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This paper attempts to provide insights into the current network configurations of the food-trade system and to study the short-term effects of one of the ongoing and lasting global crises, the Ukraine War, on the link intensity. Towards this end, this analysis (1) reveals the pattern of countries' network positions in two most traded subcategories of the cereal network: wheat and meslin, and maize or corn, and (2) discusses the characteristics of the global cereal networks over the 2021–2022 period. The results highlight several features of the trade networks: (1) the distribution of cereal trade is highly concentrated, with considerable dependency on a small number of exporters and a low import diversification, making the system rigid and prone to shocks; (2) a central role of several key developed countries that leave many developing countries outside the centre of the networks; (3) a high network heterogeneity which confirms the propensity to have hub nodes. Particular indicators show that the highest level of interconnectivity is specific to the cereals' export network, the densest networks are the maize or corn ones, and the greatest heterogeneity appears for the cereals export network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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]

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

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

The extrusion processing of food powder relies heavily on its moisture content to aid in flow and proper cooking, shaping, and/or puffing. This study focused on the impact of the moisture content on the dynamic flow and shear properties of coarse food powders (corn meal, wheat farina, and granulated sugar). The dynamic flow properties explored were the specific basic flowability energy (SBFE), specific energy, stability index, and flow rate index. The shear properties were the angle of internal friction, unconfined yield strength, major principal stress, wall friction angle, flow factor (FF), and compressibility. Corn meal exhibited an increase in SBFE as the moisture content increased (6.70 mJ/g at 13.13% to 9.14 mJ/g at 19.61%) but no change in FF (4.94 to 5.11); wheat farina also showed an increase in energy requirement as the moisture increased (5.81 mJ/g at 13.73% to 9.47 mJ/g 19.57%) but a marked decrease in FF ratings (18.47 to 6.1); granulated sugar showed a decrease in energy requirements as the moisture increased (51.73 mJ/g at 0.06% moisture content to 13.58 mJ/g at 0.78% moisture content) and a decrease in FF ratings (8.53 to 3.47). Overall, upon the addition of moisture, corn meal became cohesive yet free-flowing; wheat farina became less compressible and more cohesive; and granulated sugar became more cohesive and compressible and less free-flowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of soil health through a robust index system having a sufficient number of indicators is an important step toward sustainable crop production. The present study aimed at establishing a minimum data set (MDS) from soil functional and nutritional attributes using a dual index system to evaluate the soil health of farmlands under wheat (Triticum aestivum)–maize (Zea mays) crop rotation in Yanting County, Sichuan, China. Farms from 10 villages in the study area were selected, out of which three sites were considered healthy/ideal sites and used as a reference for the remaining seven targeted sites, and soil samples were collected at depth of 20 cm from these farms. The MDS indicators were selected by using principal component analysis (PCA) followed by Pearson's correlation on 25 attributes. Based on significant values, eight attributes were retained in the final MDS, including the sucrase level, pH, wilting coefficient, water holding capacity, organic matter, NK ratio, total potassium, and available phosphorus. Based on the results, most of the farmland soils in Yanting County were in a healthy condition, accounting for 61.71% of the surveyed samples, followed by sub-healthy, degraded, and weak soils, accounting for 19.64%, 9.71%, and 8.93%, respectively. The values of most of the indicators at the targeted sites were significantly lower than those at ideal sites. Thus, specific steps should be taken by adding soil organic matter, combined with other fertilizers, to enhance the microbial biomass, enzymatic activities, and other biological activities in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An incubation study investigated the decomposition patterns, microbial activities, soil aggregates distribution, and soil organic carbon (SOC) contents, using four crop residues; wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and maize (Zea mays L.), at low and high rates (10 and 20 g kg-1). An average increase of about 35% in cumulative C-CO2 emissions and 26% in soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was observed at high residue rates as compared to low rates. A positiv e and strong correlation (0.96) was found between C-CO2 emissions and MBC, and the effect of residue quality on decomposition was found to be less at high rates. The relative reduction in C-CO2 emissions by adding rice residues may be due to their high silica content. Differences in extracellular enzyme activities (EEA) with different residues indicated the effect of residue quality on microbial activities. Cotton residues increased β-glucosidase and chitinase activities by 41 and 38%, respectively, at high rates than at low rates. High maize residues also markedly increased chitinase activity by 41%, implying higher N cycling and fungal prevalence. Acid phosphatase activity was found to increase by about 25 to 32% with high rice and wheat residues, respecti vely. Higher EEA at high residues input likely reflected the microbial nutritional limitations. Crop residues raised SOC content from 0.7 under control to 1.0% at low residues input but not at high input. Increased macro-aggregates fraction at high residues input may be attributed to higher microbial activities. In summary, high residues input can minimize residue biochemical quality's effect on decomposition, with no further increase in SOC content. While a positive effect on the soil MBC, but not on the SOC content, was observed at high residue input, suggesting moderation in the additions of organic amendments is key for SOC buildup. Crop residues, added at 10 g kg-1, may help maintain a positive SOC balance in the arid agroecosystems by moderating higher microbial activities and soil respiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

