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The genus Clavibacter (family Microbacteriaceae) includes gram‐positive actinobacterial species infecting diverse agricultural crops such as alfalfa, maize, pepper, potato, tomato and wheat. Clavibacter tessellarius, causing bacterial mosaic of wheat, was reported for the first time in 1976 in Nebraska (United States). Since then, the pathogen was thought to be restricted to North America (Canada and the United States). While bacterial strains suspected to be C. tessellarius have occasionally been isolated from wheat samples outside North America, occurrence of the pathogen in the Old World has not yet been confirmed by the plant protection authorities. In spring 2020 (January to May) dozens of wheat fields with young plants showing leaf chlorosis and mild mosaic symptoms were surveyed and sampled in southern Iran. Among 192 surveyed wheat fields, gram‐positive, orange‐pigmented actinobacterial strains were isolated from samples of 53 fields. Altogether, 61 bacterial strains were identified as C. tessellarius based on the phenotypic features, PCR‐based molecular tests and pathogenicity assays. Multilocus sequence analysis of five housekeeping genes (atpD, dnaK, gyrB, ppk and rpoB) using 10 representative strains from diverse geographic areas in southern Iran confirmed the phylogenetic status of the strains within C. tessellarius. Our data indicate that the bacterial mosaic pathogen occurs in four southern Iranian provinces including Bushehr, Fars, Kerman and Khuzestan. Thus, occurrence of C. tessellarius outside North America is confirmed. Potential risks associated with the emergence of the pathogen in the Old World, and the need for strict quarantine measures in the area, is further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase Europe's self-sufficiency for protein sources, boosting plant protein production is a prerequisite. Yield variability is one of the main problems regarding the cultivation of protein crops. In this light, cereal–legume intercropping can offer a solution, as well-balanced intercropping systems are less prone to yield variations. Therefore, in this study the effects of (i) species/genotype combination, (ii) intercropping sowing densities and (iii) fertilizer regime were evaluated under Belgian (Northwestern European) conditions over three years (i.e., the 2020–2021, 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 seasons). Regarding the species combinations, winter barley x winter pea, winter wheat x winter faba bean and winter triticale x winter faba bean, it was observed that the best-performing combination varied from year to year depending on the prevailing weather conditions. A reduced sowing density (i.e., 130 seeds/m2 for the cereal partner and 20 seeds/m2 in the case of faba bean or 40 seeds/m2 in the case of pea) was sufficient to achieve competitive yields under the prevailing conditions. Inoculation with commercial Rhizobium strains did not result in an increased yield. Fertilization with one or two nitrogen fractions significantly increased the total yield thanks to a yield increase in the cereal partner; however, as a consequence, the proportion of legumes in the mixture decreased. In conclusion, it can be stated that with the investigated cereal–legume combinations, a competitive yield and qualitative protein yield can be achieved with a reduced fertilizer input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate for the first time the degree of contamination of soil and crops with major and trace elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, F, Na, Mg, Si, P, Cl, Fe, Al) in agricultural lands situated in the Lower Danube Basin, Galati and Braila counties (SE Romania), impacted by the steel industry. Soil samples, as well as leaves and seeds of wheat, corn, and sunflower, were collected from two depths in 11 different sites. Along with elemental and mineralogical analyses, performed by HR-CS AAS, PIGE, SEM-EDX, and ATR-FTIR, the soil pH, texture, organic matter, electric conductivity, and CaCO3 content were investigated. The results showed that the levels of Cr (83.27–383.10 mg kg−1), Cu (17.11–68.15 mg kg−1), Ni (30.16–55.66 mg kg−1), and F (319–544 mg kg−1) in soil exceeded the Romanian regulations for sensitive use of the land. Igeo, EF, PI, and PERI pollution indices indicate that the soil is moderate to highly contaminated with Cr, Ni, and Cu, while the CSI and mERMQ indices suggested a relatively low risk for metal contamination. The elemental concentrations in plant tissues and bioaccumulation factors (BFs) provide valuable insights into the soil–plant relationship, health risks, and the selectivity of plant compartments for different elements. Thus, the results revealed that the wheat plants tended to exclude the bioaccumulation of particular elements in their tissues, while exhibiting a different bioaccumulation pattern for Zn and Cu. In the case of corn, most BFs were below one, indicating a limited phytoaccumulation capacity. However, exceptions were observed for Cd, Zn, and Cu with the sunflower BFs indicating higher bioconcentration of these elements in leaves and seeds compared to other elements. Chromium (Cr) contributes to non-carcinogenic dermal contact and ingestion hazards, children being more susceptible to the adverse effects of this contaminant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starter N fertilization at low rates may enhance pea (Pisum sativum L.) performance, but little information exists about the effect of N fertilization rate to previous crop (NRPC) on pea growth, yield, and quality in small grain–pea rotations. We examined the effect of N fertilization rates to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on succeeding pea growth, yield, and quality in barley–pea and spring wheat–pea rotations from 2006 to 2019 in the semiarid environment of US northern Great Plains. We measured pea plant density, straw and grain yields, harvest index, straw N concentration, grain protein concentration, grain test weight, straw and grain N uptake, and N harvest index. In the barley–pea rotation, pea grain yield increased with increased NRPC. Grain test weight was greater without than with NRPC in 2008 and 2009. In the spring wheat–pea rotation, straw yield was greater for 50 than 0 kg N ha−1 of NRPC in 2014, 2018, and 2019. Grain yield and N uptake were greater with than without NRPC in 2014, 2015, and 2019, but grain test weight varied with NRPC and year. Plant density, harvest index, straw N concentration, grain protein concentration, straw N uptake, and N harvest index varied with year in both barley–pea and spring wheat–pea rotations. Nitrogen fertilization to barley or spring wheat can enhance succeeding pea grain yield and N uptake during years with normal growing season precipitation in barley–pea and spring–wheat pea rotations in the semiarid region of the US northern Great Plains. Core Ideas: The effect of N fertilization to previous crop in the rotation on pea growth, yield, and quality was examined.Increased N fertilization rate to previous crop increased pea grain yield in the barley–pea rotation.Pea yield and N uptake were greater with than without N fertilization to previous crop in the spring wheat–barley rotation.Other pea parameters were varied by year in both barley–pea and spring wheat–pea rotations.Nitrogen fertilization to previous crop can enhance pea yield and N uptake in the small grains–pea rotations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Pentastiridius leporinus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) is the most important vector of syndrome 'basses richesses' (SBR), a new disease that leads to severe economic losses in sugar beet. In this study, different soil tillage methods (ploughing and cultivator) and crops (winter wheat, spring wheat, maize and bare soil) following SBR‐infested sugar beet were tested as potential management options in field trials. In the laboratory, the survival and development of first and third instar nymphs on wheat and maize was studied to further assess their suitability as host plants. RESULTS: In five out of seven field sites, reduced soil tillage had no effect on adult planthopper emergence compared to ploughing. In two sites, reduced tillage resulted in higher emergence rates. In nearly all field sites, up to 98.9% fewer emerging adults were detected in bare soil and maize, when compared to winter wheat. Under laboratory conditions, the lowest survival rate was found in first instar nymphs feeding on maize seedlings (4.2%), while 66.7% survived on wheat, over a period of 300 days. In contrast, 73.3% and 70% of third instar nymphs survived on wheat and maize over a period of 150 days. CONCLUSION: Soil tillage had little effect against Pentastiridius leporinus. Maize is a poor host for first instars but a suitable resource for third instar nymphs, the stage which encounters maize under field conditions. Hence, reductions in planthopper emergence in the field were likely caused by starvation due to the long host‐free period between sugar beet harvest and the sowing of maize. