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At the major vernalization locus 'Vrn-D1', the spring allele, Vrn-D1a, and two winter alleles, Vrn-D1b and vrn-D1, have been identified in wheat. We conducted field trials to determine the effects of alleles on growth and yield-related traits, using near-isogenic lines developed in the genetic background of spring type wheat cultivars, 'Abukumawase' and 'Asakazekomugi', both of which carry the Vrn-D1a allele. Although maturity date of three alleles was same, the panicle development occurred earlier in the following order of genotype: Vrn-D1a > Vrn-D1b > vrn-D1. There was a significant difference in panicle development even between two winter type alleles vrn-D1 and Vrn-D1b. Grain yield and the spikelet number per spike of the original spring type cultivars were lower than those of the winter type NILs. In addition, while the young panicle development of the tillers in the spring type cultivars was found to be two weeks to one month later in the tillers than that in the main stem, young panicle development of the main stem and tillers in the winter type NILs were almost identical. Hence, winter type wheat bearing vrn-D1 which exhibit later panicle development than that bearing Vrn-D1b, was elucidated to might be more useful especially in areas with high risk of frost damage. Spring type wheat had a lower sink capacity and grain yield, meanwhile that was considered to prevent severe frost damage by allowing late-developed tillers to survive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Septoria tritici blotch or Septoria leaf blotch has been used for long time, but leaf blotch is a correct disease name. Moreover, Lb resistant gene is the correct name, but, not Stb gene. It has sexual and asexual parts on the mycelia, known as heterothallic fungi. Its pathogenic diversity ranged from 40% to 93% and has produced a wide variety of AvrLb6 haplotypes. M. graminicola has a plasmogamy and karyogamy sexual process. The pathogen can use macropycnidiospores, micropycnidiospores, and pycnidia vegetative growths for infection and overwintering. Synthetic M3, Kavkaz-K4500, Synthetic 6×, and TE9111 wheat genotypes have horizontal resistance. Avirulence (Avr) genes in Z. tritici and their matching wheat (R) genes indicate gene for gene mechanisms of resistance. Twenty-two R genes (vertical resistance) have been identified. In both horizontal and vertical resistance, different Lb genes have been broken down due to new Z.tritici virulent gene and currently Lb19 resistant gene is being recommended. Mixing of resistant and susceptible cultivars is also the most effective management strategy. Moreover, different cultural practices and biological control have been proposed. Lastly, different fungicides are also available. However, in developing countries cultivar mixture, isolates diversity, biological control, and epidemic studies have been greatly missed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The allelopathic effect of Callistemon viminalis's leaf extracts on seed germination and growth of Triticum aestivum and Cicer arietinum, as well as associated weeds (Anagallis arvensis, Poa annua, Lepidium didymium, and Vicia sativa), was studied. Different concentrations (2–10%) of aqueous extracts were used, and physiological parameters were measured. Higher concentrations (6–10%) significantly inhibited the germination and growth of wheat and chickpea. In pot assay, the extract did not affect shoot length, dry plant mass, chlorophyll, carotenoid, proline, protein content, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic and transpiration rate, and antioxidant enzymes in crop and various parameters of soil properties in comparison to the control. Both crops grew significantly at lower concentrations. This study suggests that extract of C. viminalis can inhibit the growth of A. arvensis and V. sativa without affecting germination, photosynthetic and biochemical properties of C. arietinum and T. aestivum, and soil properties, making it a potential candidate for bioherbicide development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant genotype and agroecology influence the composition and functionality of seed endophytic bacterial communities. Taxonomic analysis of 123 wheat seeds endophytic bacteria classified these into 23 genera predominantly under Firmicutes followed by Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. Genus Bacillus was most abundant (30.7%) followed by Streptomyces (18.4%) with other representative genera such as Stenotrophomonas, Paenibacillus, Mixta, Enterobacter, Micrococcus, Pantoea, Alkalihalobacillus, Cortiobacterium, and more. Across agroecologies, the core microbiota of seeds consists of Bacillus, Streptomyces, Paenibacillus, and Stenotrophomonas, with maximum diversity and abundance observed in seeds of the North Western Plain Zone of India. Seed endophytic bacteria had PGP traits; nitrogen fixation (n = 101), production of IAA (n = 65), siderophores (n = 43), ammonia (n = 82) and solubilization of phosphate (n = 47), potassium (n = 37), and zinc (n = 8). The isolates produced HCN and hydrolytic enzymes and displayed antagonism against fungal pathogens. Overall, the information generated on wheat seeds' endophytic bacterial taxonomy and beneficial traits may pave the path for the development of novel bioinoculants. Key message Wheat seeds from various agro-ecologies of India harbor diverse endophytic bacteria. Firmicutes were dominant followed by Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. Genus Bacillus, Stenotrophomonas, Streptomyces, and Paenibacillus were core endophytic bacteria in different agro-ecologies. The endophytic bacterial strains were displaying diverse functional traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture estimation is a key component in hydrological processes and irrigation amounts' estimation. The synergetic use of optical and radar data has been proven to retrieve the surface soil moisture at a field scale using the Water Cloud Model (WCM). In this work, we evaluate the impact of staellite-derived vegetation descriptors to estimate the surface soil moisture. Therefore, we used the Sentinel-1 data to test the polarization ratio (${\rm{\sigma }}_{{\rm{VH}}}^0/{\rm{\sigma }}_{{\rm{VV}}}^0$ σ V H 0 / σ V V 0 ) and the normalized polarization ratio (IN) and the frequently used optical Normalized Difference vegetation Index (NDVI) as vegetation descriptors. Synchronous with Sentinel-1 acquisitions, in situ soil moisture were collected over wheat fields in the Kairouan plain in the center of Tunisia. To avoid the bare soil roughness effect and the radar signal saturation in dense vegetation context, we considered the data where the NDVI values vary between 0.25 and 0.7. The soil moisture inversion using the WCM and NDVI as a vegetation descriptor was characterized by an RMSE value of 5.6 vol.%. A relatively close performance was obtained using IN and (${\rm{\sigma }}_{{\rm{VH}}}^0/{\rm{\sigma }}_{{\rm{VV}}}^0$ σ V H 0 / σ V V 0 ) with RMSE under 7. 5 vol.