava i livadsku travu i korovske biljke. U okviru vrste M. oryzae razlikuje se više patotipova. Patotip Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) zaražava pšenicu i nekoliko drugih vrsta iz porodice trava. M. oryzae je prvi put otkrivena u Brazilu 1985. godine i od tada predstavlja pretnju proizvodnji pšenice i u drugim delovima sveta uključujući Bangladeš kao i u zemljama EU. Patogen MoT može zaraziti sve nadzemne delove biljke, ali najčešći simptomi se javljaju na klasu i veoma su slični simptomima fuzarioze klasa. Tokom proizvodne 2022/2023. godine sume padavina u aprilu i maju su na lokalitetu Rimski šančevi nadmašile sedamneasetogodišnje proseke, dok je temperatura u maju bila na nivou višegodišnjeg proseka. Time su se ostvarili uslovi povoljni za pojavu M. oryzae. Mikroskopskim pregledom plevica i vretena zaraženih klasova sorti sa više lokaliteta utvrđeno je prisustvo konidija bespolne generacije Pyricularia oryzae. Imajući u vidu da MoT nije svrstana u grupu karantinskih patogena u mnogim zemljama EU, ovaj rad ukazuje na rizik prisustva M. oryzae u Srbiji, kao i na značaj praćenja pojave M. oryzae na korovima, travama i strnim žitima kako bi se na vreme reagovalo u zaštiti useva od ovog patogena.

The goal of this research is to test breeding material of different geographical origin, and material that is adapted to different agro-climatic regions. This research examines how different wheat genotypes behave in the climatic conditions of the Pannonian Plain, where environmental stress occur more and more frequently. Fifteen divergent wheat genotypes were evaluated for grain yield, heading time and yield components (spike length, grain weight per spike and plant height) across seasons 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. By applying the ANOVA model, significant differences between tested traits were recorded among the analyzed genotypes. Among the genotypes there was a variability that ranged widely for all tested traits. The coefficient of variation ranged from 5.48% for plant height to 41.03% for grain weight per spike. Correlation analysis showed strong positive relationships between grain yield and grain weight per spike (r = 0.87), as well as between plant height and heading time (r = 0.65). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was also applied in order to determine the differences between wheat genotypes. This yield marker study, which was carried out in the Western Balkans, could be very valuable in providing breeders with the information they need to evaluate their breeding programs.

In modern directions of food production, it is necessary to apply measures that would reduce the possibility of soil degradation. The aim of the work was to determine the influence of effective microorganisms on the basic parameters of soil biogenicity in the production of wheat and corn. The experiment with wheat was carried out in 2019 and the experiment with maize in 2017. Agroecological conditions in 2019 were optimal for wheat production. In 2017, unfavorable agrometeorological conditions for maize production were recorded. In both experiments, the microbiological preparation EM Aktiv with effective microorganisms was used. With wheat, it was applied twice foliarly with 6 l ha-1 . In the case of maize, EM Aktiv was introduced into the soil before sowing at 20 l ha-1 and foliarly applied twice at 6 l ha-1. The rhizosphere soil was analyzed. The total number of microorganisms and the abundance of Azotobacter in wheat were determined. In the case of corn, the total number of microorganisms and the number of ammonifiers were determined. In both experiments, an increase in the number of tested groups of microorganisms was found. The percentage increase in abundance depended on the genotype of wheat and corn. Based on the results, it was concluded that the application of effective microorganisms is necessary and that in sustainable food production systems it should be a mandatory measure to preserve the basic resources for food production.

While sparse testing methods have been proposed by researchers to improve the efficiency of genomic selection (GS) in breeding programs, there are several factors that can hinder this. In this research, we evaluated four methods (M1–M4) for sparse testing allocation of lines to environments under multi-environmental trails for genomic prediction of unobserved lines. The sparse testing methods described in this study are applied in a two-stage analysis to build the genomic training and testing sets in a strategy that allows each location or environment to evaluate only a subset of all genotypes rather than all of them. To ensure a valid implementation, the sparse testing methods presented here require BLUEs (or BLUPs) of the lines to be computed at the first stage using an appropriate experimental design and statistical analyses in each location (or environment). The evaluation of the four cultivar allocation methods to environments of the second stage was done with four data sets (two large and two small) under a multi-trait and uni-trait framework. We found that the multi-trait model produced better genomic prediction (GP) accuracy than the uni-trait model and that methods M3 and M4 were slightly better than methods M1 and M2 for the allocation of lines to environments. Some of the most important findings, however, were that even under a scenario where we used a training-testing relation of 15–85%, the prediction accuracy of the four methods barely decreased. This indicates that genomic sparse testing methods for data sets under these scenarios can save considerable operational and financial resources with only a small loss in precision, which can be shown in our cost-benefit analysis.