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfoxaflor is a systemic sulfoximine insecticide, used to control sucking pests in different agricultural crops including wheat. However, the information regarding its residual fate in wheat agroecosystem under tropical environment and the associated dietary risk are still obscure. Therefore, a supervised field experiment was conducted in wheat comprising the application of sulfoxaflor 12% (w/v) SC at 30 and 60 g a.i. ha−1 in two consecutive seasons. An optimised method for estimation of sulfoxaflor residues using modified QuEChERS technique was developed and validated. The extracting solvent ethyl acetate + cyclohexane (9 + 1 v/v) along with the clean-up combinations viz. 75 mg PSA+25 mg GCB+150 mg magnesium sulphate for wheat plant and straw and 75 mg PSA+75 mg C18 + 150 mg magnesium sulphate for grain produced satisfactory recovery, minimum matrix interference and optimum peak shape. The average recovery, repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility of sulfoxaflor in wheat substrates ranged between 90.66% and 103.55%, 2.67–5.17% and 3.05–8.15%, respectively, and the limit of quantification was estimated 0.01 mg kg−1. Sulfoxaflor was stable up to 60 days in wheat matrices under storage (−20°C). The dissipation of sulfoxaflor in wheat plants followed first-order kinetics and the overall shorter persistence in Season I and II ranged between 1.05–1.14 and 2.44–2.47 days (T1 – T2), respectively. The deviation in the persistence of the compound between two seasons due to variation in climatic parameters was observed to be statistically significant. The estimated pre-harvest interval of sulfoxaflor ranged between 4.95–5.34 (Season I) and 11.37–11.55 days (Season II). Besides, the terminal residues of sulfoxaflor were below quantification limit in the harvested wheat products, and the estimated long-term dietary risk of sulfoxaflor was observed to be negligible. Therefore, it was expected that the application of this insecticide in wheat cultivation should pose no residual toxicity and the harvested wheat products can be considered safe for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing lucerne (Medicago sativa) in dryland conditions poses challenges due to unpredictable rainy seasons and seedling vulnerability. A potential solution is adopting a nurse crop during the first year in the same field. This study aimed to assess the impact of wheat as a nurse crop and crop residue on lucerne establishment in South Africa's Mediterranean climate region. The experiment employed a split-plot design with two treatment factors across six blocks. Half of the area received wheat straw, while the rest had low residue content with almost bare soil. The nurse crop combinations included wheat alone, lucerne alone, and a wheat-lucerne mixture. Results revealed competition between wheat and lucerne when planted together. When plant populations, total biomass, wheat grain yield and grain quality were considered, wheat performed better in pure stands, as did lucerne when grown without wheat. Germination of lucerne was significantly impacted by high crop residue levels. Wheat achieved superior grain yield without crop residue, despite producing less biomass. Results indicated that it is advisable to avoid using a nurse cropping system for lucerne in this Mediterranean climate region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance of agricultural crops to herbicides is an important topic that concerns many researchers. One of the most popular groups of herbicides is the imidazolinone group. Resistant forms of crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), corn (Zea mays L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) have been developed to this group of herbicides. All crops resistant to this group of herbicides have the commercial name Clearfield®. In this review, the information concerning oilseed rape resistance to the imidazolinone group of herbicides is collected and summarized; it will be useful for breeders and researchers engaged in this direction. This review touches upon the topic of mechanisms of oilseed rape resistance to imidazolinones. Mutation variants known to date, which provide resistance to this group of herbicides, are described, and known molecular markers of them are presented. Approaches to the selection of oilseed rape for resistance to the imidazolinone group of herbicides are mentioned. Various methods of utilizing imidazolinone resistance to improve the purity of hybrid seeds are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) supplementation is currently gaining popularity in the field of salt tolerance in a variety of crop plants. Si in plants substantially diminishes the negative effects of salinity and can boost wheat's ability to withstand stress. However, the effect of Si on different wheat varieties and how they respond to Si under severe stress conditions are still unknown. In this investigation, we demonstrated the effect of Si on the growth attributes like germination percent, radicle length, seed vigor index, shoot–root length, plant biomass, biochemical parameters like sodium and potassium ions, and K+/Na+ ratio of two wheat varieties, i.e., KRL-210 (salt-tolerant) and WH-1105 (salt-sensitive) under different saline conditions (40, 80, and 120 mM), both with and without Si treatments. Higher levels of salinity reduced the growth performance of both wheat varieties. It was observed that the increase in sodium ion content during salinity decreased the overall growth of the plants. Potassium content was also found to decrease under increased concentrations of salt. Consequently, the K+/Na+ ratio of roots, shoots, and leaves was also dramatically decreased under salt stress. The WH-1105 variety was found to be badly affected during high salt stress, as KRL-210 is more salt-tolerant than WH-1105, while Si supplementation amended the growth attributes of both varieties under severe salt stress. Moreover, Si supplementation enhanced the potassium content and reduced the sodium uptake in plants under stress situations. The positive effect of Si was found more remarkable in the WH-1105 variety than in KRL-210, showing Si's species-dependent nature. The outcome of this research may aid in the development of alternative approaches for defending wheat plants from severe salinity, as well as providing a scientific base for the assessment of salt tolerance and the systematic agriculture of wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to being sessile, plants develop a broad range of defense pathways when they face abiotic or biotic stress factors. Although plants are subjected to more than one type of stress at a time in nature, the combined effects of either multiple stresses of one kind (abiotic or biotic) or more kinds (abiotic and biotic) have now been realized in agricultural lands due to increases in global warming and environmental pollution, along with population increases. Soil-borne pathogens, or pathogens infecting aerial parts, can have devastating effects on plants when combined with other stressors. Obtaining yields or crops from sensitive or moderately resistant plants could be impossible, and it could be very difficult from resistant plants. The mechanisms of combined stress in many plants have previously been studied and elucidated. Recent studies proposed new defense pathways and mechanisms through signaling cascades. In light of these mechanisms, it is now time to develop appropriate strategies for crop protection under multiple stress conditions. This may involve using disease-resistant or stress-tolerant plant varieties, implementing proper irrigation and drainage practices, and improving soil quality. However, generation of both stress-tolerant and disease-resistant crop plants is of crucial importance. The establishment of a database and understanding of the defense mechanisms under combined stress conditions would be meaningful for the development of resistant and tolerant plants. It is clear that leaf pathogens show great tolerance to salinity stress and result in pathogenicity in crop plants. We noticed that regulation of the stomata through biochemical applications and some effort with the upregulation of the minor gene expressions indirectly involved with the defense mechanisms could be a great way to increase the defense metabolites without interfering with quality parameters. In this review, we selected wheat as a model plant and Zymoseptoria tritici as a model leaf pathogen to evaluate the defense mechanisms under saline conditions through physiological, biochemical, and molecular pathways and suggested various ways to generate tolerant and resistant cereal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change affects the established crop production practices by altering rainfall, temperature, and solar radiation—leading to reduced resource use and economic efficiencies. Pertaining to this, we analysed the optimum fertiliser-Nitrogen (N) recommendation of rice and wheat crops for Kharagpur station, West Bengal, India under projected climate change conditions by using six mathematical models, namely, quadratic, square root, linear plateau, quadratic plateau, square root plateau, and the Mitscherlich model. Models were parameterised using field experiment observations at Kharagpur and tested for historical crop yield. The historical (1976–2005) and future (2006–2100) yield responses of rice and wheat to the different N doses are simulated by using a calibrated and validated process-based crop simulation model—Crop Environment and Resource Synthesis (CERES). Eight bias-corrected Global Climate Model (GCM) outputs for the four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0, and RCP8.5) were used to simulate the yield of both crops for the period of 1976 to 2100. Results revealed that the quadratic plateau model represents crop yield response to fertiliser-N application better than other mathematical models. The estimated optimum N dose (OND) increased from an average historical 121 kg N/ha to 138, 143, and 146 kg N/ha for rice, and from an average historical 98 kg N/ha to 119, 124, and 127 kg N/ha for wheat in three future times, respectively, 2006–2035, 2036–2065, and 2066–2095 under all RCPs scenarios. On the other hand, the yield of both crops is expected to decrease in the future due to an increase in N losses, leading to reduced N use efficiency. [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]