%. The results revealed the consistency of the radar-derived data in describing the vegetation for the retrieval of soil moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground rolling delays spikelet initiation and thus would be expected to reduce frost injury in earlysown spring wheat. To characterize the relationship between the timing of rolling and the delay of spikelet initiation, we investigated apical development of early-sown spring wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. ‘Ayahikari’) rolled at the 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-leaf stage in three years. All rollings delayed apical development. The delay was largest in plants treated at the 1- or 2-leaf stage: spikelet initiation by 5.0 days, the start of internode elongation by 5.5 days, and jointing by 3.5 days relative to the control. Our results and recent meteorological data suggest that in early cropping of spring wheat in the Tokai region of Japan, the earliest sowing date to avoid frost injury can be advanced by 3 days by rolling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elymus magellanicus (É.Desv.) Á.Löve is a foliage accent plant that found in South America. In this study, the mitochondrial genome of E. magellanicus was sequenced, assembled, and annotated. The complete circular mitogenome of E. magellanicus is 583,450 bp in length and the overall G + C content of mitogenome is 42.27%. It harbors 39 protein-coding genes, 64 transfer RNA genes, eight ribosomal RNA genes, and 20 simple sequence repeats. Phylogenetic analysis indicates a relatively close relationship of E. magellanicus to Hordeum vulgare subsp. Spontaneum, Aegilops speltoides, Triticum aestivum, and T. aestivum cv. Chinese Yumai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global wheat yields must increase to meet current and rising global demand despite the increasing threats to production resulting from climate change. One climate change adaptation strategy in wheat production in the Western Cape of South Africa is conservation agriculture (CA). Using a data set of 1,043 plot-level wheat observations collected at Langgewens and Tygerhoek research farms from 2002 to 2020, this study conducts a stepwise Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to estimate the environmental and economic impacts of switching from conventional wheat production to CA's zero tillage (zero-till) and no-tillage (no-till) systems. The results indicate that CA is more profitable and has a higher environmental efficiency, than conventional tillage wheat production. In Langgewens, zero-till and no-till are respectively 113% and 55% more efficient than conventional tillage when comparing the environmental impact of producing one kg of wheat. Findings also suggest that, compared to 100% conventional tillage wheat production, the adoption of CA systems has led to reductions in environmental damage valued between R269.2 and R402.5 million in the Western Cape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We calculate, for the first time, farm-level wheat productivity for Cape Colony settler farmers in 1825. We can do so because we now have access to a fully transcribed tax census for that year. Although there is some variation in wheat productivity across the Colony, probably a result of the varying environmental factors, we find much larger variation within districts. We perform various tests to explain this large variation. We find, surprisingly, that slave labour has no explanatory power. Khoe labour, however, helps to differentiate farmers according to their productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coarse wool obtained from mountain sheep has low economic value and is treated as a troublesome by-product of sheep farming. To find ways to utilize it, waste separated from the better-quality wool during sheep shearing was used as a fertilizer in winter wheat cultivation. During the preliminary tests, it was stated that unwashed wool does not contain excessive amounts of heavy metals and environmentally unfriendly contaminations and can be safely used as a fertilizer. Then, the raw wool was cut into shorter segments and mixed with the soil, and its influence on winter wheat growth during two seasons was examined. Simultaneously, the progress of wool biodegradation and the nitrogen content in the soil were analyzed. It was stated that, during vegetation, nitrogen compounds are slowly released into the ground, and the content of nitrogen in the soil is strictly correlated with the progress of wool biodegradation. Released nitrogen positively impacts wheat growth in various stages, which is manifested by higher tillering degree, more intense leaf color, higher stems and finally, greater yield. Wool added into the soil reveals its positive influence on wheat development up to two harvests. Mountain sheep wool can be successfully used as a nitrogen-rich, organic fertilizer in organic farming. This enables utilization of coarse wool, which is not suitable for textile processing, according to the zero-waste strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity is a primary cause of the development of unattractive dark brown discoloration of wheat-based end products. The present study aims to evaluate a set of 41 diverse wheat genotypes grown at three different locations in India for grain phenol color reaction, PPO activity and molecular marker-based characterization of alleles of PPO genes. Relationships among these parameters were analyzed along with the effects of grain PPO activity on dough and chapati color at different time intervals. The mean PPO activity ranged from 7.42 to 27.57 min−1 g−1 10−3 among the genotypes and it showed a significant negative correlation with color brightness (L*) of dough rested for 0 min (r = -0.406), 15 min (r = -0.406), 2 h (r = -0.502) and 4 h (r = -0.551) and whole wheat flour-derived chapati rested for 2 h (r = -0.267) and 4 h (r = -0.424). The overall quality color score was negatively correlated with PPO activity (r = -0.863) and showed a positive correlation with both dough and chapati visual color measured at different time intervals. PPO activity in the genotypes carrying different alleles was found to be Ppo-A1a>Ppo-A1b; Ppo-B2d>Ppo-B2a; and Ppo-D1b>Ppo-D1a. The allelic constitution Ppo-A1bPpo-B2aPpo-D1a and Ppo-A1bPpo-B2dPpo-D1 was found to produce the lowest PPO activity, and thus these alleles are recommended to be used in marker assisted breeding for low PPO activity genotypes to minimize the discoloration of wheat-based end-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oregano essential oil (EO) is known as one of the EOs with the highest biological activity on target plant species. In this study, the inhibitory effects of different doses of oregano (Origanum onites L.) EO on the germination and seedling growth of some wheat cultivars and some problem weed species in wheat fields was investigated. For this purpose, both laboratory and pot experiments were carried out. Oregano EO obtained by steam distillation method and component analysis was made via GS/MS. Germination tests and pot experiments were carried out under controlled laboratory and greenhouse conditions. In the study, five wheat varieties, four for bread and one for durum, and five different weed species were used. The effects of different doses of oregano EO on the germination rate, viable plant rate, seedling length, and biomass of test plants were analyzed. According to the results, it was observed that oregano EO showed bioactivity on all species and cultivars included in the experiment. In terms of all parameters, it was concluded that wheat varieties showed higher resistance to oregano EO than weed species. These results show that oregano EO can be used to control some weed species that are a problem in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite images are widely used for crop yield estimation, but their coarse spatial resolution means that they often fail to provide detailed information at the field scale. Recently, a new generation of high-resolution satellites and CubeSat platforms has been launched. In this study, satellite data sources including PlanetScope and Sentinel-2 were combined with topographic and climatic variables, and the improvement in wheat yield estimation was evaluated. Wheat yield data from a combine harvester were used to train and validate a yield estimation model based on random forest regression. Nine vegetation indices (NDVI, GNDVI, MSAVI2, MTVI2, MTCI, reNDVI, SAVI, EVI and WDVI) and spectral bands were tested. During the model training, the Sentinel-2 data realized a slightly higher estimation accuracy than the PlanetScope data. However, combining environmental data with the PlanetScope data realized the highest estimation accuracy. For the validated models, adding the topographic and climatic datasets to the satellite data sources improved the estimation accuracy, and the results were slightly better with the Sentinel-2 data than with the PlanetScope data. Observation data of the milk and dough stages provided the highest estimation accuracy of the wheat yield at 210–225 days after sowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed to evaluate the utility of Sentinel-2 imagery