Nitrogen (N) addition is commonly employed to enhance wheat production, and the effectiveness is strongly influenced by site-specific factors encompassing environmental conditions and crop management practices. However, the current understanding fails to adequately account for the intricate and variable interactions among these factors. Consequently, we conducted a global meta-analysis to quantify the combined contributions of these factors to wheat yield, grain protein content (GPC), and water productivity (WP) and provide recommendations for optimizing N management. The results revealed a significant improvement in grain yield (14.85%), GPC (6.62%), and WP (10.79%) following the application of N. Moreover, higher N addition rates, the utilization of coated N fertilizer, post-anthesis fertilization, and multiple N applications exhibited enhanced outcomes in terms of yield, GPC, and WP in wheat systems. It was observed that applying 100–200 kg/ha of N was the optimal rate for maximizing yield, GPC, and WP. Medium soil texture and humid climate conditions showed a more pronounced increase in yield in response to N addition. Additionally, wheat yield demonstrated a stronger response to N addition benefits when the annual temperature was below 14 °C, while GPC showed a higher increase with temperatures exceeding 14 °C. Furthermore, adopting common N fertilization practices alongside irrigation and implementing pre-anthesis N addition in medium soil texture and humid climate conditions also contributed to achieving optimal wheat performance. The finding of this study serves as a guideline to support on-site N addition practice for wheat and to offer a reference to N management policy design across specific site conditions.

Two crosses viz., K 1006 x LOK 1 and PBW 343 x HUW 234 derived from four diverse parents were examined during Rabi 2018-19 and 2019-20 at Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, BHU in order to identify and assess the robust transgressive segregants (TS) in the segregating F2 and F3 population for yield/plant and its contributing traits respectively. Findings reveal that individuals transgressed beyond the parents in both the crosses for grain yield/plant (9 to 9.52 %). The maximum frequency of TS are found for AL (74.29%) in the PBW 343 x HUW 234 and it was higher for 1000 grain weight (72%) in the K 1006 x LOK 1 cross. The highest number of simultaneous TS for grain yield/plant was found in the F2 for the PBW 343 x HUW 234 (89.5%) followed by K 1006 x LOK 1 (79.0%). The frequency of simultaneous transgression for grain yield coupled with SLPS, GPS, 1000 GW in K 1006 x LOK 1 cross along with NET and AL in PBW 343 x HUW 234 cross was found very frequently. Hence, it is presumed that either grain yield is dependent on these traits or there may be linkage drag among the genes for such traits so that responsible gene(s) could be inherited together. The most promising TS tagged in F2’s were plant No. 36 in the K 1006 x LOK 1 and plant No. 30, 68 and 100 in the other cross. Based on high frequency of TS, it is inferred that transgressive breeding could be used as an excellent tool to improve the crop yield and other desirable traits by recovering the transgressive segregants.

Broj klasova po jedinice površine ima značajan uticaj na formiranje prinosa kroz osobine, dužinu klasa, broj klasaka u klasu, broj semena u klasu, masu klasa, masu semena u klasu i masu 1000 semena. Cilj rada je izučavanje variranja broja klasova pšenice u različitim rokovima i gustinama setve. U istraživanja su uključene dve sorte pšenice (Prima i Simonida), u ogledu sa dva roka i tri gustine setve u dve vegetacione sezone. Rezultati su pokazali značajne razlike u broju klasova m-2, između sorti, prema gustini setve, po rokovima setve i između dve vegetacione sezone. U obe vegetacione sezone, najmanji broj klasova m-2 je nađen pri gustini setve 350 semena m-2 kod obe sorte i to 504,50 i 350,33 kod Prime i 520,50 i 371,83 kod Simonide, dok je najveći broj klasova m-2 utvrđen pri najvećoj gustini setve (750 semena) i to 558,32 i 372,50 kod sorte Prima i 590,17 u prvoj i 622,17 klasova kod sorte Simonida u drugoj godini. Broj klasova m-2 je varirao zavisno od genotipa, gustine setve, vremena setve i uslova u vegetacionoj sezoni., The number of spikes per unit area has a significant influence on yield formation, through characteristics spike length, number of spikelets spike- 1, number of seeds spike-1, mass of spikes, mass of seeds spike-1, weight of 1000 seeds. The aim of the work is to study the variation of number of wheat spikes m-2 in different sowing date and densities. Two varieties of wheat Prima and Simonida were included for study number of spikes m-2 in an experiment with two dates and three sowing densities in two growing seasons. The results showed significant differences for number of spikes m-2 between two varieties of wheat, sowing dates, sowing densities, and between between two vegetation seasons of research. In both growing seasons, the lowest number of spikes m-2 was found at the sowing density of 350 seeds m-2 in both varieties, namely 504.50 and 350.33 in Prime and 520.50 and 371.83 in Simonida variety, while the highest number of spikes m-2 was found at the highest sowing density (750 seeds), namely 558.32 and 372.50 in Prima variety and 590.17 in first and 622.17 spikes in Simonida variety in second year. The number of spikes m-2 varied depending on the genotype, sowing density, sowing time and conditions in the growing season.

Poljski ogled sa sortama pšenice Pobeda, Simonida, NS 40 S i Zvezdana postavljen je na zemljištu tipa smonica tokom vegetacionih sezona 2016/2017. i 2017/2018. Najveće vrednosti ispitivanih osobina ustanovljene su u godini sa umerenim temperaturama i većom količinom padavina u vegetacionoj 2017/2018. godini. Sorte Pobeda i NS 40 S imale su najveći prinos zrna tokom dvogodišnjeg istraživanja. Sorte Simonida i NS 40 S odlikovale su se najvećom masom 1000 zrna. Najveće vrednosti hektolitarske mase ustanovljene su kod sorte Simonida. Analizom varijanse ustanovljen je visoko značajan uticaj interakcije spoljašnje sredine i genotipa na masu 1000 zrna i hektolitarsku masu kod ispitivanih sorti ozime pšenice., The field experiment with the wheat varieties Pobeda, Simonida, NS 40 S and Zvezdana was set up on the smonica-type soil during the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 growing seasons. The highest values of the observed properties were established in the 2017/2018 vegetation year with moderate temperatures and a higher amount of precipitation. Varieties Pobeda and NS 40 S had the highest grain yield during the two-year study. The varieties Simonida and NS 40 S were distinguished by the largest 1000 grain weight. The highest values of hectoliter weight were found in the variety Simonida. The analysis of variance established a highly significant influence of the interaction of external environment and genotype on the 1000 grain weight and the hectoliter mass of the tested varieties of winter wheat.