Wheat is a vital crop globally, essential for agriculture, economics, and food security. However, in arid and semi-arid conditions, wheat production faces significant challenges due to low water availability, uneven rainfall distribution, and high soil salinity. The germination and early seedling stages are particularly vulnerable to these stresses. Therefore, this study assessed 15 wheat genotypes for their tolerance to salinity stress during early growth stages, using a hydroponic system with four salt stress levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl). Significant differences were observed for genotype and salinity main effects and their interaction on all investigated traits, indicating considerable variability in the response to salt stress among the investigated wheat cultivars. High NaCl concentrations led to substantial reductions in measured parameters across genotypes, with some showing resilience while others exhibited heightened sensitivity. Stress tolerance indices, such as mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), harmonic mean (HM), stress tolerance index (STI) and yield index (YI), were identified as reliable indicators for selecting salt-tolerant wheat cultivars. Consequently, Sidi Okba (G11), Ziad (G12), Tamezghida (G13) and Zidane (G14) emerged as the most promising, displaying acceptable performance under both non-stress and salt-stress conditions. These genotypes could serve as valuable genetic resources for breeding programs aimed at enhancing wheat's salinity tolerance, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a major threat to wheat crop production and food security worldwide. The creation of resistant wheat cultivars is an essential component of an integrated strategy against Fusarium graminearum, the primary aetiological agent that causes FHB. The results of this study show that the deployment of proto-cooperative interactions between wheat genotypes and mycoparasitic biocontrol agents (BCAs) can improve crop yield and plant resistance in controlling the devastating effects of FHB on wheat agronomic traits. A Fusarium-specific mycoparasite, Sphaerodes mycoparasitica, was found to be compatible with common and durum wheat hosts, thus allowing the efficient control of F. graminearum infection in plants. Four genotypes of wheat, two common wheat, and two durum wheat cultivars with varying FHB resistance levels were used in this greenhouse study. The BCA treatments decreased FHB symptoms in all four cultivars and improved the agronomic traits such as spike number, spike weight, seed weight, plant biomass, and plant height which are vital to grain yield. Conversely, the F. graminearum 3ADON chemotype treatment decreased the agronomic trait values by up to 44% across cultivars. Spike number, spike weight, and seed weight were the most improved traits by the BCA. A more measurable improvement in agronomic traits was observed in durum wheat cultivars compared to common wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Flavin Monooxygenase (FMO) gene superfamily in plants is involved in various processes most widely documented for its involvement in auxin biosynthesis, specialized metabolite biosynthesis, and plant microbial defense signaling. The roles of FMOs in defense signaling and disease resistance have recently come into focus as they may present opportunities to increase immune responses in plants including leading to systemic acquired resistance, but are not well characterized.We present a comprehensive catalogue of FMOs found in genomes across vascular plants and explore, in depth, 170 wheat TaFMO genes for sequence architecture, cis-acting regulatory elements, and changes due to Transposable Element insertions. A molecular phylogeny separates TaFMOs into three clades (A, B, and C) for which we further report gene duplication patterns, and differential rates of homoeologue expansion and retention among TaFMO subclades.We discuss Clade B TaFMOs where gene expansion is similarly seen in other cereal genomes. Transcriptome data from various studies point towards involvement of subclade B2 TaFMOs in disease responses against both biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens, substantiated by promoter element analysis. We hypothesize that certain TaFMOs are responsive to both abiotic and biotic stresses, providing potential targets for enhancing disease resistance, plant yield and other important agronomic traits. Altogether, FMOs in wheat and other crop plants present an untapped resource to be exploited for improving the quality of crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia is one of the common abiotic stresses that negatively affects the development and productivity of agricultural crops. Quercetin is used to protect plants from oxidative stress when exposed to environmental stressors. O2 deficiency leads to impaired development and morphometric parameters in wheat varieties Orenburgskaya 22 (Triticum aestivum L.) and varieties Zolotaya (Triticum durum Desf.). Cytological analysis revealed various types of changes in the cytoplasm under conditions of hypoxia and treatment with quercetin. The most critical changes in the cytoplasm occur in the Zolotaya variety during pretreatment with quercetin followed by hypoxia, and in the Orenburgskaya 22 variety during hypoxia. Quercetin has a protective effect only on the Orenburgskaya 22 variety, and also promotes a more effective recovery after exposure to low O2 content. Hypoxia causes an increase in reactive oxygen species and activates the antioxidant system. It has been shown that the most active components of the antioxidant system in the Orenburgskaya 22 variety are MnSOD and Cu/ZnSOD, and in the Zolotaya variety GSH. We have shown that quercetin provides resistance only to the wheat genotype Orenburgskaya 22, as a protective agent against abiotic stress, which indicates the need for a comprehensive study of the effects of exogenous protectors before use in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Arsenic (As) is a noxious metalloid for plants, animals and humans. Elevated levels of As in soils may cause it to accumulate to above-permissible levels in wheat grains, posing a threat to human health. Moreover, vulnerable population groups in developing countries have inadequate dietary zinc (Zn) linked to cereal-based diets. Aims: The present study evaluated the effect of soil Zn application on accumulation of As and Zn in grains of two Zn-biofortified wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Akbar-2019 and Zincol-2016). Methods: Wheat plants were grown on an alkaline calcareous soil spiked with three levels of As (0, 5 and 25 mg kg−1). Before sowing, two rates of Zn (0 and 8 mg kg−1) were also applied to the soil. Key results: Arsenic spiking in soil decreased plant dry matter yield, chlorophyll pigments, and phosphorus (P) and Zn accumulation, and increased As accumulation in wheat. By contrast, soil Zn application enhanced crop yield and increased P and Zn accumulation, with a simultaneous decrease in As accumulation in both cultivars. Compared with the Zn control, soil Zn application decreased grain As concentration by 26%, 30% and 32% for plants grown in soil spiked with 0, 5 and 25 mg As kg−1, respectively. Conclusions: Applying Zn to As-spiked soil mitigates the harmful effects of As by increasing Zn and decreasing As concentrations in wheat, resulting in improved grain quality for human consumption. Implications: Zinc application to crop plants should be recommended for addressing the health implications associated with As-contaminated crops and human Zn deficiency. Wheat grown on soils contaminated by arsenic (As) may accumulate toxic levels of As in grains, allowing As to enter the human food chain. The study evaluated the effect of soil zinc (Zn) application on grain As and grain accumulation of Zn in two Zn-biofortified wheat cultivars grown on As-contaminated soil. Soil Zn application decreased grain As accumulation to below the permissible limit of 0.15 mg As kg−1 and simultaneously increased grain Zn accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intermittent ozone (O3) exposure of crops to alternating high and low concentrations is common in fields, but its impact on crop production has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, two widely planted and O3-sensitive crops, winter wheat and soybean, were intermittently exposed to elevated O3 concentrations in open-top chambers. The results showed that the winter wheat and soybean yields significantly decreased with O3 exposure (AOT40, cumulative hourly O3 concentration above 40 ppb) (p < 0.001). The relative yield losses were 0.99% per AOT40 for winter wheat and 1.2% per AOT40 for soybean, respectively. The responses of the crop biomasses to elevated O3 concentrations were lower than that of crop yield. Although the O3-induced crop yield and biomass losses under continuous O3 exposure were greater than those under intermittent O3 exposure, the differences were not statistically significant. Therefore, we can conclude that the effects of elevated O3 concentrations on crops are closely related to the exposure dose but not significantly related to the temporal distribution of elevated O3 concentrations. This study improves our understanding of how crop production responds to intermittent O3 exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern agriculture, more and more attention is being paid to the use of microorganisms that can increase crop productivity and quality even under adverse weather