for monitoring exogenous organic matter (EOM) applied on winter wheat crop, using two spatial scales: proximal and satellite. From proximal sensing, multi-temporal spectral field measurements were taken on experimental fields consisting of three treatments (cattle slurry, liquid and raw digestates) and a control throughout 46 days. From Sentinel-2 satellites, images were analysed before and after EOM application. For both sensing scales, EOM and vegetation indices were used. On any scale of observation, the digestates spread on emerging wheat were easily detectable in late winter, in contrast to spring spreading events which were hindered by the developed vegetation. The agglomerative hierarchical clustering from the EOM indices divided by EVI achieved to discriminate digestates at early and medium stages of vegetation growth. Our findings did not apply for cattle slurry, presumably because of both lower organic and dry matter contents. Digestates spread on emerging wheat are detectable in late winter. Developed vegetation constrains the detection of spring spreading events. Spectral measurements did not separate the field with cattle slurry and the control. The visible to near infrared bands are the most impacted after digestate spreading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable and quick estimation of wheat yellow rust (WYR) severity in field is essential to manage the disease and minimize the losses. Field experiments were conducted during 2017–18 and 2018–19 to obtain visible and thermal images of 24 wheat cultivars having different levels of WYR resistance at critical growth stages. Machine learning (ML) models were constructed using the combinations of image indices (IN) and partial least square regression (PLS) scores of image indices with disease severity (DS) and Yeo-Johnson (YJ) transformed values of disease severity. The results revealed that 26 visible and 2 thermal indices considered in this study have significant correlations with WYR. The models performances were evaluated using four possible dataset combinations of (1) disease severity + indices, (2) disease severity + PLS scores of indices, (3) YJ transformed disease severity + indices, and (4) YJ transformed disease severity + PLS scores. Disease severity with image derived indices was found to be the best dataset for the prediction of WYR severity using machine learning models with an R2 and d-index above 0.95 during calibration, while up to 0.67 and 0.87, respectively during validation. Cubist model with disease severity + indices dataset was the best to predict WYR severity, while the Gaussian process regression with YJ transformed disease severity + PLS scores dataset was the poorest predictor. The results obtained in the present study showed the potential of ML models for non-destructive prediction of WYR in field using visible and thermal imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain sprouting poses a significant global challenge, especially for wheat. Nonetheless, recent investigators have unveiled numerous benefits of germination. In this study, we incorporated various proportions of sprouted wheat flour (SF) into wheat flour to produce sprouted wheat steamed bread (SWSB). The impact of SF on the quality of flour and SWSB was evaluated, resulting a development of GABA-enhanced, green-healthy SWSB. With increased addition of SF, the falling number, pasting viscosity, and dough stability time of flour exhibited significant decreases, whereas the gluten index initially increased and then decreased. The textural properties, such as hardness, chewiness, adhesion, springiness, and cohesion, exhibited varying degrees of fluctuation with increasing SF levels. The specific volume of SWSB was optimal at an SF concentration of 6% and the sensory score was highest at 2%. Lightness of SWSB was comparable to that of the control at 4% SF addition. C-cell images revealed that the fineness of the SWSB texture initially increased and then decreased with increasing SF levels. Overall, an SF concentration of 4% was found to be optimal for dough properties, color, texture characteristics and sensory quality, providing a theoretical foundation for industrial production and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, wheat varieties Inqulab-91 and AS-2002 were milled from a roller mill and analyzed for chemical characteristics through Near Infra-Red spectroscopy. Friabilin was extracted with Triton X-114 buffer and evaluated on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis against known molecular weight protein standards. Current results show that the chemical constituents and friabilin revealed significant variation and uneven distribution among flour streams. In both wheat varieties, break streams showed higher protein, moisture, gluten, Zeleny and ash values. Inqualb-91 break streams had a higher lipid content than AS-2002 flour streams, but no clear trend was identified. The 15 kDa band was absent in M3, T2, sizing and low-grade flour of Inqulab-91 while the faint band was present in the remaining streams. Among the remaining AS-2002 mill streams, B2, B4, M3, M5, T1, and sizing showed a prominent 15 kDa band, while the rest showed a faint band. Friabilin depicted a positive correlation with all constituents except fat in AS-2002 while a negative correlation with gluten, Zeleny and fat contents for Inqulab-91. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty-four wheat cultivars were used to study the relationship between wheat flour quality and fresh wet noodle (FWN) color when stored at room temperature (25°C) over a 24 h period by the partial least squares regression (PLSR) method. Results showed that quality characteristics of wheat flour and their coefficients of variation differed greatly, and the samples were very representative. During FWN storage, the a* value varied greatly, the L* value decreased, and the b* value increased. The results of the correlation analysis showed that the color of wheat flour had significant correlation with FWN (p <0.05), and FWN color at 0 h had significant correlation with FWN color changes during 24 h storage (p <0.05). Protein, wet gluten, dry gluten, ash content, PPO activity, and water absorption (WA) of wheat flour had significantly negative effects on the L* value of FWN (p <0.05). Peak viscosity (PV), trough viscosity (TV), and breakdown viscosity (BV) of the pasting properties of wheat flour contributed greatly to the L* value (p <0.05), but had significantly negative effects on the a* value (p <0.05). The results showed that quality characteristics of wheat flour profoundly affected FWN color changes during storage, and color, dough strength and pasting properties of wheat flour should be considered comprehensively when selecting the wheat variety for FWN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current research is to explore the nutritional, structural, and sensorial properties of bulgur prepared from different wheat cultivars. For the purpose, three different wheat cultivars, i.e., Dilkash-2020, Akbar-2019, and Anaj-2017, were procured and evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics using respective methods. In addition, structural properties of product (bulgur) were characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Results elucidated that physicochemical characteristics of Dilkash-2020 were significantly (p ≤.05) higher as compared to Akbar-2019, followed by Anaj-2017. Moreover, autoclave technique retained the nutritional profile of bulgur as compared to traditional cooking methods. It is observed that protein (12.7 ± 0.04%), fibers (12.5 ± 0.07%), minerals contents and antioxidant activity were significantly improved in bulgur (Dilkash-2020) processed through autoclave. Additionally, autoclave method retained the nutritional profile and antioxidant activity of bulgur. The mineral composition of bulgur revealed that calcium content in bulgur ranged from 368 ± 0.02–532 ± 0.00 mg/kg, potassium (745 ± 0.05–948 ± 0.03 mg/kg), iron (30 ± 0.04–53 ± 0.01 mg/kg) and sodium (168 ± 0.03–318 ± 0.11 mg/kg). In FTIR spectra, different phytochemical groups were identified especially