Poljski ogled sa sortama pšenice Takovčanka, Kruna i Aleksandra postavljen je na zemljištu tipa smonica tokom dve vegetacione sezone. Cilj istraživanja je bio da se kod tri kragujevačke sorte pšenice analizira prinos, masa 1000 zrna i hektolitarska masa. Najveće vrednosti ispitivanih osobina ustanovljene su u vegetacionoj 2019/20. godini. Najveći prinos zrna tokom dvogodišnjeg istraživanja ustanovljen je kod sorte Kruna. Sorta Takovčanka odlikovala se najvećom masom 1000 zrna. Najveće vrednosti hektolitarske mase ustanovljene su kod sorte Aleksandra, u obe ispitivane godine. Analizom varijanse ustanovljen je visoko značajan uticaj interakcije agroklimatskih uslova na prinos, masu 1000 zrna i hektolitarsku masu i značajan uticaj genotipa na hektolitarsku masu kod ispitivanih sorti ozime pšenice., The field experiment with the wheat varieties Takovčanka, Kruna and Aleksandra was set up on the smonitza-type soil during the two growing seasons. The aim of the research was to analyse the yield, weight of 1000 grains and hectolitre weight of three Kragujevac wheat varieties. The highest values of the observed properties were established in the 2019/20 vegetation year. Variety Kruna had the highest grain yield during the twoyear study. The Takovčanka variety was characterized by the highest weight of 1000 grains. The highest values of hectolitre weight were found in the Aleksandra variety in both study years. The analysis of variance established a highly significant influence of agro climatic conditions on the yield, weight of 1000 grains and the hectolitre weight and significant influence of genotype on the hectolitre weight of the tested varieties of winter wheat.

U ovom istraživanju je sprovedena karakterizacija perspektivnih genotipova ozime pšenice na osnovu deskriptora morfoloških osobina definisanih od strane Međunarodnog udruženja za zaštitu novih sorti biljaka (UPOV). Karakterizacija KG-linija pšenice je izvršena za 7 kvalitativnih osobina. Poljski ogledi su izvedeni u dvogodišnjem periodu (2013/2014. i 2014/2015.) na tri lokacije: Institut za krmno bilje u Kruševcu, Agroinstitut u Somboru, Centar za strna žita i razvoj sela u Kragujevcu. Ekspresija analiziranih svojstava ispitana je vizuelnim opažanjem i ocenjena odgovarajućim brojem prema UPOV deskriptoru za pšenicu. Većinu KG-genotipova odlikuje piramidalan klas bele boje sa prisutnim zupcima. Izuzetak čini genotip KG-162/7 koji ima paralelan klas, kao i genotip KG-191/5-13 sa vretenastim oblikom klasa. Takođe, za razliku od svih ostalih genotipova, genotip KG-60-3/3 karakteriše klas sa prisutnim osjem. Svojstvo donja plevica – širina ramena se kretala u rasponu od uskog, do veoma širokog, dok su svi genotipovi imali ravan oblik ramena donje plevice. Analizirani genotipovi pšenice pripadaju ozimom tipu., In this research, the characterization of promising winter wheat genotypes was carried out based on the descriptors of morphological traits defined by the International Association for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV). Characterization of KG-lines of wheat was carried out for 7 qualitative traits. Experimental trial was carried out in a two-year period (2013/2014 and 2014/2015) at three locations: Institute for Forage Crops in Kruševac, Agroinstitut in Sombor and Centre for Small Grains and Rural Development in Kragujevac. The expression of the analyzed properties was examined by visual observation and evaluated with a corresponding number according to the UPOV descriptor for wheat. Most KG-genotypes are characterized by a white pyramidal ear with scurs present. The exception is the genotype KG-162/7, which has a parallel spike, as well as the genotype KG-191/5-13, which has a spindle-shaped spike. Also, unlike all other genotypes, genotype KG-60-3/3 is characterized by a spike with a present awns. Lower glume characteristic – shoulder width ranged from narrow to very wide, while all genotypes had a flat lower glume shoulder shape. The analyzed wheat genotypes belong to the winter type.