conditions. Due to the declining biodiversity of crops and the occurrence of soil erosion and nutrient losses, the introduction of cover crops (CC) can be a positive crop management technique. In the field study presented here, the effect of growing spring barley with CCs applied simultaneously with bacterial consortia on the ratio of the total number of bacteria to actinobacteria (B/A) and the number of fungi in the soil was evaluated. The biomass yield of CCs and the subsequent effect on the yield of spelt wheat grown with the application of bacterial consortia were also evaluated. The bacterial consortia applied included consortium 1, comprising Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Pseudomonas fluorescens, and consortium 2, comprising Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Azotobacter chroococcum. The CCs were red clover, red clover + Italian ryegrass, and Italian ryegrass. The most favorable B/A ratio and the highest number of fungi were obtained after growing spring barley with a CC consisting of a mixture of red clover and Italian ryegrass when using bacterial consortium 2. These conditions additionally had the most favorable influence on spelt wheat. The combination of such a forecrop with the application of bacterial consortium 2 resulted in the highest yields of spelt wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effects of thermal power plants on crop yield have not received adequate attention. Thus, this study aims to evaluate these effects systematically to fill the gap by utilizing county-level wheat yield data from North China spanning from 2005 to 2016. Our findings indicate that the presence of an additional upwind thermal power plant is associated with a 1.4% decline in wheat yield. Notably, these yield losses are more pronounced in regions characterized by lenient environmental regulations or a high density of large-scale thermal power plants. Reduced wheat yield due to thermal power plants results in a decline in social welfare. Furthermore, we confirm that air pollution emitted from thermal power plants is the primary driver behind the decline in wheat yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop models can provide insights into the impacts of climate and management on crop growth and yield, but most currently are limited by overly simplistic assumptions about phenological development and response to water stress. We assessed winter wheat growth and yield performance of three crop models with lineage to the EPIC crop submodel. SWAT adopted the EPIC approach with few modifications, WEPS added new biomass accumulation, partitioning, and canopy approaches linked to key phenological development stages, and UPGM added to WEPS a detailed phenology component simulating responses to water-deficit stress. The models were evaluated with default parameters and compared to experimental data for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) from two sites and a range of water-stress conditions for yield, aboveground biomass, biomass partitioning, canopy height, harvest index, and leaf area index. All models simulated yield very well (index of agreement [d] ≥ 0.93), but differences in model performance were increasingly evident for biomass (d = 0.91 [WEPS] to 0.86 [SWAT]), final canopy height (d = 0.68 [UPGM] to 0.44 [SWAT]), and harvest index (d = 0.61 [WEPS] to 0.43 [SWAT]). Errors in biomass simulation were most evident in the grain-filling period late in the growing season. Both WEPS and UPGM exhibited improved simulation of biomass and other response variables by including more explicit simulation of phenological response to water stress. The consistent improvement in winter wheat growth and yield simulation achieved with detailed phenology simulation provides an incentive to develop and test detailed phenology simulation components for other crops: currently 11 crops are simulated in UPGM, although the phenological parameters are uncalibrated. Better modeling linkages of water-stressed phenological development with other physiological processes will be critical to inform crop production where water stress and irrigation limitation are concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensive agriculture that is used in many countries has led to a reduction in biodiversity and the deterioration of the environment. Therefore, it is important to increase the adoption of cropping systems with high biodiversity. The objectives of the present study were the following: 1. assess the performance and sustainability of novel highly diversified production systems compared to the current traditional system and 2. provide quantitative economic and ecosystem service information for farmers, extension workers, and policy makers in order to support the development of sustainable and resilient high species cultivar/landrace diversification (HSD) production systems. The rotation of wheat–pea–barley was a system with low energy inputs and high outputs, significantly increasing the energy efficiency. Also, the same system demonstrated better economic and environmental indices, making it a suitable cropping system for Mediterranean areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a sequence (1979–2022) of a long-term trial established in Lukavec in 1956 (Czech Republic) focusing on the effect of weather, various nitrogen (N) fertilization methods (control, PK, N1PK, N2PK, and N3PK) and preceding crops (cereals, legumes, and oil plants) on winter wheat grain yield is presented. The weather significantly changed at the site of the long-term trial. While the trend in the mean temperature significantly increased, precipitation did not change significantly over the long term. Four relationships between weather and grain yield were evaluated to be significant: (a) the mean temperature in February (r = −0.4) and the precipitation in (b) February (r = −0.4), (c) March (r = −0.4), and (d) May (r = 0.5). The yield trends for all the fertilizer treatments increased, including the unfertilized control. The N3PK treatment provided the highest mean grain yields, while the unfertilized control had the lowest yields. Comparing the preceding crops, the highest yields were harvested when the wheat followed the legumes. On the other hand, the cereals were evaluated as the least suitable preceding crop in terms of grain yield. According to the linear-plateau model, the optimal nitrogen (N) dose for modern wheat varieties, following legumes and under the trial's soil climate conditions, was 131 kg ha−1 N, corresponding to a mean grain yield of 8.2 t ha−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The development and morphology of crop plants have been profoundly altered by evolution under cultivation, initially through unconscious selection, without deliberate foresight, and later by directed breeding. Wild wheats remain an important potential source of variation for modern breeders; however, the sequence and timing of morphological changes during domestication are not fully resolved. Methods We grew and measured 142 wheat accessions representing different stages in wheat evolution, including three independent domestication events, and compared their morphological traits to define the morphospace of each group. Key Results The results show that wild and domesticated wheats have overlapping morphospaces, but each also occupies a distinct area of morphospace from one another. Polyploid formation in wheat increased leaf biomass and seed weight but had its largest effects on tiller loss. Domestication continued to increase the sizes of wheat leaves and seeds and made wheat grow taller, with more erect architecture. Associated changes to the biomass of domesticated wheats generated more grains and achieved higher yields. Landrace improvement subsequently decreased the numbers of tillers and spikes, to focus resource allocation to the main stem, accompanied by a thicker main stem and larger flag leaves. During the Green Revolution, wheat height was reduced to increase the harvest index and therefore yield. Modern wheats also have more erect leaves and larger flower biomass proportions than landraces. Conclusions Quantitative trait history in wheat differs by trait. Some trait values show progressive changes in the same direction (e.g. leaf size, grain weight), whereas others change in a punctuated way at particular stages (e.g. canopy architecture), and other trait values switch directions during wheat evolution (e.g. plant height, flower biomass proportion). Agronomically valued domestication traits arose during different stages of wheat history, such that modern wheats are the product of >10 000 years of morphological evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation on heterosis and inbreeding depression in wheat was carried out at the Crop Research Farm of CSAUA&T, Nawabganj, Kanpur, U.P., India, during the Rabi crop season 2019-20. A ten parental half-diallel cross comprising of 45 F1s and 45 F2s together with parents was grown in three replications. The outcome of better parent heterosis revealed that the cross combinations, namely, HD3086 x HD-2733, HD3086 x K0307, HD3086 x HD2967, HD3086 x K1601, and HD2967 x K0402 exhibited positive and high heterosis for grain yield. In the case of economic heterosis over the check (HD2967), the cross combination viz. HD3086 x K0307, HD3086 x HD2967, HD-967 x K0402, HD2967 x K1601, and HD2967 x K1314 exhibited significant and positive heterosis for grain yield. Inbreeding depression for grain yield ranged from 1.51 (DH 29767 x K 8962) to 8.95 (DBW 88 x K 8962) percent. For grain yield, out of the 45 crosses, all combinations exhibited significant and positive inbreeding depression in F2. The cross combinations