alkene, halo, alcohol, organic-nitro, carbon aromatic and thiol groups. Furthermore, sensorial scores of bulgur prepared from autoclave were also higher than traditional method. In addition, overall acceptability of Dilkash-2020 bulgur was higher as compared to other varieties. Conclusively, wheat Dilkash-2020 has significant potential for bulgur production and autoclave is an effective method to retain the nutritional profile of bulgur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat production is dominated by a subsistence smallholder production system. Additionally, more than 4.7 million smallholder farmers are engaged in wheat production. However, poverty is chronic and pervasive among smallholder farmers. Hence, targeting the efficiency of wheat production is the right strategy to improve the well-being of smallholder farmers. Therefore, we conducted this study to measure the level of wheat production efficiency and figure out the sources of wheat production inefficiency among smallholder farmers using stochastic frontier and beta regression models, respectively. Hence, 400 smallholder farmers were selected to gather firsthand information on wheat production and important variables. The stochastic frontier result shows that the number of oxen, amount of urea fertilizer, and seed had a positive and statistically significant effect on the level of wheat production, unlike wheat farm size. The mean technical efficiency result indicates that smallholder farmers operate 23% below the maximum capacity of wheat production. Additionally, smallholder farmers were producing 18.97 quintals per hectare less than the potential production capacity. Consequently, the beta regression model result shows that an increase in the dependency ratio, distance to the local wheat market, and distance to the extension office will increase the technical inefficiency of wheat production. On the contrary, educational status, farm experience, and access to wheat price information decrease the technical inefficiency of wheat production. Therefore, policymakers, stakeholders, and farmers should consider the main sources of technical inefficiency to minimize the sources of wheat production inefficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosolid-borne heavy metals are the main concern in soils. Therefore, the effects of biosolid biochar application in soils were evaluated in our study through a rice-wheat rotation in fields. The results showed that after the application of biosolid biochar, soil organic matter (SOM), soil pH, and soil total heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Zn, Cu, and Pb) were significantly increased. But the CaCl2 extracted metals concentrations were decreased, and no significant differences in metal concentrations of soil deeper layers (20-100 cm) were found among different treatments. The Cd, Zn, Cu, and Pb concentrations in rice decreased by 13.2%, 37.0%, 9.92%, and 63.0%, respectively, and the concentrations of Cd, Zn, Cu, and Pb in wheat decreased by 20.85%, 19.7%, 48.6%, and 23.6%, respectively, compared with the control treatment. Biosolid biochar can decrease metal availability in soils and increase crop production in fields, thus is suggested to use in fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-throughput plant phenotyping integrated with computer vision is an emerging topic in the domain of nondestructive and noninvasive plant breeding. Analysis of the emerging grain spikes and the grain weight or yield estimation in the wheat plant for a huge number of genotypes in a nondestructive way has achieved significant research attention. In this study, we developed a deep learning approach, "Yield-SpikeSegNet," for the yield estimation in the wheat plant using visual images. Our approach consists of two consecutive modules: "Spike detection module" and "Yield estimation module." The spike detection module is implemented using a deep encoder-decoder network for spike segmentation and output of this module is spike area and spike count. In yield estimation module, we develop machine learning models using artificial neural network and support vector regression for the yield estimation in the wheat plant. The model's precision, accuracy, and robustness are found satisfactory in spike segmentation as 0.9982, 0.9987, and 0.9992, respectively. The spike segmentation and yield estimation performance reflect that the Yield-SpikeSegNet approach is a significant step forward in the domain of high-throughput and nondestructive wheat phenotyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f.sp. tritici (Pst) is a global threat to wheat production. Genetic modification of defense-responsive factors in wheat rust interactions could help devise strategies to control stripe rust on wheat. This experiment studied the interaction between Pst pathotype 78S84 in PBW343 and FLW-3 by evaluating the quantitative temporal transcription profiles of defense-related genes at different time points. This is the first attempt to exhibit inter-connections among different proteins and depict a hypothetical model for the mechanism of R gene-mediated resistance. Transcript levels of LTP, AQP1, PR1, PR2, PR4, and PR10 were relatively higher under compatible interaction, while under incompatible interaction, transcript levels of COMT1, PRA2, WCAB, and PR9 were significantly high. This study projected the role of defense-responsive genes, inter-networking of proteins, and R gene-mediated resistance between wheat and stripe rust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The experiment was conducted for investigating the effect of Non-Starch Polysaccharide (NSP) feed containing wheat and barley on relative bioavailability values (RBVs) of minerals and supplementation in the broilers' diet. A total of 72 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were arranged with 4 repetitions (6 birds per each replicated in the metabolic cages) on the 3 treatment diets. The experimental diets contain one control diet and 2 diets with formulation of 25% wheat and 20% barley. Estimated relative mineral bioavailability values (RMBVs) were based on daily dietary mineral intake. The RBVs of Ca, P, Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn were 44, 120, 17, 0.37, 125, and 15.38, respectively for dietary-containing wheat. Data showed that NSP contain a diet effect on bone characteristics and seed or index tibiae bone (P < 0.05). RMBVs of Ca, P, Mn, Fe, and Zn for a diet including wheat were 65.20, 84.96, 21.05, 8.50, and 2.56, respectively based on the tibia bone. Also, RMBVs of tibia bone minerals, such as Ca, P, Mn, Fe, and Zn from a diet containing barley, were 53.60, 43.33, 40.60, 44.16, and 44.69, respectively. The results of experiments indicated that Ca, P, and Fe have highly RMBVs concerning the amount of NSP contained in barley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore a fertilization scheme that can adapt to different soil fertility conditions and wheat varieties, two kinds of controlled-release ureas with different release periods (60 days (CRU-60 d) and 90 days (CRU-90 d)) blending with ordinary urea were applied in different proportions at three different sites to evaluate the impacts of controlled-release bulk blending fertilizer (CRBBF) on soil NO3–N, NH4+-N contents and dynamic change of tillers, SPAD value, grain yield and yield components. The results indicated that applying CRBBF could increase soil NO3–N, NH4+-N contents, tiller numbers, leaf areas, leaf SPAD values and grain yield. Compared with local farmers' habitual fertilization treatment, CRBBF application presented a higher soil inorganic N content, yield with more spikes and grains per spike. This study has important guiding significance for one-time fertilization of wheat and provides an effective way to alleviate the non-point source pollution caused by excessive fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foliar application technology is commonly used in soil remediation for rice, but few attempts on wheat. The heavy-metal food risk of wheat is a major concern recently. In addition, most prior experiments were conducted in pots and lacked consecutive