The storage proteins influence technological quality value of grain wheat, dough quality traits and loaf quality. The aim of this study estimation of variability grain protein content, sedimentation volume, dry gluten content, loaf volume and their relationships with encoding allele of gliadin and glutenins. For investigation used wheat genotypes grown in two vegetation season (2015/16 and 2016/17). The analysed technological quality traits varied in wheat genotypes within and between vegetation season. In both vegetation season were established the highest grain protein content in G-3627-1 (14.40% and 14.60%), the highest protein sedimentation volume in G-3606-5 (46.0 ml and 52.0 ml), the highest dry gluten content in G-3621-1 (30.23% and 31.15%) and the highest value of loaf volume in the G-3621-1 (530 ml and 540 ml). In both vegetation were found the least protein sedimantation volume in genotypes G-3636-3 (34.0 ml snd 36. ml), the least grain protein content in G-3606-4 (13.10% and 13.00%), the least dry gluten content was in G-3606-6 (25.42% and 25.98%) and the least loaf volume in G-3606-6 (380 ml and 390 ml). The composition of gliadin and glutenin alleles at the analyzed wheat geneotypes was different. In analysed wheat genotypes at six Gli- loci were identified 24 alleles and at three Glu-1 loci eight alleles. Genotypes carrying Gli-B1b, Gli-D1b, Gli-D2b and Glu-A1b, Glu-B1c, Glu-D1d had the highest sedimentation volume, genotype that carried Gli-B1l and Glu-A1b, Glu-B1c, Glu-D1d had high volume of bread. The results showed relationships of gliadin and glutenin alleles with analysed grain, flour and bread traits quality.

U radu je urađeno istraživanje varijabilnosti i korelacija između prinosa i komponenti prinosa kod sorti ozime pšenice (Aleksandra, Aurelia, Planeta, Cipovka i Zemunska Rosa). Analizom varijanse su ustanovljene visoko značajne razlike za prinos i komponente prinosa između sorti, godina i njihove interakcije. Korelacije i Path analiza ukazuju da masa zrna po biljci ima statistički značajan i pozitivan direktni efekat (0,363*) na prinos zrna. Indirektno, ova osobina najveći doprinos povećanju prinosa zrna ostvarila je preko mase 1000 zrna (0,120) i mase zrna po klasu (0,102). Masa zrna po klasu i masa 1000 zrna imaju pozitivan direktni efekat na prinos zrna, ali bez statističke značajnosti. Pozitivna korelacija mase zrna po klasu i mase 1000 zrna sa prinosom zrna rezultat je indirektnog efekta koji ove osobine ostvaruju preko mase zrna po biljci., In this paper, the variability and correlation between yield and yield components in winter wheat varieties (Aleksandra, Aurelia, Planeta, Cipovka and Zemunska Rosa) were investigated. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences for yield and yield components between cultivars, years and their interactions. Correlations and Path analysis indicate that grain mass per plant has a statistically significant and positive direct effect (0.363*) on grain yield. Indirectly, this trait made the biggest contribution to the increase in grain yield through the mass of 1000 grains (0.120) and the mass of grains per ear (0.102). Grain weight per ear and weight of 1000 grains have a positive direct effect on grain yield, but without statistical significance. The positive correlation of grain mass per ear and mass of 1000 grains with grain yield is the result of the indirect effect that these traits achieve through grain mass per plant.

Wheat crop is the main source of food and is cultivated on the largest area of land, while Punjab and Sindh province are the major contributors. It donates 9.7 percent to agriculture and 1.7 percent to GDP. The objectives of the study are to analyze the impact of procurement policy on the farming community who have been beneficiaries of the policy, and it means observing whether the procurement policy is getting sufficient support to the farmers' community or not. Primary data were collected through a multistage random sampling technique; in the first stage district was selected; in the second stage, taluka was selected; while in the third stage, two union councils (UC) were randomly selected; and in the final stage six villages were randomly selected, and the sample size was 10 respondents from each village. The total sample size was 120. At the same time, Respondents were distributed in two categories: i. beneficiaries of Procurement policy and ii. None beneficiaries of procurement policy. Results show that the cost of production for V-2 and V-3 among Procurement center (PC Growers) and Open Market (OM Growers) growers was almost the same, whereas for variety 1 (V-1), OM growers cost was higher (Rs.56227) than PC growers (Rs.52712). In comparison, the yield for all varieties grown by PC and OM farmers was almost the same, where the PC growers Rs.1400 for wheat grain for all varieties, the OM grower received Rs.1318, Rs.1311, and Rs.1318 for Variety 1(V-1), Variety 2(V-2), and variety 3 (V-3) respectively. The benefit-cost ratio of PC growers for V-1, V-2 and V-3 were Rs.0.54, Rs.0.27 and Rs.0.20, respectively, and the benefit-cost ratio of OM growers for V-1, V-2 and V-3 were Rs.0.40, Rs.0.20 and Rs.0.19, respectively. The procurement center may increase the number of centers, and the quantity of gunny bags should be increased. Before harvesting wheat crop procurements, the center should be announced for purchasing.

Wheat crop is the main source of food and is cultivated on the largest area of land, while Punjab and Sindh province are the major contributors. It donates 9.7 percent to agriculture and 1.7 percent to GDP. The objectives of the study are to analyze the impact of procurement policy on the farming community who have been beneficiaries of the policy, and it means observing whether the procurement policy is getting sufficient support to the farmers' community or not. Primary data were collected through a multistage random sampling technique; in the first stage district was selected; in the second stage, taluka was selected; while in the third stage, two union councils (UC) were randomly selected; and in the final stage six villages were randomly selected, and the sample size was 10 respondents from each village. The total sample size was 120. At the same time, Respondents were distributed in two categories: i. beneficiaries of Procurement policy and ii. None beneficiaries of procurement policy. Results show that the cost of production for V-2 and V-3 among Procurement center (PC Growers) and Open Market (OM Growers) growers was almost the same, whereas for variety 1 (V-1), OM growers cost was higher (Rs.56227) than PC growers (Rs.52712). In comparison, the yield for all varieties grown by PC and OM farmers was almost the same, where the PC growers Rs.1400 for wheat grain for all varieties, the OM grower received Rs.1318, Rs.1311, and Rs.1318 for Variety 1(V-1), Variety 2(V-2), and variety 3 (V-3) respectively. The benefit-cost ratio of PC growers for V-1, V-2 and V-3 were Rs.0.54, Rs.0.27 and Rs.0.20, respectively, and the benefit-cost ratio of OM growers for V-1, V-2 and V-3 were Rs.0.40, Rs.0.20 and Rs.0.19, respectively. The procurement center may increase the number of centers, and the quantity of gunny bags should be increased. Before harvesting wheat crop procurements, the center should be announced for purchasing.

