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Zinc (Zn) deficiency and salt stress are well-known soil problems and often happen parallelly in cultivated soils. In this study, Zn-amino acid complexes (Zn-AAc) were used as a source of Zn to determine their effects on salt-induced damage in wheat plants. The bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cvs. Kavir) was supplied with Zn-glycine (Zn-Gly), Zn-alanine (Zn-Ala), and ZnSO4 as Zn sources at three salinity levels (EC 2, 4 and 6 dS m-). Salinity caused a significant decrease in shoot dry matter and grain yield of wheat, but this negative effect was significantly improved by the application of Zn-AAc. Salt stress decreased shoot and grain Zn concentration, but this reduction was lower in plants supplied by Zn-AAc. Calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) concentrations were increased in a shoot by salinity stress while decreased in grain. Sodium (Na) concentration decreased in shoot and grain by using Zn-AAc. At all of the salinity levels, wheat supplied with Zn-AAc had lower lipid peroxidation compared to those grown under the ZnSO4 source. Application of Zn-AAc increased the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the roots of wheat plants in saline conditions. Based on the results, the adverse effects of salinity stress on wheat plants can moderately improve with Zn-AAc application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) and recovery with nitrogen (N) fertilization rates in crop rotations need further exploration. The effect of cropping sequence and N fertilization rate were evaluated on spring wheat N concentration and uptake, N harvest index (NHI), N-use efficiency (NUE), and N recovery index (NRI) from 2012 to 2019 in the northern Great Plains, USA. Cropping sequences were conventional till spring wheat-fallow (CTWF), no-till spring wheat-fallow (NTWF), no-till spring wheat-pea (Pisum sativum L.) (NTWP), and no-till continuous spring wheat (NTCW), and N fertilization rates to spring wheat were 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha−1. Straw N concentration and N uptake were greater for CTWF than NTWP and NTCW in 4 out of 8 years and increased with increased N fertilization rate. Grain N concentration and NHI varied with treatments and years. Grain N uptake was greater for CTWF and NTWF than NTWP and NTCW at most N fertilization rates and years. In contrast, NUE was greater for NTCW than CTWF and NTWF at all N fertilization rates in most years. The NRI was greater for NTWP or NTCW than CTWF or NTWF in most years. Increasing N fertilization rate increased grain N uptake for most cropping sequences in all years but had a variable effect on NUE and NRI. Although spring wheat N concentration and N uptake were superior for CTWF and NTWF, and NUE for NTCW, NTWP with 50 to 100 kg N ha−1 can be used to sustain grain yield, N uptake, NUE, and NRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is a crop of great food importance for food production in Brazil. However, the improvement of this crop is still concentrated in isolated areas, which hinders advances in new cultivation regions due to the extensive demand for existing information. In this investigation, four wheat genotypes analysed to study associations and interrelationships between wheat traits across nine environments during the agricultural years of 2016, 2017 and 2018. The experiment was conducted using a randomised block design with four repetitions, and the analysis was divided into two groups: morphological and productive traits of wheat, comprising three and eleven characteristics, respectively. Canonical correlations between the morphological and productive groups were found to be dependent in most environments. Taller plants with longer main spikes and longer tiller spikes can be indirectly selected to increase grain yield under different sowing conditions. The information generated in this study indicate that some care must be taken when using the interrelations between trait groups to select or recommend genotypes for broader regions, as these relationships are influenced by the specific conditions of each region and sub-region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yields realized under rice-wheat rotation are generally low in the geographical regions prone to B deficiency and a sound B application schedule recommendation is required for the sustainable yields and enhanced soil fertility. The effect of different B application schedules involving different dosages and frequency of B application was investigated on yields and B nutrition of rice-wheat rotation and changes in the chemical fractions of B in soil in six years field study carried out on a sandy loam (Typic hapludoll). Based on the average grain yields of rice and wheat during the period of experimentation, application of 1.5 kg B as borax ha−1 to rice crop on alternate years was the profitable practice for mollisols as it gave an average yearly production of 5.51 t of rice grain and 4.28 t of wheat grain ha−1. The average concentration of B in flag leaves and grains of rice was much lower compared to wheat crop. The recommended schedule of B application to rice-wheat rotation resulted in a Benefit: Cost ratio of 11: 1 and also maintained the optimum level of B in soil. Most of the added B markedly increased specifically bound (0.05 M KH2PO4 extractable), ammonium oxalate (pH 3.3) extractable fractions followed by residual and organically bound fraction in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