results of years. Therefore, two consecutive years of field positioning tests were conducted to explore the influence of three kinds of mineral foliar application (Si, Se, and Zn) on the heavy-metal content of wheat grains. The results showed that foliar application with silicon (Si) largely increased wheat yield and plant height, and reduced (Arsenic) As and (Lead) Pb contents. Foliar application with selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) prominently reduced heavy metals Cd, As and Pb. Se application could not only reduce the heavy-metal content in crops but also improve the Se content in the edible parts of crops, thereby, as suggested, applying it in the low and medium polluted soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frost injury is a concern in early-sown spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) in the Tokai region of Japan. To assess the efficacy of ground rolling as a technique for avoiding frost injury, we investigated its effects on the apical development and yield of 'Ayahikari' spring wheat. In both 2018–19 and 2019–20, rolling delayed spikelet initiation by 4–5 days, the start of internode elongation by 5–12 days, and jointing by 3–9 days, but did not affect the apical development rate, which depended on the thermal time. Ground rolling prevented frost injury in 2018–19 but not in 2019–20, probably because the warmer-than-average winter promoted earlier jointing, and so plants were exposed to later low temperatures in February. These results suggest that ground rolling is an effective method for avoiding frost injury in spring wheat during cold winters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome editing tools have rapidly been adopted by plant scientists for crop improvement. Genome editing using a multiplex sgRNA-CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system is a useful technique for crop improvement in monocot species. In this study, we utilized precise gene editing techniques to generate wheat 3’(2’), 5’-bisphosphate nucleotidase (TaSal1) mutants using a multiplex sgRNA-CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system. Five active TaSal1 homologous genes were found in the genome of Giza168 in addition to another apparently inactive gene on chromosome 4A. Three gRNAs were designed and used to target exons 4, 5 and 7 of the five wheat TaSal1 genes. Among the 120 Giza168 transgenic plants, 41 lines exhibited mutations and produced heritable TaSal1 mutations in the M1 progeny and 5 lines were full 5 gene knock-outs. These mutant plants exhibit a rolled-leaf phenotype in young leaves and bended stems, but there were no significant changes in the internode length and width, leaf morphology, and stem shape. Anatomical and scanning electron microscope studies of the young leaves of mutated TaSal1 lines showed closed stomata, increased stomata width and increase in the size of the bulliform cells. Sal1 mutant seedlings germinated and grew better on media containing polyethylene glycol than wildtype seedlings. Our results indicate that the application of the multiplex sgRNA-CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing is efficient tool for mutating more multiple TaSal1 loci in hexaploid wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article evaluates the adoption and impact of improved wheat varieties on rural farm household welfare measured by consumption expenditure per adult equivalent and productivity per hectare in rural Ethiopia. The study utilises cross-sectional farm household-level data collected in 2017/2018 from a randomly selected sample of 323 farmers in Arsi Highland of Ethiopia. We estimate the adoption and causal impact of improved varieties by utilising endogenous switching regression complemented with a binary propensity score matching methodology. This helps us estimate the productivity and welfare effect of technological adoption by controlling for the role of selection bias problem stemming from both observed and unobserved heterogeneity. Our analysis reveals a consistent result across models indicating that adoption enhances wheat productivity per hectare by 0.63 tons/ha and household welfare by 31%. Even farm households that did not adopt would benefit significantly had they adopted. Education, wheat price, farm machineries, crop rotation, row planting, social capital (such as informal network, core trust, and institutional trust), training on varieties selection, and information on seed availability are found to be the main drivers behind the adoption of improved wheat varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing annual global coffee consumption, the amount of spent coffee grounds (SCGs) increases. Direct application of SCGs in large agricultural fields can potentially improve soil and control weeds in an environmentally safe manner. However, except for composting, the use of SCGs during cropping has not been implemented thus far because of inhibitory effects on crop growth observed in pot-based studies. We evaluated the effect of a top dressing approach to direct SCG application on crop biomass, soil improvement, and weed control, through double cropping field experiments using wheat and soybean. The field experiments were conducted over six successive cropping seasons in an upland field converted from paddy, and crop and weed biomass as well as soil total carbon and nitrogen were investigated. To avoid growth inhibition, the SCGs were surface broadcasted after crop germination to mimic living mulch. The soil total carbon and nitrogen contents increased significantly under an SCG concentration of 5 kg m−2 or more, approximately 20 months after the first application, whereas SCG application did not significantly affect crop yield except for the first cropping of wheat. In addition, the 10 kg m−2 SCG application reduced the weed biomass by 50% or more during cropping, except for the wheat cropping in the second year. We concluded that top dressing with SCGs after crop germination is an efficient method for sustainable agricultural production, although further detailed studies of SCGs' effect on the crop growth and soil characteristics are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research into the effects of ultrafine bubbles (UFB) on plant growth have been contradictory. To facilitate the resolution of these contradictions, the aim of the present study was to clarify the interspecific differences in growth responses among cereal/leguminous species under different levels of UFB concentrations. Seedlings of six species were grown hydroponically with three different UFB concentrations and two levels of plant nutrition to evaluate biomass and elongation growth. UFB growth promotion under zero-nutrition occurred in all species. Interspecific differences were noted in response to differing UFB concentration levels. Rice and soybean had higher above-ground biomass production at both low and high concentrations. Conversely, other crops exhibited promoted growth at only one of the concentrations. Negative effects occurred in full nutrient conditions except for root elongation. This study demonstrated that growth-promoting effects with UFB depended on the crop species being tested and the concentration of UFB used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction models for crude protein concentration (CP) in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) based on multispectral reflectance data from field trials in 2019 and 2020 in southern Sweden were developed and evaluated for independent trial sites. Reflectance data were collected using an unpiloted aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne camera with nine spectral bands having similar specification to nine bands of Sentinel-2 satellite data. Models were tested for application on near-real time Sentinel-2 imagery, on the prospect that CP prediction models can be made available in satellite-based decision support systems (DSS) for precision agriculture. Two different prediction methods were tested: linear regression and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS). Linear regression based on the best-performing