Sulfuryl fluoride (SF) is an inorganic fumigant, currently being used widely to disinfest various postharvest commodities and processed products. Though SF has been used in treating stored commodities for more than two decades, so far, no information is available in relation to monitoring the changes in susceptibility levels to SF in stored product insects. In this study, we characterized dose mortality responses to SF in multiple field insect populations and phosphine-resistant reference strains of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, towards establishing a discriminating dose for detection of resistance. Adult beetles, after two weeks of eclosion, were exposed to a series of SF concentrations (0.05–2.5 mg L−1) over 48 h (2.4–120 g hm−3). Mortality response in each population/strain was evaluated after 7 days and subjected to probit analysis. A two-step approach was adopted, both based on the key toxicity parameters, LC values, response ratio, and confidence intervals. Firstly, LC95 of the most susceptible population, 0.84 mg L−1 over 48 h (40 g hm−3) was identified as the baseline dose and proposed to monitor changes in susceptibility levels to SF in freshly collected field populations of T. castaneum. Then the discriminating dose was derived, 1.7 mg L−1 over 48 h by multiplying LC95 of the most susceptible population by a factor of 2, which could potentially be used to identify genetically resistant individuals to SF. Dose mortality responses of T. castaneum populations/strains from Australia revealed low-level (1.8-fold) region-wide variations in basal tolerance to SF, emphasizing the importance of adopting a two-dose approach to monitor resistance to SF. Overall, our results hold enormous potential for researchers and stakeholders in Australia and across the globe towards its use in the early detection of resistance to SF in T. castaneum and its management.

Soil-borne fungal plant pathogens lead to worldwide economic yield losses. However, despite the agricultural importance of the North China Plain (NCP), little is known about the occurrence and severity of soil-borne fungal pathogens that could potentially affect the yields of three main crops in this area: wheat, maize and soybean. By combining searches in public databases, we identified a set of main soil-borne fungal pathogen species potentially affecting crop production in the NCP. We investigated their distribution patterns at three scales: globally, in China and in the NCP, and evaluated how these patterns were determined by a range of variables related to climate, spatial drivers and crop area density of the three crop species. We found 25 main soil-borne fungal pathogens that could potentially affect the yields of wheat, maize and soybean in the NCP. Twenty of these fungal pathogens were prevalent across the globe, and 13 were very frequent in the NCP. Significant positive relationships between pathogen prevalence and crop area density were only found for two specialist pathogens. Our work provides an overview of the main soil-borne fungal pathogens in one of China’s most intensively cultivated regions, shedding light on potential, previously overlooked, fungal threats for agricultural production in the area. This baseline information may contribute to the development of sustainable management strategies aimed at mitigating disease outbreaks caused by soil-borne pathogens in the future.

Sulfuryl fluoride (SF) is an inorganic fumigant, currently being used widely to disinfest various postharvest commodities and processed products. Though SF has been used in treating stored commodities for more than two decades, so far, no information is available in relation to monitoring the changes in susceptibility levels to SF in stored product insects. In this study, we characterized dose mortality responses to SF in multiple field insect populations and phosphine-resistant reference strains of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, towards establishing a discriminating dose for detection of resistance. Adult beetles, after two weeks of eclosion, were exposed to a series of SF concentrations (0.05–2.5 mg L−1) over 48 h (2.4–120 g hm−3). Mortality response in each population/strain was evaluated after 7 days and subjected to probit analysis. A two-step approach was adopted, both based on the key toxicity parameters, LC values, response ratio, and confidence intervals. Firstly, LC95 of the most susceptible population, 0.84 mg L−1 over 48 h (40 g hm−3) was identified as the baseline dose and proposed to monitor changes in susceptibility levels to SF in freshly collected field populations of T. castaneum. Then the discriminating dose was derived, 1.7 mg L−1 over 48 h by multiplying LC95 of the most susceptible population by a factor of 2, which could potentially be used to identify genetically resistant individuals to SF. Dose mortality responses of T. castaneum populations/strains from Australia revealed low-level (1.8-fold) region-wide variations in basal tolerance to SF, emphasizing the importance of adopting a two-dose approach to monitor resistance to SF. Overall, our results hold enormous potential for researchers and stakeholders in Australia and across the globe towards its use in the early detection of resistance to SF in T. castaneum and its management.