may be used to increase grain yield and to produce better transgressive segregants for future breeding programs to maintain the specific gene pool of bread wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain or seed number is the dominant component determining yield in major grain crops. Major grain crops differ in the timing of the critical period for grain or seed number determination. Differences between grain crops are related to the flowering phase duration and the proportion of the whole cycle allocated to pre-flowering development. Considering the critical period relative to the onset of grain or seed filling reconciles differences among major field crops. Our findings strengthen the evolutionary basis of the universal plasticity of the number of grains or seeds. Studies across different crops demonstrated that grain or seed number per unit area (GN m–2) is the dominant yield component. Although grains or seeds derive from floret or flower production and survival, the timing of the critical period for GN m–2 determination is known to vary noticeably, from mainly pre-flowering to strongly post-flowering, across major grain crops. Here, we demonstrate that discrepancy between crops in the timing of their critical period is related to the flowering phase duration and the proportion of the whole cycle allocated to pre-flowering development. Changing the perspective, positioning the critical period at the end of the phase when grain abortion occurs instead of flowering, results in the critical period virtually coinciding among contrasting grain crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity adversely affects plant growth and productivity worldwide. To overcome salinity and other abiotic stresses, safe, ecofriendly biofertilizers that stimulate productivity have been experiencing rising demand, alongside decreasing use of mineral fertilizers. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the growth, yield, physiological and biochemical parameters of wheat crop as a response to two potassium-solubilizing microorganisms (KSMs), Trichoderma asperellum and Bacillus circulans, with 50% or 75% of the recommended amount of K fertilizer (potassium sulphate), combined with no or 25% feldspar as well as 1.5% potassium sulphate (K-leaf) as foliar application, and all treatments were compared with a control treatment under salt-affected soil conditions, during two winter seasons in 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. The randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used to set up the experiment. Results showed that the vegetative growth, yield, physiological and biochemical parameters were affected under salt-affected soil conditions. Nevertheless, inoculation with T. asperellum and B. circulans with potassium application mitigated the deleterious effect of salt-affected soil conditions by improving growth parameters, photosynthetic pigment content, antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and peroxidase) content, total soluble sugars, relative water content, potassium content in leaves, grains yield, and some biochemical constituents in the grains and straw. Meanwhile, these treatments decreased proline content, Na+ content in leaves, and the Na+/K+ ratio as compared to the control treatment. The most pronounced treatment, inoculation by B. circulans with 1.5% K-leaf as foliar application, significantly increased grain yield by 16.41% relative to the control treatment. It could be concluded that inoculating wheat with KSMs T. asperellum and B. circulans with 1.5% K-leaf as foliar application will increase wheat salinity tolerance and wheat productivity and decrease the detrimental effect of salinity on wheat growth and grain yield quantity and quality under salt-affected soils conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) cause widespread damage to global cereal crops. Here we report a novel strategy for elevating resistance to BYDV infection. The 17K protein, a potent virulence factor conserved in BYDVs, interacted with barley IMP‐α1 and ‐α2 proteins that are nuclear transport receptors. Consistently, a nuclear localization signal was predicted in 17K, which was found essential for 17K to be transported into the nucleus and to interact with IMP‐α1 and ‐α2. Reducing HvIMP‐α1 and ‐α2 expression by gene silencing attenuated BYDV‐elicited dwarfism, accompanied by a lowered nuclear accumulation of 17K. Among the eight common wheat CRISPR mutants with two to four TaIMP‐α1 and ‐α2 genes mutated, the triple mutant α1aaBBDD/α2AAbbdd and the tetra‐mutant α1aabbdd/α2AAbbDD displayed strong BYDV resistance without negative effects on plant growth under field conditions. The BYDV resistance exhibited by α1aaBBDD/α2AAbbdd and α1aabbdd/α2AAbbDD was correlated with decreased nuclear accumulation of 17K and lowered viral proliferation in infected plants. Our work uncovers the function of host IMP‐α proteins in BYDV pathogenesis and generates the germplasm valuable for breeding BYDV‐resistant wheat. Appropriate reduction of IMP‐α gene expression may be broadly useful for enhancing antiviral resistance in agricultural crops and other economically important organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global gridded crop models (GGCMs) have been broadly applied to assess the impacts of climate and environmental change and adaptation on agricultural production. China is a major grain producing country, but thus far only a few studies have assessed the performance of GGCMs in China, and these studies mainly focused on the average and interannual variability of national and regional yields. Here, a systematic national- and provincial-scale evaluation of the simulations by 13 GGCMs [12 from the GGCM Intercomparison (GGCMI) project, phase 1, and CLM5-crop] of the yields of four crops (wheat, maize, rice, and soybean) in China during 1980–2009 was carried out through comparison with crop yield statistics collected from the National Bureau of Statistics of China. Results showed that GGCMI models generally underestimate the national yield of rice but overestimate it for the other three crops, while CLM5-crop can reproduce the national yields of wheat, maize, and rice well. Most GGCMs struggle to simulate the spatial patterns of crop yields. In terms of temporal variability, GGCMI models generally fail to capture the observed significant increases, but some can skillfully simulate the interannual variability. Conversely, CLM5-crop can represent the increases in wheat, maize, and rice, but works less well in simulating the interannual variability. At least one model can skillfully reproduce the temporal variability of yields in the top-10 producing provinces in China, albeit with a few exceptions. This study, for the first time, provides a complete picture of GGCM performance in China, which is important for GGCM development and understanding the reliability and uncertainty of national- and provincial-scale crop yield prediction in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to predict the yield of two strategic crops in Iran; wheat and rice, under climate scenarios that indicate probable changes in climate variables. It implemented by a stochastic model based on the Monte Carlo method. This model were estimated based on historical data from 1988 to 2019 for precipitation and temperature provided possible changes in the pattern of and their probability of occurrence. The results show that rain-fed wheat, irrigated wheat and rice yields decrease by 42%, 29% and 21% respectively in the average scenario. Therefore, policy makers should try to make the right decisions to increase the production of the country's strategic crops. R&D management to introduce drought-tolerant varieties, use of modern irrigation systems and use of low-volume irrigation methods are some of the proposed solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study to quantify the variations in microclimate under wheat, mustard and chickpea crops was conducted at ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, Meerut (U.P.), India. Air temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentration below and above the canopies of wheat, mustard and chickpea were recorded at hourly interval from 07:30 to 17:30 hours at different heights (0.5 m, 1.0 m and 2.0 m) from the ground. CO2 probes like GMP-343, (Diffusion aspiration) was used to record data of CO2 concentration and HPM-75 probes was used to capture the observation of air temperature and relative humidity. Results revealed that diurnal air temperature was continuously increasing from morning to afternoon hrs and highest air temperature was recorded at 13:30 hrs (afternoon). Thereafter, air temperature decreased and reached to the lowest at 17:30 hrs irrespective of crops and height from the ground. Analysis of diurnal air temperature variations at different height clearly showed that tall statured crop such as wheat and mustard reached higher air temperature regime early (13.30 hrs) compared to short statured crop like chickpea at 15.30 hrs. Highest relative humidity was observed at 07.30 hrs and lowest relative humidity was recorded either at 13:30 hrs or at 15:30 hrs. As per study maximum CO2 concentration was found at 07:30 hrs morning and minimum at 15:30 hrs. The lowest concentration of CO2 (624 ppm) was recorded from the chickpea field and highest from the mustard field (630 ppm) at the same point of observation during vegetative phase of crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess how soil use and the cultivation of Triticum aestivum spp. vulgare L. (Sw), Triticum aestivum spp. spelta L. (Ww), Zea mays L. (M), and Brassica napus L. (Wr) impacts soil microbiota. This study consisted of