vegetation index (the chlorophyll index) was found to be approximately as accurate as the best performing MARS model with multiple predictor variables in leave-one-trial-out cross-validation (R2 = 0.71, R2 = 0.70 and mean absolute error 0.64%, 0.60% CP respectively). Models applied on satellite data explained to a small degree between-field variations in CP (R2 = 0.36), however did not reproduce within-field variation accurately. The results of the different methods presented here show the differences between methods used and their potential for application in a DSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is the primary wheat producer in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) owing to the suitable agro-ecological conditions. Despite wheats economic potential for food security, the actual yield under smallholder farmers conditions is low due to various production constraints. Thus, the objectives of this study were to assess the present wheat production opportunities and constraints and identify farmer-preferred traits to guide variety design with stem rust-resistance and economic traits in eastern Ethiopia. Data on production constraints and trait preferences were collected using structured questionnaires involving 144 wheat-producing farmers. Wheat rust (reported by 97.3% of respondents), small land size (90.4%) and a lack of improved varieties (75.6%) were identified as the major constraints. About 41.7% of respondents in the West-Hararghe and 27.8% in the East-Hararghe zones did not use crop protection strategies to control rusts. Substantial respondent farmers used cultural practices (18.8%), rust-resistant cultivars (13.2%) or, a combination of these (10.4%) to control rust diseases. The essential farmer preferred traits in a wheat variety were rust resistance, high yield potential and good quality grain for bread making. Therefore, there is a need to breed new varieties with high grain yield and quality and durable rust resistance for sustainable wheat production in eastern Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production and quality of wheat are affected by abiotic constraints including water stress and soil nutrient deficiencies. It is imperative to develop drought-tolerant wheat varieties with high yield potential and enhanced grain protein content for food security. Silicon (Si) is important for plant growth and development but its role in abiotic stress tolerance has been overlooked in breeding programs. Identifying the underlying functional genes controlling drought tolerance, protein content and grain yield is essential for wheat improvement, especially under drought stress. Silicon uptake is conditioned by several Si transporter genes such as Lsi1, Lsi2 and Lsi6 and aquaporins, which facilitate transport of silicon and water between cells. The objectives of this review are to examine the role of Si in improving plant nutrition and drought tolerance, and to appraise the genetic control of Si uptake and breeding methods for improving Si uptake for drought adaptation and improved grain yield and quality. The review highlights the limited progress made in breeding for drought tolerance in wheat, especially in sub-Sahara Africa where the challenge is prevalent. Limited understanding of the genetic basis for Si uptake and physiology contribute to the limited progress in its exploitation in wheat improvement programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expression of the HAHB4 sunflower transcription factor confers drought tolerance to wheat event IND-ØØ412-7 (HB4® wheat). After confirming the compositional equivalence of event IND-ØØ412-7 with conventional wheat, its nutritional similarity to its non-genetically modified (GM) counterpart was analyzed by performing a 42-day broiler feeding study. Isoenergetic diets containing 40% flour from wheat event IND-ØØ412-7, its non-GM counterpart Cadenza, and a commercial variety were included in the study. Broilers' performance was analyzed by measuring feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion, and time to reach 2.8 kgs. The yield was evaluated by carcass weight, breast meat, and abdominal fat. No differences were found between wheat event IND-ØØ412-7 and the non-GM counterpart. A few significant differences were found with the commercial variety which were associated with the genetic background, different from the other two materials. These results support the nutritional equivalence of event IND-ØØ412-7 with conventional wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-developed root system plays a positive role in wheat yield. Here, we identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) for total root length (TRL), root average diameter (RD) and number of root tips (RTN) based on the previously developed genetic map of a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population in bread wheat and phenotype data from two individual trials. A stable and major QTL, Qtrl-AS-5A for TRL was detected explaining 17.19 to 17.78% of the phenotypic variation. It was physically located at 680.66-683.25 Mb (∼2.59 Mb interval) on chromosome arm 5AL. Two stably expressed QTLs for RD, Qrd-AS-4A and Qrd-AS-6B, were identified. The phenotype variances explained for them were between 5.11 to 5.43% and 17.42 to 22.40%, respectively. They were physically located at 621.74 Mb-621.93 Mb (∼0.19 Mb) on 4AL and 624.01 − 624.78 Mb (∼0.77 Mb) on 6BL, respectively. One unstably expressed QTL for RN was identified only. Genetic analysis suggested that the two major and stably expressed QTLs, Qtrl-AS-5A and Qrd-AS-6B, were not likely associated with plant height and anthesis date. Comparison analysis indicated that they may be novel loci. Several candidate genes which were mainly expressed in roots were also obtained. Collectively, these results provided several major and stably expressed QTLs for root traits and they should have breeding potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we utilize the available next-generation sequencing (NGS) data to develop robust markers differentiating between salt-tolerant and sensitive wheat cultivars. First, we analyzed multi-transcriptomic datasets for salt-tolerant cultivars to identify the shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The identified shared DEGs (31 sDEGs) were extracted and compared to available wheat reference genomes to obtain all single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Interestingly, six shared SNPs (sSNPs) were identified across four genes including the MIOX-1 gene. For in silico validation of MIOX-1 expression, we compared transcriptomes of salt-tolerant and sensitive wheat cultivars. Interestingly, the expression of the MIOX-1 gene was significantly down-regulated in the tolerant compared to the sensitive. Therefore, the SNP located in the promotor area of the MIOX-1 gene was further analyzed to predict the transcription factor binding sites. The results revealed that the occurrence of this sSNP is irreplaceable and positioned in the WRKY-1 binding site. The expression of the WRKY-1 gene was consistent between salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive wheat cultivars, indicating that the WRKY-1 had no influence on the MIOX-1 gene expression and these SNP might positively affect the salinity tolerance. For SNP in vitro validation, we used two Egyptian cultivars with opposite salinity responses (tolerant: Sakha-93 and sensitive: Gemmeiza-9). The allele-specific polymerase chain reaction results revealed that Gemmeiza-9 was heterozygous (C/G), whereas the Sakha-93 was homozygous (C/C), indicating that these SNPs might affect positively the response of wheat cultivars to tolerate the salinity. Ultimately, these SNPs could serve as a powerful marker for accelerating wheat breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated in wide range of agro-ecologies in Ethiopia. But, its productivity has remained low. Hence, this study intends to examine the impact of agricultural technology adoption on wheat productivity in north Shewa zone of the Amhara region, Ethiopia. The analysis is based on household level data covering 693 households collected