There are doubts about nitrogen (N) management and the use of growth regulator in wheat. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the wheat performance as a function of topdressing N applied at different phenological stages of crop, and the use of trinexapac-ethyl (TE) growth regulator associated with N fertilization in subtropical regions in southern Brazil. In each environment, two experiments were carried out, all with an experimental design in 2 × 4 factorial scheme. The factors in experiment 1 were topdressing N application at seedling emergence and tillering stages and N rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg N ha−1); and in experiment 2: use of TE (with and without) and N rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg N ha−1) applied at tillering. The augment of N in topdressing increases the lodging. The use of TE minimizes the lodging. In environment with irrigation, the application of intermediate N rates at crop emergence reduces lodging. The yield components are altered by the rates and stages of N application, with variable responses according to the cultivation environment. The stage of application does not affect grain yield. N fertilization increases the yield, being that in Ponta Grossa the wheat is more responsive to higher N input. In certain environments, TE reduces the number of spikes m−2 and increases the number of grains per spike. TE impairs yield when associated with N non-application in topdressing. On the other hand, it maximizes the effect of N fertilization on yield, when using higher N rates in topdressing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study (pot experiment) investigated and compared the effectiveness of Se(VI) and Se(IV) application at a rate of 1.25 mg Se kg−1 soil on growth, physiology, yield and As uptake by spring wheat on an uncontaminated and As-contaminated (1.5 mg kg−1) soil. Selenate improved wheat grain yield, relative water contents, membrane stability index, total chlorophylls, and antioxidant activities up to 43%, 18.6%, 9.5%, 16.4% and 15–46%, respectively, compared to control under As-contaminated soil. As compared to Se(IV), in accordance with above results, Se(VI) application resulted in 5-fold higher grain Se concentration and 4.4-fold higher grain Se uptake, which are partially explained by 1.3-fold higher root to grain Se translocation factor in Se(VI)-fed plants under As-contaminated soil. Concomitantly, Se(VI) offered a stronger competitive effect on As uptake thereby reducing its concentration in grains by 11% and in shoots by 44%. Translocation factor of As from root to shoots and to grains was 33% and 14.2%, respectively lesser in Se(VI)-fed plants. Thus, it is concluded that Se(VI) application, through its beneficial effects on root morphological traits, improvement in antioxidant activity and physiological behavior, is highly effective in reducing As toxicity on yield and As accumulation in wheat grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bread wheat is one of the key food grains in Ethiopia. However, its production and productivity are affected by stripe rust. The objective of this study was to investigate and develop integrated management options for stripe rust using varieties and fungicide application frequency in the study area. A field experiment was conducted at Enarj Enawuga district in the Metaya Kebele farmer training center during the 2022 main cropping season. There were sixteen total treatment combinations [four bread wheat varieties (Ogolcho, Lemu, Hidase, and Local as check), and four Tilt 250 EC fungicide application frequencies (nil, 1, 2, and 3 times)]. The design of the experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with factorial arrangements within three replications. Both disease and yield-related data were collected and analyzed using SAS 9.4 software. The disease and yield parameters showed a significant (p < 0.01) difference, and all treated plots had higher yield and lower disease severity than untreated plots. On the untreated plots, the final mean stripe rust severity was 18.53%, 22.57%, 36.73%, and 57.63% on Ogolcho, Lemu, Hidase, and local varieties, respectively. The maximum disease control was recorded from Ogolcho variety (61.31%) with a three-time application of Tilt 250EC. Grain yield and thousand kernel weight increment were obtained at 79.72% and 17.37% from Ogolcho, 100% and 23.44% from Lemu, 94.85% and 34.54% from Hidase, and 