a pot experiment over 120 days, until Vicia faba spp. minor seeds and pods reached the developmental stage of growth. This study showed that T. aestivum spp. vulgare L. grown in the soil sown with faba beans had a beneficial effect on the development of organotrophic bacteria, actinobacteria, and fungi. Regardless of the previous crop and soil cultivation method, r-strategists were found among the organotrophic bacteria and fungi, whereas K-strategists were found among the actinobacteria. All soils sown with faba beans were primarily colonized by bacteria belonging to the phylum Actinobacteriota (represented by the genus Cellulosimicrobium) and fungi belonging to the phylum Ascomycota. In the soil sown with field faba beans from the cultivation of Sw and Wr, the soil was dominated by Mortierella genus fungi; that of Ww was dominated by Cladosporium, and that of M was dominated by Alternaria. The results of this study provide new insights into the influence of previous crops and further cropping with faba bean on the quantitative and qualitative composition of the soil microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress by affecting many physiological aspects of crop plants can limit their productivity in the all-around world. In this study, a field experiment was carried out to investigate the changes in nutrient elements (P, K, Fe and Ca) concentrations, membrane electrolyte leakage, antioxidative enzymes, lipid peroxidation and the intensity of polypeptides of twelve wheat landraces leaves in response to the drought stress conditions. The results showed that PPO, SOD, proline, membrane electrolyte leakage as well as lipid peroxidation were obviously increased under drought stress conditions, while it reduced protein content, P, Fe, Ca and K + concentrations. Moreover, under drought stress conditions, the lowest minerals uptake, cell membrane stability, antioxidant enzymatic activity, and the abundance of some protein spots were observed in Gawdare, Awihang and Khoshab, while the highest was obtained in Tazeabad, Siosemarde, and Baharband, which was related to their ability in ameliorating the negative effects of drought stress by increasing ROS scavenging activities (PPO and SOD), polypeptides expression, proline, nutrient absorption as well as membrane integrity. On the other hand, selecting resistant landraces with higher cell membrane integrity, nutrient uptake and ROS scavenger activity seems to be a promising method that could be used to cope with drought stress on wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a strategic agricultural crop that plays a significant role in maintaining national food security and sustainable economic development. Increasing technical performance considering lowering costs, energy, and environmental consequences are significant aims for wheat cultivation. For drylands, which cover approximately 41% of the world's land surface, water stress has a considerable negative impact on crop output. The current study aimed to assess the environmental aspects of chemical fertilizer in combination with compost in dryland and irrigated winter wheat production systems through life cycle assessment (LCA). The cradle-to-farm gate was considered as the system boundary based on one tone of wheat yield and four strategies: D-C (dryland with compost), D (dryland without compost), I-C (irrigated with compost), and I (irrigated without compost). Based on the results, the highest and lowest amounts of wheat yield were related to the I-C and D strategies with 12.2 and 6.7 ton ha−1, respectively. The LCA result showed that the I strategy in comparison with other strategies had the highest negative impact on human health (49%), resources (59%), ecosystem quality (44%), and climate change (43%). However, the D-C strategy resulted in the lowest adverse effect of 6% on human health, 1% on resources, 10% on ecosystem quality, and 11% on climate change. Utilizing a combination of fertilizer and compost in dryland areas could ensure a higher yield of crops in addition to alleviating negative environmental indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed at evaluation of a given land resource suitable for selected rain fed crops production (malt barley, wheat and teff) in Ambesh watershed. It also quantified suitable land and classified into the land mapping units (LMUs), and presents a land suitability map. Land suitability assessment (LSA) made using climatic condition, topography, soil physical and chemical properties as a major factor integrated with a multi criteria decision making (MCDM) analysis in Ambesh watershed. Fourteen composite soil samples were taken by categorizing the watershed into different land mapping units (LMUs) and analyzed in a soil laboratory. Climatic data, rainfall was obtained from two meteorological stations nearby to the study area. Temperature data derived from Landsat 8 satellite thermal bands data. Data obtained from the soil laboratory and others were finally analyzed using ArcGIS environment and priority estimation tool (PriEsT) software's. Weighted Sum Overlay was implemented to investigate the final LSA map of the watershed. Results revealed that LMUs, VRe–LPq and LPK.Pq–FLc LMUs has higher overall suitability for all the selected rain fed crops. However, LMUs (VRe–NTu and NTu–VRe) has lower overall suitability values particularly for S1 suitability class (0.05% and 10.6%, respectively). The least suitable LMU is VRe–NTu with 0.05% S1 suitability class and above 99% of the land laid under the suitability classes of moderately suitable, marginally suitable and not suitable for the selected land utilization types. Moreover, about 219.06 ha (17.76%), 217.6 ha (17.64%), 168.9 ha (13.7%), of land are highly suitable for malt barley, teff and wheat crop production, respectively. In conclusion, during MCDM, classifying the land into closer homogeneities (LMU) an important application of LSA integrated with remote sensing and GIS for a better decision making. Meanwhile, majority (above two third's) of the land in the watershed is under moderate and marginally suitable, it needs intensive land management activities to increase the land qualities and obtain high yields. LSA recommended before land utilization decision has to be made. It is also important to classifying the land into LMUs to make it more homogeneous for sample taking and reducing the prestigious soil laboratory analysis costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is increasing in frequency and severity with the progression of global climate change, thereby becoming a major concern for the growth and yield of crop plants, including wheat. The current challenge is to explore different ways of developing wheat genotypes with increased tolerance to drought. Therefore, we renewed interest in 'ancient' varieties expected to be more tolerant to environmental stress than the few elite varieties nowadays cultivated. This study aimed to perform comparative analysis of the effect of drought-simulating polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) treatment on morpho-anatomical and physiological foliar traits of two durum wheat seedlings cultivars, Saragolla and Svevo, as these can reflect the adaptability of the plant to the environment to a certain extent. Results demonstrated that drought-stressed Saragolla leaves exhibited a greater reduction of stomatal density, a minor reduction of stomatal pore width, a wider xylem vessel mean area, greater compactness of mesophyll cells, a minor loss of chlorophyll content, as well as better photosynthetic and growth performance compared to the other variety. From such behaviours, we consider the Saragolla cultivar more drought tolerant than Svevo and therefore probably very promising for cultivation in dry areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance to study the plant morphological structure for improving crop yield and achieving efficient use of resources. Three dimensional (3D) information can more accurately describe the morphological and structural characteristics of crop plants. Automatic acquisition of 3D information is one of the key steps in plant morphological structure research. Taking wheat as the research object, we propose a point cloud data-driven 3D reconstruction method that achieves 3D structure reconstruction and plant morphology parameterization at the phytomer scale. Specifically, we use the MVS-Pheno platform to reconstruct the point cloud of wheat plants and segment organs through the deep learning algorithm. On this basis, we automatically reconstructed the 3D structure of leaves and tillers and extracted the morphological parameters of wheat. The results show that the semantic segmentation accuracy of organs is 95.2%, and the instance segmentation accuracy AP50 is 0.665. The R 2 values for extracted leaf length, leaf width, leaf attachment height, stem leaf angle, tiller length, and spike length were 0.97, 0.80, 1.00, 0.95, 0.99, and 0.95, respectively. This method can significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of 3D morphological analysis of wheat plants, providing strong technical support for research in fields such as agricultural production optimization and genetic breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Seed vigor is largely a product of sound seed development, maturation processes, genetics, and storage conditions. It is a crucial factor impacting plant growth and crop yield and is negatively affected by unfavorable environmental conditions, which can include drought and heat as well as cold wet conditions. The latter leads to slow germination and increased seedling susceptibility to pathogens. Prior research has shown that a class of plant growth