in 2020. Multinomial logit model (MNL) and multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) models are used for analysis. The results reveal that agricultural technology adoptions are affected by the education level of the household head, off-farm employment, tropical livestock, access to credit, household saving, extension visit, and distance from the market. In addition, the study shows that the adoption of fertilizer and/or improved seed increases wheat productivity significantly. Furthermore, the adoption of a combined fertilizer and improved seed provides higher productivity than the adoption of single technologies. Therefore, this study recommends that government and other stakeholders should have to work in collaboration with rural farmers to increase rural technology generation; dissemination and adoption interventions to improve wheat productivity in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of Ethiopia's main challenges is increasing wheat production and productivity by designing and implementing an appropriate wheat policy. The country has a wheat supply and demand gap, forcing the country to spend a substantial amount of foreign currency for wheat imports, which are primarily derived from coffee and oilseed exports. The increasing imbalance between supply and demand for wheat presents serious policy issues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of wheat policy, and wheat processing industrial policy on wheat yield and production using Vector Error Correction (VEC) and Tobit models. The comparative use of both Tobit and vector error correction models enables useful critiques of the applicability of both models. The models' results indicated that wheat policy had significant and positive effects on wheat yield and production. Importantly, the sign of the estimated coefficients is consistent across the models (i.e., Tobit and VEC models). More specifically, the estimated coefficients for technical change, market coordination, and integrated wheat policy interventions were positive, thereby confirming that the implementation of wheat policy interventions would significantly increase wheat production and productivity. Wheat yield and production were elastic due to policy interventions in the long run (i.e., elasticities values of wheat yield and output are greater than 1.00 unit). The results imply that wheat policy is important to increase wheat production and productivity by increasing the level of adoption of wheat technologies that shift from inelasticities to elasticities of wheat yield and production due to changes in the demand and price incentive in the long-run. The current supply-demand gap in wheat was 44%. In the long run, if the government implements the suggested wheat policy initiatives, this disparity might be decreased from 44 to 7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the study is to identify the determinants of wheat value chain in case of North Shewa Zone of Amhara region, Ethiopia. The researchers used multistage purposive random sampling technique to select representative households in the study area. The ordinary least square output revealed that production of wheat, price of wheat and secondary and tertiary education of the household positively and significantly affect supply of wheat to the market. On the other hand, distance from the market and distance from the main road have negative and significant effect on supply of wheat. Moreover, the multinomial logit regression result showed that household family size and market information have positive and significant effect while distance from the market and ownership of livestock have negative and significant effect on smallholder farmers' market participation. The binary logit model also indicates that land holding, access to market information, total livestock and primary education affected positively and significantly. Therefore, policies aiming at increasing farmer's awareness of producing value added wheat produce to enhance value creations are recommended to strengthen chain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regions in high latitudes are experiencing greater climate change than other regions. In this study, the impact of temperature and precipitation on the yield of fifteen cultivars (eight barley [Hordeum vulgare], four oat [Avena sativa], and three wheat [Triticum aestivum]) from a small grain field experiment in Fairbanks and Delta Junction, Alaska, from 1978 to 2018 were analyzed to evaluate their sensitivity to variation in climate that occurred during this period. Using first-difference time series of log yield change and the changes of determinant weather (maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation) as variables, linear regression and Bayesian simulation models were fitted for analysis. Results showed that of fifteen cultivars, two barley and one wheat had a consistent yield reduction (p < .05) in both locations over the test period. The remaining cultivars, though they experienced a yield reduction, the degree of the change varied by individual cultivar depending on the location (from -10.3 to 4.1 percent). For impact of temperature and precipitation, the majority of cultivars of three small grains decreased in yield (2.4-22.5 percent per degree) with elevated temperature but increased in yield (2.4-6.0 percent per centimeter) with higher precipitation. Over the growing season, increased temperatures and reduced total precipitation in June and July reduced the yields of cultivars. The results suggest that cultivar response to climate change differed by location. Nevertheless, elevated temperature and lower precipitation appear to be the variables causing a decrease in yield. Therefore, selection of cultivars under climate change scenarios in different locations is imperative, and this study provides insight for future small grain cultivar selections in Alaska. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to investigate the potential of Piriformospora indica and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to ameliorate salinity stress in HD 2967 wheat cultivar. Plants were treated with four different levels of salinity viz. 0, 50, 100 and 200 mM NaCl (electrical conductivity value 0.01, 5.84, 11.50 and 21.4 mS cm−1, respectively) under greenhouse conditions, using a completely randomized design experiment. Plants inoculated with PGPB and P. indica showed decrease in lipid peroxidation, relative membrane permeability and lipoxygenase enzyme (LOX) activity as compared to uninoculated plants. The result of this study showed that PGPB and P. indica inoculated HD 2967 wheat plants accumulated higher content of proline, α-tocopherol and carotenoid as compared to uninoculated plants. The HD 2967 wheat plants either inoculated with PGPB or P. indica showed significantly higher activities of antioxidant enzymes viz. superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase than that of the uninoculated plants. Moreover, PGPB inoculated plants showed greater activity of antioxidant enzymes than the plants inoculated with P. indica. Salinity stress tolerance was more pronounced in the PGPB inoculated than P. indica inoculated plants. This study revealed the potentiality of PGPB and P. indica as bio-ameliorator under salinity stress, and suggests that this plant microbial association could be a promising biotechnological tool to combat the deleterious effects of salinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hessian fly causes severe economic losses in host wheat. The genome complexity of hexaploid wheat makes functional characterization of candidate defense genes extremely challenging. Kitaake rice, a model and simpler genome, exhibits responses resembling nonhost resistance to Hessian fly. Larvae feeding on Kitaake rice plants do not develop beyond first-instars similar to resistant host wheat, although, they show prolonged survival. Kitaake nonhost differs from nonhost Brachypodium, where some larvae develop into second-instars. Kitaake rice plants exhibit a molecular response similar to not only resistant but also susceptible host wheat for six Hessian fly-responsive