102.85% and 49.56% from local varieties treated by three times of Tilt 250EC, respectively. A higher yield reduction and AUDPC (114 DAS) were recorded from untreated plots of local (50.70%, 2,031.49% days−1), and Hidase (48.68%, 1,020.6% days−1) varieties, receptively. The 15-day interval application frequency of Propiconazole increased the grain yield of all tested varieties and reduced stripe rust severity. The Ogolcho variety treated three times yielded the maximum net benefit (216,750 Birr/ha) with an accepted marginal rate of return (22,810%). Therefore, based on the results obtained, producers use the Ogolcho variety with three-time application of propiconazole fungicide for optimum wheat production and could be recommended to manage stripe rust in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water footprint (WF), water productivity of wheat (WWP) and interrelationships among water footprint components under conservation (CST) and conventional (CT) tillage were evaluated for two cropping years in this study. Results revealed that WF in CST was lower than that in CT one. While, WWP in CST was higher than that acquired from CT. The total, green, blue and gray WF in conservation (vs. conventional) tillage averaged 1319 (vs. 1629), 108 (vs. 152), 621 (vs. 737) and 590 (vs. 740) m3 t−1. The gray WF had the highest total and direct effects on total WF. Also, higher grain yield (3857 kg ha−1), straw yield (5065 kg ha−1) and WWP (1.01 kg m−3) acquired from CST. The findings revealed that CST is the appropriate tillage practice to reduce total WF (19%) compared to CT, to enhance crop yield and productivity in wheat production. [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]

Rice straw (RS), biochar (BC) and lime (LM) have proved to be effective immobilizing agents in acidic contaminated soil. Up-to-date scientific data is lacking regarding residual effects of these amendments in acidic soils and wheat/rice cropping system. The objective was to analyze the efficacy of amendments to improve grain yields, nutritional quality, and reduce Ni bioavailability of wheat/rice rotation system. A pot experiment was conducted to examine the efficacy of RS, BC 10 and 20 g kg−1 and LM 10 g kg−1 application rates on plant growth, nutritional quality and Ni contents in wheat and rice tissues and grain. Amendments enhanced Ni immobilization, declined their uptake by plants and accumulation in the grains of both crops. Rice straw biochar reduced several factors like health risk assessment, Ni uptake and bioconcentration factor. BC 20 g kg−1 increased shoot, root and grain yields, while enhanced essential nutrients in the wheat/rice cropping system compared to untreated soil. Soil amendments significantly decreased toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP) extractable Ni by 42.25% and 42.62% and simple bioaccessibility extraction test (SBET) by 42.1% and 45.25% in post- wheat/rice crops. This process enhanced the safety of wheat/rice rotation cropping system to be consumed and mitigated security risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity stress poses a significant threat to agriculture, as it directly impacts crop growth and yield. The current study aimed at examining the role of foliar nano-silicate (nSiO2) and nano-zinc (nZnO) applications in increasing wheat productivity and nitrogen (N) use efficiency under salt stress conditions. A two-season field experiment was carried out on sandy soils irrigated with water from high-saline wells (4352 and 7040 mg L−1). The study was conducted in a split-plot design, with main plots assigned to three treatments of foliar application of nSiO2, nZnO, and control (nZero), and sub-plots assigned to six N fertilizer rates (0–300 kg N ha−1). The use of nSiO2 and nZnO increased wheat grain yield by 67 and 48% on average over nZero, respectively. When average wheat grain yields were plotted against increasing N fertilizer rates, a quadratic response curve was observed. Derivative solutions of the quadratic functions indicated that grain yield plateaued at 4641, 4560, and 3182 kg ha−1 for nSiO2, nZnO, and nZero treatments, respectively. The optimal N fertilizer rates for these yield levels were calculated to be 290, 353, and 386 kg N ha−1. When the net returns to N fertilizer and nano-material use were considered, nSiO2 had the highest net returns and the lowest optimal N fertilizer rate (229 kg N ha−1), followed by nZnO (272 kg N ha−1). The findings of the field experiment demonstrated that foliar spraying wheat with nSiO2 and nZnO under salt stress conditions enhances productivity as well as responsiveness to N fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the experiment was to investigate the relationship between the accumulation of polyamines during the filling period of wheat grain with yield and grain protein under dryland and supplemental irrigation (SI) conditions and also the effect of foliar spraying of urea on the amount of polyamines in grain