regulators called substituted tertiary amines (STAs) can enhance seed germination, seedling growth, and crop productivity. However, inconsistent benefits have limited STA adoption on a commercial scale Methods: We developed a novel seed treatment protocol to evaluate the efficacy of 2-(N-methyl benzyl aminoethyl)-3-methyl butanoate (BMVE), which has shown promise as a crop seed treatment in field trials. Transcriptomic analysis of rice seedlings 24 h after BMVE treatment was done to identify the molecular basis for the improved seedling growth. The impact of BMVE on seed development was also evaluated by spraying rice panicles shortly after flower fertilization and subsequently monitoring the impact on seed traits. Results: BMVE treatment of seeds 24 h after imbibition consistently improved wheat and rice seedling shoot and root growth in lab conditions. Treated wheat seedlings grown to maturity in a greenhouse also resulted in higher biomass than controls, though only under drought conditions. Treated seedlings had increased levels of transcripts involved in reactive oxygen species scavenging and auxin and gibberellic acid signaling. Conversely, several genes associated with increased reactive oxygen species/ROS load, abiotic stress responses, and germination hindering processes were reduced. BMVE spray increased both fresh and mature seed weights relative to the control for plants exposed to 96 h of heat stress. BMVE treatment during seed development also benefited germination and seedling growth in the next generation, under both ambient and heat stress conditions. Discussion: The optimized experimental conditions we developed provide convincing evidence that BMVE does indeed have efficacy in plant growth enhancement. The results advance our understanding of how STAs work at the molecular level and provide insights for their practical application to improve crop growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Now a days automation and monitoring of crop irrigation is required for quality production of the crop. In this paper wheat, tomato and rice are considered for the study. A PLC based system is developed for monitoring and automation of these crops at various stages of growth. For the simulation of the system TwinCatTM software is used. For wheat crop temperature is monitored at germination, growth, and grain filling stages. Also, for wheat irrigation schedule is simulated. For tomato temperature is monitored at various growth stages. For rice crop temperature, soil moisture and humidity content are considered. The monitoring system helps the farmers to maintain the desired conditions for the respective crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges for global food security is to reliably and sustainably improve the grain yield of cereal crops. One solution is to modify the architecture of the grain-bearing inflorescence to optimize for grain number and size. Cereal inflorescences are complex structures, with determinacy, branching patterns, and spikelet/floret growth patterns that vary by species. Recent decades have witnessed rapid advancements in our understanding of the genetic regulation of inflorescence architecture in rice, maize, wheat, and barley. Here, we summarize current knowledge on key genetic factors underlying the different inflorescence morphologies of these crops and model plants (Arabidopsis and tomato), focusing particularly on the regulation of inflorescence meristem determinacy and spikelet meristem identity and determinacy. We also discuss strategies to identify and utilize these superior alleles to optimize inflorescence architecture and, ultimately, improve crop grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High concentrations of sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl−), calcium (Ca2+), and sulphate (SO42−) are frequently found in saline soils. Crop plants cannot successfully develop and produce because salt stress impairs the uptake of Ca2+, potassium (K+), and water into plant cells. Different intracellular and extracellular ionic concentrations change with salinity, including those of Ca2+, K+, and protons. These cations serve as stress signaling molecules in addition to being essential for ionic homeostasis and nutrition. Maintaining an appropriate K+:Na+ ratio is one crucial plant mechanism for salt tolerance, which is a complicated trait. Another important mechanism is the ability for fast extrusion of Na+ from the cytosol. Ca2+ is established as a ubiquitous secondary messenger, which transmits various stress signals into metabolic alterations that cause adaptive responses. When plants are under stress, the cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentration can rise to 10 times or more from its resting level of 50–100 nanomolar. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are linked to the Ca2+ alterations and are produced by stress. Depending on the type, frequency, and intensity of the stress, the cytosolic Ca2+ signals oscillate, are transient, or persist for a longer period and exhibit specific "signatures". Both the influx and efflux of Ca2+ affect the length and amplitude of the signal. According to several reports, under stress Ca2+ alterations can occur not only in the cytoplasm of the cell but also in the cell walls, nucleus, and other cell organelles and the Ca2+ waves propagate through the whole plant. Here, we will focus on how wheat and other important crops absorb Na+, K+, and Cl− when plants are under salt stress, as well as how Ca2+, K+, and pH cause intracellular signaling and homeostasis. Similar mechanisms in the model plant Arabidopsis will also be considered. Knowledge of these processes is important for understanding how plants react to salinity stress and for the development of tolerant crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yield and the course of crop vegetation are the result of the interaction between the level of cultivation technology and the course of meteorological conditions, which are a variable production factor. The aim of the study was to quantify the effect of meteorological conditions on the course of development stages and yield of winter wheat cultivated in two technological variants (A1 - medium-intensive and A2 - intensive). The paper uses data on yield and timing of winter wheat development stages from four Experimental Stations for Variety Testing (Pol. Centralny Ośrodek Badania Odmian Roślin Uprawnych - COBORU) experimental stations from 2007-2016 located within the Upper Vistula and Upper Oder River basins. To determine the dependence of the length of development stages of winter wheat on the values of selected meteorological elements, the linear regression metod, correlation coefficient. It was found that the lengths of the selected developmental stages are positively correlated with air temperature and negatively correlated with the sum and number of days with precipitation in these stages. A 1°C increase in air temperature resulted in a shortening of the shooting - heading and heading - full maturity periods by 2.5 and 2.8 days respectively. An increase of 100 mm of precipitation in the periods sowing - full maturity and heading - full maturity resulted in an increase of these periods by 5 and 10 days. Increasing the number of days with precipitation by 10 days in the sowing - full maturity and heading - vax maturity stages resulted in extending these stages by 4.1 to 4.4 and 7 to 7.5 days for the A1 and A2 cropping technologies, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the study was to systematize and summarize archival data on yields from main field crops from multiple fertilizer experiments of Nikola Poushkarov ISSAPP on various soil types in Bulgaria. A large set of results from the field fertilizer experiments carried out on four different soil types: Calcareous Chernozem (Trastenik village), Haplic Chernozem (Gorni Dabnik village), Haplic Luvisol (Nikolaevo village) and Planosol (Sekirovo village) in the geographical network of Bulgaria of the Nikola Poushkarov ISSAPP has been accumulated. Eight fertilization variants were tested with annual application of potassium (0, 8, 16 and 32 kg/da K2O) on two backgrounds of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization. Crop rotation during the individual years was as follows: wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), grown under non-irrigation conditions. Optimum rates of fertilization with the main nutrients, N, P and K have been established for the different soil types. There are complex interactions between the different rates of fertilization with the main macronutrients and this has a significant impact on the quantity and quality of agricultural crop yields. The difference in yields between the two investigated periods (1963-1970 and 1971-1975), at the same levels of fertilization, shows that the level of yields and accordingly, the use of nutrients are also determined to a significant extent by the climatic conditions. With an increase in the fertilizer rate, the yields also increase, and the rates of 16 kg and 32 kg K2O remain the most effective, regardless of the occurrence of potassium accumulation in these variants. This was also confirmed by the results of the analysis of variance of the yields of cultivated crops. There was a pronounced increase of the effect of potassium fertilization in soils less supplied with this element, i.e. the Haplic Luvisol (Nikolaevo village) and Planosol (Sekirovo village). The effect of the potassium fertilization increases and expands in well supplied with potassium soils, but possessing unfavorable conditions for nutrition with this element, as in the case with the Calcareous Chernozem (Trastenik village). There was also an effect of potassium fertilization, although inconsistent, in soils well supplied with potassium, such as Haplic Chernozem (Gorni Dabnik village). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The allelopathic potential of Sesamum indicum L. has been studied in relation to Triticum aestivum L. The seeds of wheat were soaked in aqueous extracts of plant parts of S. indicum at 3, 5, and 8% for 24 h. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of sesame on percent germination, root and shoot length, fresh and dry weight, activities of antioxidant enzymes, phytohormones, and nutrient uptake by wheat roots and shoots. A significant decrease was recorded in the percent germination of wheat seeds treated with sesame plant extracts (maximum by leaf extracts) and shoot length (maximum by 8% stem extracts) concomitant with the marked increase in the root length and weight (maximum increase with 8% leaf extract). The activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase was increased in wheat roots and shoots treated with different concentrations of S. indicum plant parts. The extracts of all parts of S. indicum increased the indole acetic acid (IAA) content in the wheat roots. Abscisic acid (ABA) content was higher in wheat shoots. The maximum increase in micronutrient uptake was observed at 8% leaf extract. It is inferred from the present study that all parts of S. indicum have allelopathic potential with leaves being more potent. S. indicum extract changes root to shoot ratio and modulate IAA and ABA ratio in root and shoot which can be implicated not only in the control of weed germination but also in combating drought stress in recipient plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers around the world time the planting of their crops to optimize growing season conditions and choose varieties that grow slowly enough to take advantage of the entire growing season while minimizing the risk of late-season kill. As climate changes, these strategies will be an important component of agricultural adaptation. Thus, it is critical that the global models used to project crop productivity under future conditions are able to realistically simulate growing season timing. This is especially important for climate- and hydrosphere-coupled crop models, where the intra-annual timing of crop growth and management affects regional weather and water availability. We have improved the crop module of the Community Land Model (CLM) to allow the use of externally specified crop planting dates and maturity requirements. In this way, CLM can use alternative algorithms for future crop calendars that are potentially more accurate and/or flexible than the built-in methods. Using observation-derived planting and maturity inputs reduces bias in the mean simulated global yield of sugarcane and cotton but increases bias for corn, spring wheat, and especially rice. These inputs also reduce simulated global irrigation demand by 15 %, much of which is associated with particular regions of corn and rice cultivation. Finally, we discuss how our results suggest areas for improvement in CLM and, potentially, similar crop models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osmotic stress is a significant concern in agricultural crop production as it can harm crop growth, development, and productivity. Agriculture crops are particularly vulnerable to osmotic stress due to their reliance on water availability for various physiological processes. Organic amendments like activated carbon biochar and growth hormone gibberellic acid (GA3) can play a vital role. However, the time needed is to modify the established amendment to achieve better results. That's why the current study used potassium-enriched biochar (KBC = 0.75%) with and without GA3 (15 mg/L) as amendments under no osmotic stress and osmotic stress in wheat. Results showed that GA3 + KBC caused significant enhancement in germination (9.44%), shoot length (29.30%), root length (21.85%), shoot fresh weight (13.56%), shoot dry weight (68.38), root fresh weight (32.68%) and root dry weight (28.79%) of wheat over control under osmotic stress (OS). A significant enhancement in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll, while the decline in electrolyte leakage of wheat, also validated the effectiveness of GA3 + KBC over control in OS. In conclusion, GA3 + KBC is the most effective among all applied treatments for improving wheat growth attributes under no osmotic and osmotic stress. Further research is needed at the field level, focusing on various cereal crops, to establish GA3 + KBC as the optimal treatment for effectively mitigating the impacts of osmotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to present new results of using Earth remote sensing data in the problem of managing agricultural technology in real time. The main reason for the low efficiency of modern precision farming technologies is the lack of an adequate theory of agricultural technology management. At the same time, when creating such a theory, one should take into account the fact that the object of management, which is agricultural technology, includes agrocenoses, in which, in addition to sowing a crop, weeds are also included. Failure to take this factor into account leads to a deterioration in management efficiency, a decrease in sowing productivity and an over expenditure of mineral fertilizers and herbicides. In the presented work, for the first time, a complete theory of managing the state of agrocenoses is presented. This theory makes it possible to obtain a given yield with the required reliability. Such management is formed on the basis of estimates of the parameters of the state of sowing crops and weeds, formed according to remote sensing data in real time. The presented theory is based on new mathematical models of parameters of the state of agricultural crops, the soil environment, and weeds, as well as models of the relationship of these parameters with remote sensing data. Mineral fertilizers, herbicides, and irrigation are control factors in agricultural technology. Naturally, the parameters of technological operations are the doses of applied mineral fertilizers and herbicides, as well as irrigation rates. These operations are carried out at the onset of certain phenological phases of sowing crops. Remote sensing data are entered precisely at such moments of time, and the parameters of the state of crops and weeds are estimated on their basis. The presented theory is based on classical control principles used in modern dynamic systems. According to the proposed theory, a specialized software package was developed, with the help of which the control system was tested on the example of spring wheat sowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in different villages of the district Saharanpur. The poplar tree (Populus deltoides) is used as the tree component and wheat crops are used as intercrops in an agrisilvicultural system. In this study, the different effects of poplar (Populus deltoides) on wheat crops were discussed. The parameters which are recorded were grain yield and biological yield. In the district Saharanpur, there are two patterns of tree growing with crops, block plantation and boundary plantation. It was observed that the yield with block plantation is less than boundary plantation. It was also recorded that 95% of farmers are doing boundary plantation in the district Saharanpur. In shaded areas, grain and straw yields were also drastically lowered by poplar border plantations. All villages saw a significant decline in grain yield due to the shading effect of poplar trees. It is observed that in the villages of district Saharanpur most of the farmers are practicing agroforestry with poplar (Populus deltoides). There are multiple effects of shading on agricultural crops. For this study, those farmers were surveyed who are growing poplar trees with different crops. Trees and crops both were analyzed for the survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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BACKGROUND: Although scholars have elaborated on the effects of aging, there is no consensus on the relationship between the aging and farmers' pesticide input. Regional differences in agricultural crops in China, namely 'Southern Rice and Northern Wheat', have not been considered in any of the existing studies. RESULTS: Based on the data of 443 wheat farmers and 324 rice farmers in China, this study found that aging significantly increased pesticide input. After sorting out the types of pesticides, it was found that the aging significantly increased the input of biological pesticides, but did not affect the input of chemical pesticides. After considering the planting pattern of 'Southern Rice and Northern Wheat', aging did not have a significant impact on the pesticide input of wheat farmers, but had a significant positive impact on the pesticide input of rice farmers. For wheat farmers in the north, social services have a significant inhibitory effect on the relationship between aging and pesticide input. For rice farmers, path dependence has a significant role in promoting the relationship between aging and pesticide input. CONCLUSION: The planting pattern of 'Southern Rice and Northern Wheat' will indeed affect the relationship between aging and pesticide input, and social services and path dependence are the main reasons for this heterogeneity effect. Therefore, improving agricultural socialization services and reducing farmers' dependence on traditional production experience will be an important way to effectively reduce the impact of aging. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]