biomarker genes assayed. Further, in Kitaake, lectins and secondary metabolites may play an important role in early defense preventing the larvae from developing. The phenotypic and molecular characterization of Kitaake rice reveals its suitability as a surrogate model genome for undertaking downstream functional genomics studies of candidate wheat genes that respond to Hessian fly larval attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histone monoubiquitination has an important role in the regulation of DNA replication, repair, and transcription in plants. Here, we report the molecular function of wheat histone H2B monoubiquitination enzyme 2 (TaHUB2). The full length of TaHUB2 contains a Really Interesting New Gene (RING) domain and its encoded protein was localized in both nucleus and cytoplasm. We also find TaHUB2 directly interacts with histone H2B in yeast and tobacco. The transcription level of TaHUB2 was decreased as the increased vernalization periods until 50 d. The TaHUB2 exhibited ubiquitination activities and were rapidly degraded in the cell-free extracts with apparently 3–6 h after vernalization compared with non-vernalization. Moreover, histone H2B was mono-ubiquitinated by TaHUB2 and ubiquitylated histone H2B (H2Bub1) level was decreased after vernalization conditions in wheat. These results provide novel information for understanding the molecular characterization of wheat RING-type E3 ligase and their possible roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioconcentration factors and two methods for estimating the bioavailable fraction of Cd and Zn were evaluated to their concentrations in young silage maize under different phosphate and crop management. The DGT technique and the extraction method with NH4NO3 indicated a moderate correlation to Cd levels in maize. After the first crop rotation, Cd bioavailability increased under high-banded P fertilization, indicating a potential accumulation of labile Cd in arable soil in a short period of time. This effect was not visible in the Cd uptake by the following maize crop. P placement strongly affected Zn concentration in maize. A previous legume crop enhanced Cd bioavailability and Cd uptake compared with a wheat crop rotation. Particular attention should be paid to interactions between essential and toxic elements (P, Zn, and Cd), P overfertilization, and high Cd contents in P fertilizers even in the short term to prevent accumulation of labile Cd in soil-maize systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercropping (IC) can reduce nitrogen fertilizer requirements, supress weeds, and improve crop yields and yield stability. Three field trials were conducted in Denmark in 2018 with intercropping and sole crops (SC) using spring wheat, barley, faba bean and field pea to compare productivity under five fertilizer levels. The trials were carried out using in a split-plot design with four. Anomalous weather during the 2018 cropping season created drought conditions and high temperatures above 31°C. No effect of fertilizer treatment was found, and total dry matter and grain yields were supressed in all systems. Wheat grain yields averaged 2.14 t ha−1 across systems, ranging from 1.58 t ha−1 as a component of the IC to 2.44 t ha−1 as SC, and barley grain yields averaged 2.35 t ha−1. Faba bean yielded 1.78 t ha−1 as SC, but failed in the IC. Pea failed in both systems. Intercropping barley with cover crops had no effect on grain yield or total dry matter. These results suggest that intercropping provided no production advantage during a drought and illuminate the need to continue conducting research and breeding on drought-resistant cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-sufficiency ratio and national average yield of wheat are low in Japan. Reducing the yield gap and receiving the government subsidy for grain quality are vital strategies for profitability. Elucidating optimum nitrogen application scheme is awaited to attain both higher yield and appropriate grain protein content (GPC) for wheat cultivation in Japan. Such decision support can be realized by integrating field experimental knowledge to crop growth models, although they have scarcely been utilized for wheat production in Japan. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to apply a widely used crop growth model (APSIM) to wheat growth on an Andosol in the Kanto region in Japan by calibration and validation. Selected model parameters of APSIM-wheat for phenology, leaf growth, and grain formation were readjusted based on the phenology and growth data of soft and hard wheat cultivars. Then the model was validated by using similar variables obtained in an independent experiment. For the simulation of the optimum sowing for winter wheat in the Kanto area (November), the root mean square error for grain yield was 23 and 48 g m−2 for Ayahikari and Yumeshiho varieties, respectively, and that for GPC was 1.9 and 1.4%. Thus, the overall model performance was acceptable for optimum sowing. However, grain yield and dry matter production were significantly overestimated when the data of late sowing groups were included. Therefore, further model improvement was suggested to add an algorithm to reduce the number of emerged plants under cold temperature in late sowing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production requires a large amount of nitrogen (N) supply because growers aim to achieve high grain yield and appropriate grain protein content simultaneously. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that underpin efficient N usage at limited N in wheat can facilitate the development of new N-saving varieties in this major crop. Here, we performed comparative analysis of flag leaf responses to N availability in soft red winter wheat with contrasting N use efficiency (NUE); VA08MAS-369 (high NUE) and VA07W-415 (low NUE). This study demonstrated that accelerated senescence along with enhanced breakdown of protein and starch in flag leaves was correlated with higher grain yield, NUE for grain yield, and NUE for grain protein under N limitation. The more dramatic reductions in flag leaf N compounds and carbohydrate reserves in VA08MAS-369 were linked with significantly elevated expression of genes and enzymes associated with these metabolic pathways in this high NUE genotype. Consistent with the gene expression data, nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, and NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activities were highly induced under limited N in VA08MAS-369. It was previously reported that accelerated senescence contributes to increased grain protein content in wheat under regular N supply. This study provides molecular and physiological evidence that vigorous senescence and N remobilization also benefit grain yield under N deprivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation agriculture using crop rotations and residue management is increasingly accepted in conventional agricultural systems. However, the effects on crop productivity and soil properties of different rotations, levels of use, and residue management have yet to be fully understood. Our study considered the effect of three previous crops (bread wheat, durum wheat, and corn) and four levels of residue incorporation (0%, 50%, 100%, and 200%) in a split plot design with four replicates on canola production parameters and soil chemical properties at the end of this crop. Production parameters and soil chemical properties were mostly affected by the previous crop and less by the residue incorporation rates under the conditions of this experiment; however, neither of these factors affected grain yield (ranging from 4.0 to 4.8 Mg ha−1). Canola residue production was higher (9.7%) after the corn crop, regardless of the residue incorporation rate, but the harvest index was lower after this crop. Most of the soil chemical properties were also affected, revealing increased organic matter and exchangeable K when the previous crop was corn and decreased concentrations of the cations with basic reaction when the previous crop was durum wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]