a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications during two cropping seasons. The examined treatments included water availability (dryland and SI), wheat cultivars (Homa, Sardari, Rijaw, Ouhadi, and Azar2), and foliar application of urea (control and 4% urea foliar application). The results demonstrated that SI (10%) reduced and urea foliar (12%) application increased the percent of grain protein. SI reduced the contents of three PAs by 24%: spermine, spermidine, and putrescine. But urea foliar application increased the three PAs in the first and second years by 31% and 27% in dryland conditions and 12% and 4% in SI conditions, respectively. These results indicated that there is less need for PAs in SI conditions, and they thus exhibit poorer accumulation in the grain; in dryland conditions, however, their content increases with greater access to foliar nitrogen. Older cultivars Sardari and Azar 2 had more polyamines. According to the observed positive correlation between 1000-grain weight and the three PAs under stress conditions, PAs are probably involved in the improvement of grain filling, and urea foliar application can affect drought tolerance by increasing PA accumulation. Moreover, cadaverine exhibited a different function from the other PAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low availability of manganese (Mn) induces its deficiency in wheat grown particularly in course textured soil. Growing Mn efficient and responsive genotypes on light textured soils is sustainable approach to higher Mn accumulation in wheat grain. For this, sixteen wheat genotypes viz. bread, durum and triticale, were investigated for two years with foliar application of Mn. Diverse wheat genotypes responded differently toward yield and quality parameters. Maximum increment in grain and straw yield was observed in PDW314 (39.3%) and TL2908 (26.1%), over control. On the other hand, Mn concentration in grain and straw increased to maximum in PDW 274 (51.3%) and PBW621 (51.2%), over control. Among bread, durum and triticale genotypes, PBW343U (61.8%), PDW274 (91%) and TL2969 (37.8%) strongly responded to Mn application and supported by higher Mn accumulation. Average grain yield efficiency index (GYEI) and Mn accumulation efficiency index (MAEI) were 89.0 and 71.7, respectively. Due to higher yield and higher Mn accumulation than GYEI and MAEI, the genotypes HD2967, PBW725, PBW677, PBWZn1, TL2969, PDW233 were categorized as efficient and responsive, which may prove beneficial for wheat production at large scale under Mn deficient soil. Additional supply of Mn also significantly improved the phenolic content, flavonoids content and total antioxidant activity, while reducing the tannins and phytate content in all genotypes. Based on obtained results, PBW677, PBWZn1 and TL2969 were screened as most desirable genotypes as they possess high GYEI, MAEI, high antioxidant activity and low antinutrient content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress during the grain filling is one of most critical factors impacting grain yield in winter wheat. In a two-year field experiment, we studied the effects of 24-Epicastasterone and KH2PO4 on heat-stressed wheat applied during different times. A completely randomized block design was used with three reagents, that is, 24-Epicastasterone, KH2PO4 and H2O and three spraying times, that is, pre-heat, under-heat and post-heat. Two cultivars, that is, Huaimai 33 and Annong 0711 were subjected to a 7 d post-flowering heat stress using plastic tents. Our study suggests that greater grain weight in heat-stressed plants was achieved through sustaining leaf greenness and higher assimilates supplies to grains. When heat-stressed plants sprayed either with 24-Epicastasterone or KH2PO4 could sustain a relatively higher leaf photosynthetic capacity by up-regulating antioxidant enzymes with reduced damage on lipid membranes and leaf chlorophyll. We also found that KH2PO4 was relatively more effective in improving leaf physiology and grain yield of heat-stressed plants than 24-Epicastasterone. Further analysis showed that pre-heat or post-heat was more pronounced in protecting plants from heat injury than spraying the plants under heat stress. Thus, spraying KH2PO4 either prior to or post stress incidence is recommended to protect wheat crops from terminal heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain yield and protein concentration are critical traits determining wheat economic value and are dependent on nitrogen (N) supply and crop N status. However, application of N fertilisers is costly and has a large environmental footprint. We assessed the effect of slow-release rock mineral fertiliser (RMF) with or without microbial consortium inoculant (MI) on growth, grain yield and protein content of winter wheat grown in a low-fertility soil. The experiment was set up with three factors [RMF rates (0, 10 and 20 mg N kg−1 soil), MI (with and without) and two wheat genotypes] replicated four times and harvested twice (anthesis and maturity). The addition of MI increased root biomass at anthesis, but there was no effect at maturity. The shoot and grain nutrient content and protein yield were highest in plants treated with 20 mg N kg−1 soil. The plants treated with MI resulted in lower grain protein concentration than without MI. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonisation was higher in treatment with than without MI. The application of RMF at 20 mg N kg−1 soil produced higher plant growth, nutrient content, grain and protein yield compared to control in nutrient-poor sandy soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the implications of long-term farm yard manure (FYM) use on chemical and microbial properties of Inceptisol in the North-Western Plain Zone of India, and their correlation with yield and protein content of wheat grains. FYM was used at four different doses (0, 10, 20, 30 t ha−1) with recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) as standard practice before sowing of both rice and wheat under rice-wheat cropping system. Application of FYM at 30 t ha−1 significantly enhanced the electrical conductivity (36.36%), nitrogen (29.79%), phosphorus (216.75%), potassium (280.15%), zinc (186.90%), copper (24.23%), organic carbon (130.77%), organic matter (132.43%), operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of top 30 bacterial classes (82.27%), genera (73.95%), plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB, 86.00%) and lignocellulose degrading bacteria (LDB, 109.14%) over recommended NPK at p value of 0.05. Significantly high plant biomass (14.21 t ha−1) and grain yield (5.69 t ha−1) were obtained in recommended NPK treatment, followed by 30 t ha−1 FYM treatment, whereas significantly higher grain protein was obtained in 30 t ha−1 FYM treatment at p value of 0.05. The abundance of top 30 bacterial classes was highest under 30 t ha−1 FYM (100117), while lowest under recommended NPK treatment (54928). This treatment also witnessed highest presence of all beneficial bacterial classes, top 30 bacterial genera, PGPB and LDB. Highest up-regulated bacterial genes in recommended NPK, and superior soil quality parameters (nutrient profile and microbial diversity) in 30 t ha−1 FYM, indicate that sustainable yields and quality are achievable by using a balanced amount of inorganic fertilizers and organic manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in durum wheat (Triticum durum L.) is of particular concern compared to the other commonly cultivated cereals. This study was conducted to determine the effects of zinc (Zn) and nitrogen (N) applications on grain Cd concentration of durum wheat grown in a Cd contaminated soil. The experimental design consisted of randomized plots with four replications. The treatments included low and adequate (0.05 and 5 mg kg−1) Zn doses, and inadequate, optimal and high (200, 400 and 600 mg kg−1) N doses. Cadmium application rates were 0 and 5 mg kg−1. The findings demonstrated that Cd application caused a significant increase in grain Cd concentrations, and a decrease in straw and grain yields under low and adequate doses of Zn and all N doses. However, increasing N applications with adequate soil Zn caused an increase in the straw and grain yields and a significant decrease in grain Cd concentration. The grain Cd concentration in low Zn and optimum N treatment under Cd application was 6206 µg kg−1, while the grain Cd concentration decreased by 26.3% (4574 µg kg−1) in the Zn and optimum N treatment. In addition, the grain Zn concentration of durum wheat under low soil Zn conditions was decreased in Cd application, whereas the grain Zn concentration increased in Cd application under adequate soil Zn concentration. The results revealed that combined application of N and Zn in Zn deficient soils is highly effective at decreasing Cd accumulation in wheat grains compared to individual applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N), the most vital nutrient, undergoes a transformation in the soil and was subjected to loss through ammonia volatilization, nitrate leaching, and denitrification, which lower the soil fertility, crop yield and pollute the environment. Integrated nutrient management (INM) improves the nutrient supply system by integrating recommended dose fertilizers and biofertilizers, lessens the nitrogen losses, and synchronizes with the nutrient demand of the crop. To evaluate the impact of INM on minimization of N losses and improvement of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield and growth parameters, a field experiment was conducted with different combinations of biofertilizers along with the recommended dosage of fertilizers. Application of NPK + Azotobacter + mycorrhiza (Tram) in combination was found to improve soil nitrogen dynamics, availability of P, K, microbial activity, root growth, urease activity, and nitrogen use efficiency as compared to NPK (Tr) only. The cumulative emission from ammonia flux in