Wheat is highly sensitive to heat shocks and their timing. Hence, field-based ranking for heat tolerance may be confounded by phenological variations at the time of heat events. A photoperiod-extension method (PEM) was developed, allowing screening of wheat genotypes at matched developmental stages despite phenological variations. Paired trials were conducted to compare PEM and conventional field screening. In the PEM, artificial lighting was installed at one end of each row, inducing a gradient of flowering times. Individual stems or plot quadrats of each genotype were tagged at flowering. Late-sown plants experienced significantly more heat and greater grain yield reductions than early sown plants. Strong correlations between trials experiencing a similar degree of heat were found both for individual grain weight (IGW) and total grain weight with the PEM, either with individual stem tagging or quadrat tagging. By contrast, correlations for IGW and yield in these environments were either poor or negative for conventional trials. With the PEM, strong genetic correlations were found between irrigated environments of similar heat stress, with respective r correlations ranged from 0.46 to 0.8 for IGW; and 0.54–0.75 for total grain weight. By contrast these correlations were substantially weaker for conventional yield plots (average r values ranged from 0.11 to 0.53 for IGW; and 0.05–0.36 for grain yield. The quadrat sampling appeared overall more suitable for high-throughput phenotyping. The method promises to improve the efficiency of heat tolerance field screening, particularly when comparing genotypes of different maturity types.

The relative time to maturity of grain crops is an important consideration for producers, yet there are no universally accepted classification schemes for cultivar phenology to guide decisions on variety selection and time of sowing. A first edition of an industry guide for wheat variety maturity was recently developed for use across Australia, representing a significant step forward for the grains industry. The aim of this paper was to revise and extend this industry guide to make it more robust, agronomically functional and meaningful to industry. The Australian Cereal Phenology Classification (ACPC) presented herein was developed using an unprecedented phenological data set with a diverse array of genotypes, environments and management. Field experiments were carried out with 70 wheat and 30 barley cultivars at 15 sites across Australia between 2017 and 2020. Thermal time to anthesis data were used to rank cultivars according to their relative phenology and divide them into classes, and then boundary cultivars of both species were selected to separate these classes. The resulting classification scheme divides wheat and barley into phenology classes ranging from ‘quick’ to ‘mid’ to ‘slow’. New cultivars to market can be assigned a phenology classification based on their thermal time to anthesis relative to the boundary cultivars. The ACPC will help growers, agronomists, breeders and researchers make informed decisions regarding cultivar comparison and selection while reducing misclassification and confusion across regions. The same methodology used to derive and validate the ACPC can be applied internationally to standardise descriptions of crop phenology.

Effector proteins are secreted by plant pathogens to enable host colonization. Typically, effector genes are tightly regulated, have very low expression levels in axenic conditions, and are strongly induced during host colonization. Chromatin remodeling contributes to the activation of effector genes in planta by still poorly known mechanisms. In this work, we investigated the role of histone acetylation in effector gene derepression in plant pathogens. We used Zymoseptoria tritici, a major pathogen of wheat, as a model to determine the role of lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) in plant infection. We showed that effector gene activation is associated with chromatin remodeling, featuring increased acetylation levels of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) and 14 (H3K14) in effector loci. We functionally characterized the role of Z. tritici KATs and demonstrated their distinct contributions to growth, development, and infection. Sas3 is required for host colonization and pycnidia production and is involved in the acetylation of H3K9 and H3K14 in effector loci and, consequently, in effector gene activation during plant infection. We propose that Sas3-mediated histone acetylation is required for the spatiotemporal activation of effector genes and the virulence of Z. tritici.

Development of salinity tolerant genotypes is important for sustaining wheat productivity in suppressive soils. The generation mean analysis of three bread wheat crosses viz., Lok 1 x Raj 3880, Job 666 x Kharchia 65 and Raj 1972 x Kharchia 65 under normal and saline-sodic environment revealed presence of both additive and non-additive gene effects in the inheritance of grain yield per plant and other contributing characters under both the environments. Among the digenic interactions, all three types of epistatic effects were involved in the inheritance of characters studied. Only duplicate gene interaction was present, wherever available. Hence, intermating in early generations and intense selection in later generations could be successfully adopted for breeding wheat varieties having appreciable salinity tolerance level.