Biostimulants (Bio-effectors, BEs) comprise plant growth-promoting microorganisms and active natural substances that promote plant nutrientacquisition, stress resilience, growth, crop quality and yield. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of BEs, particularly under field conditions, appears highly variable and poorly quantified. Using random model meta-analyses tools, we summarize the effects of 107 BE treatments on the performance of major crops, mainly conducted within the EU-funded project BIOFECTOR with a focus on phosphorus (P) nutrition, over five years. Our analyses comprised 94 controlled pot and 47 field experiments under different geoclimatic conditions, with variable stress levels across European countries and Israel. The results show an average growth/yield increase by 9.3% (n=945), with substantial differences between crops (tomato > maize > wheat) and growth conditions (controlled nursery + field (Seed germination and nursery under controlled conditions and young plants transplanted to the field) > controlled > field). Average crop growth responses were independent of BE type, P fertilizer type, soil pH and plant-available soil P (water-P, Olsen-P or Calcium acetate lactate-P). BE effectiveness profited from manure and other organic fertilizers, increasing soil pH and presence of abiotic stresses (cold, drought/heat or salinity). Systematic meta-studies based on published literature commonly face the inherent problem of publication bias where the most suspected form is the selective publication of statistically significant results. In this meta-analysis, however, the results obtained from all experiments within the project are included. Therefore, it is free of publication bias. In contrast to reviews of published literature, our unique study design is based on a common standardized protocol which applies to all experiments conducted within the project to reduce sources of variability. Based on data of crop growth, yield and P acquisition, we conclude that application of BEs can save fertilizer resources in the future, but the efficiency of BE application depends on cropping systems and environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food enrichment plays a critical role in the food industry, with a significant influence on the nutritional value of various food products and their potential health advantages when consumed. The demand for nutritious food products has led to significant advancements in the technology used for the production of biscuits, with the aim of enhancing their nutritional characteristics. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to develop nutritionally optimised biscuits using a linear programming model. The study focused on the optimisation of biscuit ingredients, specifically wheat and yellow maize flour, with or without moringa leaf. The formulation process involved the use of conventional methods and a linear programming model. The resulting biscuits were then analysed for their proximate, sensory, functional, and anti-nutritional properties. The biscuits formulated using the linear programming (LP) model exhibited superior qualities compared to other groups. These biscuits had a protein level ranging from 17.5 to 15.4%, and significantly improved organoleptic properties. The concentration of anti-nutritive compounds showed a notable decrease in the LP group compared to the conventionally prepared biscuits. Therefore, the use of a linear programming model can be adopted for the formulation of biscuits that have high nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Copyright of Journal of Kirkuk University for Agricultural Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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

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

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

Copyright of Anuario Colombiano de Historia Social y de la Cultura is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Ciencias Humanas, Departamento de Historia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Climate-induced extreme events with fluctuations in climatic indicators like temperature and precipitation highly influence crop productivity. This study deals with quantitative analysis of climatic variability and crop production (1990–2018) using panel data regression analysis. The focus is on variability of three crops, i.e., paddy, maize, and wheat in the Rangit river basin of Sikkim Himalaya, India. Meterological data were acquired from the Indian Meteorological Department, agricultural data from the state agricultural department and a field survey were also conducted with the farmers, using a structured questionnaire, focused group discussion, and key informant observations. The acquired data was analyzed with the help of correlation and multiple linear regression analysis to analyze the relationship between climatic variability and crop production. The result of the study shows that all three crops are dependent on rainfall; however, paddy was the most sensitive to climatic variability. It was found that the overall grain production had an inverse relation to temperature, but it had a positive correlation with rainfall. It was observed that there was a continuous decline in the overall production of paddy and wheat. During deficiency years, it was found that when − 11.33% rainfall was deficient, paddy yield declined by − 1.52%. Further, a deviation of − 13.48% led to a decline of − 54.78% in wheat. The study advocates that timely policy interventions and strategies shall reduce climatic shocks and improve productivity. This would strengthen the livelihood security of the local communities, overcome the challenges of food security, and ensure long-term sustainability of Rangit River basin. [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 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.