the INM plot varied from 10.2 to 10.6 kg ha−1 and denitrification losses varied from 2.4 to 2.5 kg ha−1. At the same time, these were recorded significantly higher in Tr plot. The yield obtained under the INM plot receiving Tram was recorded as 6.4 t ha−1, which is higher than other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Irish distilling industry is rapidly expanding, diversifying its growth with an increased interest in using different grains in whiskey production. To effectively use Irish-grown wheat in distillation, the identification of cultivars that are suited to the Irish climate and provide high alcohol yields, via a quick screening test for grain alcohol yield that is consistent with Irish industry standards, is required. The current study used response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize mashing parameters, enzyme dosage rate (α-amylase and amyloglucosidase), time, temperature, and malt inclusion rate, using a hard wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Costello). By optimizing all factors, a maximum alcohol yield (AY) of 471 LA/tonne dry weight basis was achieved, equating to previous research. The enzyme, α-amylase plays a critical part in the process, of converting starch to sugars, and 48 U/g α-amylase was used to reach maximum alcohol yield. Furthermore, an optimal protocol was evaluated on soft wheat cultivars, producing alcohol yields in the range of 483–496 LA/tonne, suggesting the applicability of this product for use across multiple varieties and grain endosperm types. In summary, an optimal alcohol yield methodology was created, with increased AY across four distinct varieties, demonstrating the possibility for Irish cultivated wheat to be used in Irish distilleries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the foliar application of B, Zn, and Mn nano-chelates in separate and combined forms and determine what level of nano-chelates fertilizer treatment most significantly enhances the grain yield of wheat (Azar-2 cultivar) under rainfed and supplementary irrigation conditions. The experiment was performed as a split-plot experiment with three replications in two crop years (2014–2015). The main plot included two irrigation regimes ((I1) rainfed irrigation and (I2) supplementary irrigation) during two stages of development (spike emergence and grain filling). The sub-plot had eight foliar application levels: B, Zn, Mn, B + Zn, B + Mn, Zn + Mn, B + Zn + Mn, and distilled water (control). The foliar application of B, Zn, and Mn nano-chelates combined with supplementary irrigation or its sole application dramatically increased wheat's resistance to drought stress. Thousand kernel weight and the number of kernels per spike play a decisive role in grain yield. Therefore, the foliar application of nano-fertilizers can increase grain yield by improving these components. The highest grain yield (2528.33 kg/ha−1) was obtained in the supplementary irrigation condition after the combined foliar application of B + Mn + Zn nano-chelates. This condition led to a 41% increase compared to the highest grain yield obtained under rainfed conditions after the foliar application of Zn nano-chelates (1490 kg/ha−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation interception, radiation use efficiency (RUE) and harvest index (HI) are the key determinants of grain yield in cereal species. However, little is known about how these traits affect grain yield among spring wheat genotypes grown under low and optimum nitrogen (N) fertiliser supply. We used two experiments, in a field (Experiment 1; 2017–2018) and glasshouse (Experiment 2; 2018–2019) to investigate the effects of these traits on grain yield. Grain yield increased by 35% with increasing N fertiliser supply to 8.80 t/ha in Experiment 1 and 151% to 8.33 t/ha in Experiment 2. Grain yield was lowest for 'Reliance' and highest for 'Discovery' in both experiments. Differences in grain yield were not associated with HI. As the RUE did not differ among genotypes, the yield differences were attributed to the different amounts of radiation intercepted; a result of the faster leaf area expansion rate (LAER) and subsequent higher maximum green leaf area index (GLAI), and a longer leaf area duration (LAD). The differences in LAER and maximum GLAI among the genotypes were associated with a differences in specific leaf area (cm2/g). Our results suggest that improved grain yields in spring wheat can be achieved by focusing breeding efforts on canopy characteristics to increase radiation interception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer-use efficiency (20 − 50%) is low in wheat fields in India. Coated urea can increase N-use efficiency in wheat, but a desirable coating for use with urea is not widely accepted yet. Therefore, to study the efficacy of coated urea on productivity and economics of wheat, an experiment was conducted at Research Farm of SKUAST-J, India, during winter season of 2017 − 2018 and 2018 − 2019. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 11 treatment combinations, replicated thrice. The treatments comprised of various doses of different types of coated urea viz prilled urea, Neem coated urea (NCU), Zinc coated urea (ZnCU), and Neem + Zinc coated urea (NCU + ZnCU). Different doses of coated urea fertilizers showed significant effect on the growth, yield, economics, and nutrient uptake of wheat crop. Application of 100% of recommended (Rec.) nitrogen (N) through ZnCU + Rec. Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and Zinc (Zn) (T8) showed significantly better growth, yield attributing characters and grain and straw yield, during both the years of study and remained statistically at par with the application of 85% of Rec. N through ZnCU + Rec. P, K, & Zn (T7), 100% of Rec. N through NCU + ZnCU + Rec. P, K, & Zn (T11), 85% of Rec. N through NCU + ZnCU + Rec. P, K, & Zn(T10) and 100% of Rec. N through NCU + Rec. P, K, & Zn (T5).Similarly, nutrient uptake (N, K and Zn), net returns, and B:C ratio were also observed to be significantly higher with the application of 100% of Rec. N through ZnCU + Rec. P, K, & Zn than other treatments. However, maximum mean Agronomic use efficiency (AUE) and Recovery use efficiency (RUE) of 36.2% and 30.0%, respectively, were found with the application of 85% of Rec. N through ZnCU + Rec. P, K, & Zn (T7) over the application of100% of Rec. N through urea + Rec. P, K, & Zn(T2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of a dose of fertilizer nitrogen (N) at sowing of wheat is a widely adopted management strategy in Egypt and several wheat growing regions in the world. The objective of this investigation was to study the effect of delaying the application of this dose on yield and N use efficiency. The treatments in the field experiment conducted in 2018/19 consisted of applying 150, 200, 250 and 300 kg N ha−1 in three equal split doses. In the second experiment conducted in 2019/20, 200 and 250 kg N ha−1 were applied in three unequal split doses. In both the experiments, the first split dose was applied at 0, 10 or 20 days after sowing (DAS) while second and third split doses were applied at 30 and 50 DAS, respectively. The data indicated that applying the first dose of N at 0 DAS resulted in highest N uptake levels at 20 DAS. However, N uptake at later stages dramatically changed to reach highest when applying the first dose at 20 or 10 DAS. This was significantly reflected on grain yield and N use efficiency. For example, when a total of 250 kg N ha−1 was applied in the second season, postponing the first dose from 0 to 20 DAS resulted in an increase of 10.5% in grain yield and 10% in N recovery efficiency. Thus, this study reveals that delaying application of the first dose of fertilizer N up to 20 DAS of wheat can result in increased fertilizer use efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective management of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are crucial for increasing crop production and productivity as they are associated with a number of enzymatic and physiological activities in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Field experiments were carried out during the winters of 2019˗˗20 and 2020˗˗21 to study the influence of varying levels of N, P, and K on crop performance, nutrient concentration, and uptake at various growth stages of wheat in mid-hill of Nepal. The study was conducted with factorial combinations of three N levels (100, 125, and 150 kg N ha−1), three P levels (25, 50, and 75 kg P2O5 ha−1) and three K levels (25, 50, and 75 kg K2O ha−1) in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Increasing N and K rates significantly (p <.05) increased total dry matter, grain yield, nutrient concentrations and uptakes in wheat. Pooled means showed significantly higher grain yields of 6.3 t ha−1 were obtained with N @ 125 kg ha−1, and K2O @ 50 kg ha−1 than lower rates. At maturity, average concentrations of N, P, and K in grain were 15.5, 3.6, and 5.8 g kg−1, respectively, and 5.4, 0.9, and 10.9 g kg−1 in straw, respectively, depending on the rate of NPK applied. N and P were mostly accumulated in wheat grain, whereas K was found higher in wheat straw than in grain. The nutrient concentration values of grain and straw can be used as a reference for determining nutrient removal from soil using a yield-based technique in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation was carried out to determine the impact of seed priming i.e. non-primed and primed seed with 2.0% KCl for 12 hr and twice foliar nutrition i.e. no spray, 0.5% ZnSO4, 0.5% CaCl2, 0.5% KNO3, and 2.0% urea on yield execution of normal sown (November 28) and late sown (Late sown) wheat. The results revealed that in both years of study, wheat planted on November 28 produced significantly higher grain yield with a comparable difference in number of spikes per square meter, spike length, number of fertile spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, and 