Nitrogen nutrition refers to the uptake, assimilation, and utilization of ammonium, nitrate, and organic nitrogen sources. Ammonium is energetically a more cost-effective nitrogen source than nitrate but can be toxic for plants, and its use by plants is regulated at different levels. Ammonium transporters (AMTs) take up ammonium and are localized primarily in plant roots, working as trimers in the plasma membrane. Under high external ammonium concentrations, phosphorylation in AMTs C-termini shuts down transport to avoid toxicity. This phosphorylation is performed by CIPK23, a kinase shown to be inhibited by Clade A PP2Cs. This study aimed to characterize AMTs from wheat and analyze their transcriptional response to ammonium. Another aim was to determine the role of clade A PP2Cs and PYR/PYL receptor proteins for abscisic acid in ammonium nutrition. Chapter I describes the physiological responses of winter wheat to different nitrogen sources and ammonium concentrations. The plants mainly used root morphological responses to adapt to differences in the nitrogen source. High external concentrations of ammonium reduced plant growth, while these conditions induced the expression of TaAMT1;1 and TaAMT1;2. In Chapter II, we studied the capacity of TaAMT2s to transport ammonium and their transcriptional responsiveness to ammonium nutrition. From the six TaAMT2s, only TaAMT2;1 could transport ammonium in a yeast complementation line. Besides, its expression in roots is lower under ammonium than under nitrate. The expression pattern among the remaining TaAMT2s (TaAMT2;2-TaAMT2;6) is similar, with higher expression under ammonium, in both roots and leaves, compared to nitrate. Chapter III focused on the role of the PP2C phosphatase ABI1 (ABA-insensitive 1) in ammonium nutrition and the effect of external ammonium concentrations on ABA concentrations. Ammonium increased ABA concentrations in roots by activating ABA-GE, meaning ammonium toxicity could be sensed as abiotic stres, Stickstoffernährung beinhaltet die Aufnahme, Assimilation und Verwertung von Ammonium, Nitrat und organischen Stickstoffquellen. Ammonium ist energetisch gesehen eine kostengünstigere Stickstoffquelle als Nitrat, kann aber für Pflanzen giftig sein, weshalb seine Verwendung durch Pflanzen auf verschiedenen Ebenen reguliert wird. Ammoniumtransporter (AMTs) nehmen Ammonium auf und sind hauptsächlich in den Wurzeln der Pflanzen lokalisiert, wo sie als Trimere in der Plasmamembran arbeiten. Bei hohen externen Ammoniumkonzentrationen wird der Transport durch Phosphorylierung in den C-Termini der AMTs unterbrochen, um Toxizität zu vermeiden. Diese Phosphorylierung wird von der Kinase CIPK23 durchgeführt, die nachweislich durch PP2C A Phosphatasen gehemmt werden kann. Ziel dieser Arbeiten war die Charakterisierung von AMTs aus Weizen und die Analyse ihrer transkriptionellen Reaktion auf Ammonium. Ein weiteres Ziel war die Bestimmung der Rolle von PP2C A Phosphatasen und PYR/PYL, Rezeptoren für Abscisinsäure, bei der Ammoniumernährung. In Kapitel I wurden die physiologischen Reaktionen von Winterweizen auf verschiedene Stickstoffquellen und Ammoniumkonzentrationen beschrieben. Dabei reagierten die Weizenkeimlinge hauptsächlich durch morphologische Veränderungen im Wurzelwachstum. Obwohl hohe externe Ammoniumkonzentrationen das Wachstum verringerten wurde die Transkription der hoch affinen Ammoniumtransporter TaAMT1;1 und TaAMT1;2 durch Ammonium induziert. In Kapitel II untersuchten wir die Fähigkeit von TaAMT2s, Ammonium zu transportieren, und ihre transkriptionelle Reaktion auf Ammoniumernährung. Von den sechs TaAMT2s konnte nur TaAMT2;1 in einer Hefemutante Ammonium transportieren. Außerdem ist seine Expression in Wurzeln unter Ammonium geringer als unter Nitrat. Das Expressionsmuster der übrigen TaAMT2s (TaAMT2;2-TaAMT2;6) ist ähnlich, mit einer höheren Expression unter Ammonium, sowohl in Wurzeln als auch in Blättern, im Vergleich zu Nitrat. Kapitel III befasste sich mit

Nitrogen nutrition refers to the uptake, assimilation, and utilization of ammonium, nitrate, and organic nitrogen sources. Ammonium is energetically a more cost-effective nitrogen source than nitrate but can be toxic for plants, and its use by plants is regulated at different levels. Ammonium transporters (AMTs) take up ammonium and are localized primarily in plant roots, working as trimers in the plasma membrane. Under high external ammonium concentrations, phosphorylation in AMTs C-termini shuts down transport to avoid toxicity. This phosphorylation is performed by CIPK23, a kinase shown to be inhibited by Clade A PP2Cs. This study aimed to characterize AMTs from wheat and analyze their transcriptional response to ammonium. Another aim was to determine the role of clade A PP2Cs and PYR/PYL receptor proteins for abscisic acid in ammonium nutrition. Chapter I describes the physiological responses of winter wheat to different nitrogen sources and ammonium concentrations. The plants mainly used root morphological responses to adapt to differences in the nitrogen source. High external concentrations of ammonium reduced plant growth, while these conditions induced the expression of TaAMT1;1 and TaAMT1;2. In Chapter II, we studied the capacity of TaAMT2s to transport ammonium and their transcriptional responsiveness to ammonium nutrition. From the six TaAMT2s, only TaAMT2;1 could transport ammonium in a yeast complementation line. Besides, its expression in roots is lower under ammonium than under nitrate. The expression pattern among the remaining TaAMT2s (TaAMT2;2-TaAMT2;6) is similar, with higher expression under ammonium, in both roots and leaves, compared to nitrate. Chapter III focused on the role of the PP2C phosphatase ABI1 (ABA-insensitive 1) in ammonium nutrition and the effect of external ammonium concentrations on ABA concentrations. Ammonium increased ABA concentrations in roots by activating ABA-GE, meaning ammonium toxicity could be sensed as abiotic stres, Stickstoffernährung beinhaltet die Aufnahme, Assimilation und Verwertung von Ammonium, Nitrat und organischen Stickstoffquellen. Ammonium ist energetisch gesehen eine kostengünstigere Stickstoffquelle als Nitrat, kann aber für Pflanzen giftig sein, weshalb seine Verwendung durch Pflanzen auf verschiedenen Ebenen reguliert wird. Ammoniumtransporter (AMTs) nehmen Ammonium auf und sind hauptsächlich in den Wurzeln der Pflanzen lokalisiert, wo sie als Trimere in der Plasmamembran arbeiten. Bei hohen externen Ammoniumkonzentrationen wird der Transport durch Phosphorylierung in den C-Termini der AMTs unterbrochen, um Toxizität zu vermeiden. Diese Phosphorylierung wird von der Kinase CIPK23 durchgeführt, die nachweislich durch PP2C A Phosphatasen gehemmt werden kann. Ziel dieser Arbeiten war die Charakterisierung von AMTs aus Weizen und die Analyse ihrer transkriptionellen Reaktion auf Ammonium. Ein weiteres Ziel war die Bestimmung der Rolle von PP2C A Phosphatasen und PYR/PYL, Rezeptoren für Abscisinsäure, bei der Ammoniumernährung. In Kapitel I wurden die physiologischen Reaktionen von Winterweizen auf verschiedene Stickstoffquellen und Ammoniumkonzentrationen beschrieben. Dabei reagierten die Weizenkeimlinge hauptsächlich durch morphologische Veränderungen im Wurzelwachstum. Obwohl hohe externe Ammoniumkonzentrationen das Wachstum verringerten wurde die Transkription der hoch affinen Ammoniumtransporter TaAMT1;1 und TaAMT1;2 durch Ammonium induziert. In Kapitel II untersuchten wir die Fähigkeit von TaAMT2s, Ammonium zu transportieren, und ihre transkriptionelle Reaktion auf Ammoniumernährung. Von den sechs TaAMT2s konnte nur TaAMT2;1 in einer Hefemutante Ammonium transportieren. Außerdem ist seine Expression in Wurzeln unter Ammonium geringer als unter Nitrat. Das Expressionsmuster der übrigen TaAMT2s (TaAMT2;2-TaAMT2;6) ist ähnlich, mit einer höheren Expression unter Ammonium, sowohl in Wurzeln als auch in Blättern, im Vergleich zu Nitrat. Kapitel III befasste sich mit