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

Cd and As accumulation in staple crops poses potential risks to food safety and human health. Rhizo-microbial communities are involved in their behaviors from soil to crops. However, the responses of rhizo-microbial communities to different Cd and As co-contaminated soils in wheat‒maize rotation are still unclear. This study explored whether wheat or maize could recruit distinct rhizo-microbial communities to adapt to long-term co-contaminated soils with low or high levels of Cd and As (LS or HS). It was apparent that the average wheat grain-Cd/As concentrations were 17.96-fold/4.81-fold in LS and 5.64-fold/7.70-fold in HS higher than those in maize grains, significantly depending on the mobility of Cd/As in soil–crop system, especially from soil to root and from straw to grain. Meanwhile, wheat or maize roots recruited specific bacteria and fungi in LS and HS, which were substantially associated with Cd/As bioavailability in rhizosphere. Wheat roots recruited specific bacterial genera norank_c__MB-A2-108 (Actinobacteria), norank_f__JG3 0-KF -CM45 (Chloroflexi), and norank_o__Rokubacteriales (Methylomirabilota) and fungal genera Metarhizium and Olpidium under HS, and their relative abundances were positively correlated with soil Cd/As bioavailability and were resistant to Cd and As co-contamination. However, bacterial genera Arthrobacter , Nocardioides , Devosia , Skermanella, and Pedobacter were sensitive to Cd and As co-contamination and were specifically enriched in wheat rhizospheres under LS. Meanwhile, the bacterial genus norank_c__KD4-96 (Chloroflexi) was resistant to Cd and As co-contamination under HS and was distinctly enriched in maize rhizosphere. Furthermore, the roots of wheat and maize recruited the bacterial genus Marmoricola in LS, which was sensitive to Cd and As co-contamination, and recruited specific fungal genus Fusicolla in HS, which was tolerant to Cd and As co-contamination. These results confirmed that HS and LS shifted the composition and structure of the rhizo-microbial communities in the wheat-maize rotation to promote crops survival in different long-term Cd and As co-contaminated soils. [Display omitted] • Wheat grains contain more Cd and As than maize in long term contaminated soil. • Specific rhizo-microbes have responded to the stress of Cd and As. • Cd and As contamination shifted the rhizo-microbial communities of wheat and maize. • Both Marmoricola and Fusicolla were recruited by the roots of wheat and maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 42-day experiment was conducted to investigate the interactive effects of a stimbiotic (STB) and wheat bran (WB) in broiler chickens receiving diets (DT) based on corn or wheat. A total of 960 Cobb 500 male broiler chicks at zero-day old were allocated to 64 pens with 8 treatments, 8 replicates per treatment, and 15 birds per replicate. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 2 × 2 × 2 factorial, with the factors as diet (corn-soybean meal or wheat-soybean meal), STB (with or without), and WB (0 or 50 g/kg). Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and mortality-corrected FCR data were collected for the starter (d 0–10), grower (d 10–28), and finisher (d 28–42) phases. Ileal digesta and jejunal tissue were collected on d 18 and 42. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial using a mixed model of JMP. There was no significant 3-way interaction for growth performance and expression of nutrient transporters. There was a significant SB × WB for FCR (P < 0.05) in the grower phase. Stimbiotic supplementation and WB inclusion individually improved (P < 0.05) FCR regardless of cereal type, but this effect was not observed when the two were combined. In the overall phase (d 0–42), birds receiving corn-based diets had higher (P < 0.05) FI and BWG than those receiving wheat-based diets. There was a significant 3-way interaction for ileal digestible energy (IDE) (P < 0.05) and N digestibility (ND) on d 18 and 42 (P < 0.05). There was no effect of STB or WB in corn-based diets, whereas WB inclusion decreased IDE in wheat-based diets, but STB supplementation increased IDE with or without WB. In corn-based diets, WB inclusion increased ND, whereas ND was decreased in wheat-based diets. Supplementation with STB had no effect on ND, but STB increased ND in wheat-based diets with and without WB. Ileal DE was greater (P < 0.05) for wheat- than corn-based diets on d 42. Wheat bran inclusion increased ND in corn-based diets whereas, with STB supplementation, there was no difference in ND with or without WB. There was no difference in ND with or without STB or WB in wheat-based diets. There was a significant STB × DT on the expression of GLUT-1 (P < 0.05). In corn-based diets, STB produced an upward expression of GLUT-1, whereas in wheat-based diets, STB supplementation had no effect. On d 42, stimbiotic supplementation produced upward (P < 0.05) expression of SGLT-1. In conclusion, STB supplementation in wheat- or corn-based diets and with WB inclusion improved energy digestibility. On the other hand, WB inclusion in wheat-based diets decreased nutrient digestibility especially on d 18, thus making room for a positive response to STB supplementation in wheat-based diets compared to the marginal response to STB supplementation observed in corn-based diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]