Growing understanding of the relationship between nutrition and human health has led to an increase in the consumption of alternative crops, new cereal varieties and foods with higher nutritional values. In this study we compared nutritional contents and functional-technological properties of spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and bread wheat (T. aestivum L.) whole-meal flours, obtained from the genotypes grown at the same field trial, and their correlation with 1000 kernels weight (TKW). The average values of TKW for spelt and wheat did not significantly differ, while protein and wet gluten content were significantly higher in spelt (18.8% and 53.9% DM) than in wheat flours (12% and 27.3% DM). Although wheat flours were significantly richer in starch (66.4% compared to 62.5% DM), both spelt and wheat had similar amylose and amylopectin content. The analysis of dietary fibers showed that wheat flours had significantly higher hemicellulose and neutral detergent fiber content, as well as total sugar and sucrose. Water holding capacity were significantly higher in wheat flours. Pasting properties of flours did not differ significantly, except for peak viscosity (Vpeak) which was higher for spelt flours. The TKW of spelt genotypes was in the strongest positive correlation with amylopectin and reducing sugar, while in contrary, TKW of wheat was in the strongest positive correlation with amylose. The TKW had positive influence on dietary fibers of wheat and spelt flours (except acid detergent fiber and cellulose). Correlation between TKW and protein, starch and wet gluten was similar for both subspecies. In both subspecies reducing and total sugars content had negative impact on viscosity parameters

Global spatial data on yields of wheat, sugarcane and maize at 0.25 and 0.5 degrees resolution for 2000-2014. Annual data on wheat, sugarcane and maize yield have been extracted from agricultural statistics, which are recorded annually at regional and national scale depending on the country. The yield data were spatially disaggregated to produce gridded maps (0.25 and 0.5 degrees spatial resolution) of yields per crop type. The earthstat dataset, which provides gridded data on crop distribution (i.e. a crop mask for 2000q), was used to obtain information on the spatial distribution of wheat, sugarcane and maize across the world. The spatial disaggregation process was repeated for every year between 2000 and 2014. The data were produced to constrain agro-ecosystem carbon cycling estimates used in large-scale atmospheric CO2 inversion studies and to be used as inputs in agro-ecosystem biogeochemistry models. The data are provided in netcdf4 (.nc) format.

There is an urgent need to increase cereal yields in the Ethiopian Highlands to ensure national food security. A major crop response-to-fertilizer program was set up in 2017–2019 as part of the CASCAPE project in the Ethiopian Highlands. It covered 33 experiments on maize, teff and wheat in five reference soil groups (Nitisols, Luvisols, Vertisols, Leptosols and Andosols). Five levels of multi-nutrient fertilizer (50–300 kg NPSZnB ha− 1 and 100 kg urea ha− 1) were applied. At the lower fertilizer level, average yields were 5500, 1500 and 3300 kg ha− 1 for maize, teff and wheat, respectively. At the highest rate, yields were 7900, 2100 and 5000 kg ha− 1. Maize and wheat yields were strongly correlated to the reference soil groups, but not to rainfall differences. Wheat yields were also positively correlated to soil organic carbon levels, underpinning the need to apply integrated soil fertility management. Comparing NPSZnB fertilizers with NPS and DAP fertilizers revealed a lack of statistically significant advantage for the fertilizers including Zn and B. As B was present in fine-granular form in the fertilizer bags, being prone to segregation, firm conclusions on the need for this micronutrient cannot be drawn. The use of ‘recommendation windows’ is suggested to group results into concrete packages at district levels and below, preferably combined with soil maps since soil types were correlated with maize and wheat yields. The windows could then be the starting point to develop ‘last mile’ fertilizer use policies, relevant to farmers and the way they manage their fields in the landscape.