1000-grain weight. There was 23.0% and 24.0% decrease in grain yield for the late sowing on Late sown when compared with normal sowing on November 28 in first year and second year, respectively. Primed seeds were not significantly impacted in comparison to the non-primed seed. In contrast with no spray, spraying of various nutrients twice at maximum tillering and 80% flowering recorded significant improvement in yield of wheat crop. Highest yields were recorded with a foliar spray of 2.0% urea followed by 0.5% ZnSO4, 0.5% KNO3, and 0.5% CaCl2. The significant interaction between sowing dates and foliar spraying demonstrates that foliar spray of urea at the rate of 2.0% and ZnSO4 at the rate of 0.5% at maximum tillering and 80% flowering stage were financially more reasonable choices for both the planting dates and can increase grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water scarcity can limit yield productivity of wheat, and this issue can be controlled using various management practices. The main objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate how N application rates and water quality affect the yield productivity, and plant growth characterization and nitrogen uptake of wheat crop under water-limited conditions; 2) to describe the relationships between nitrogen application rates and yields of wheat plants at low-quality water application times; 3) to predict the efficiencies of applied N fertilizers at different rates and water use efficiency. Field experiments on wheat crop were conducted for two consecutive growing seasons (2016–2017) at a private farm at Abis-Alexandria. The experimental design was split-plot design with three replicates. The main plot was nitrogen application rates (0, 75, 150, and 225 kg N ha−1) in the form of urea fertilizer (46% N). The sub-main plot was low-quality water application (LQW) (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% from applied water requirements of wheat crop) co-applied with high-quality water (HQW). The obtained results indicated that the application of nitrogen fertilization with different rates significantly increased the economical and biological yields, grain/biological-nitrogen use efficiency, agronomic efficiency, nitrogen uptake, and water use efficiency for both grain and biological yields in the two seasons of cultivations. Moreover, the yield attributes such as spike length, number of plants and tillers were also significantly affected by N fertilization. Application of LQW at 25% and 50% co-applied with 75% and 50% HQW did not significantly decrease the yield and yield attributes of wheat in both seasons of cultivations. In contrast, the application of LQW at 75% co-applied with 25% HQW was significantly decreased the studied parameters. In conclusion, the best application ratio of LQW and HQW was 1:1 at 50% of LQW co-applied with 50% HQW at which the yield and its attributes of wheat did not significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat grain development is an important biological process to determine grain yield and quality, which is controlled by the interplay of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Wheat grain development has been extensively characterized at the phenotypic and genetic levels. The advent of innovative molecular technologies allows us to characterize genes, proteins, and regulatory factors involved in wheat grain development, which have enhanced our understanding of the wheat seed development process. However, wheat is an allohexaploid with a large genome size, the molecular mechanisms underlying the wheat grain development have not been well understood as those in diploids. Understanding grain development, and how it is regulated, is of fundamental importance for improving grain yield and quality through conventional breeding or genetic engineering. Herein, we review the current discoveries on the molecular mechanisms underlying wheat grain development. Notably, only a handful of genes that control wheat grain development have, thus far, been well characterized, their interplay underlying the grain development remains elusive. The synergistic network-integrated genomics and epigenetics underlying wheat grain development and how the subgenome divergence dynamically and precisely regulates wheat grain development are unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a major abiotic stress that limits wheat productivity around the globe. Therefore, a two-year (2019 and 2020) study was conducted in the experimental area of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture & Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan to estimate the association of quantitative attributes under normal and drought stress conditions. Twenty-five wheat genotypes from different research institutes of Pakistan were selected. Experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) under field conditions with three replicates each. Two irrigation treatments were used, i.e., E1 with full irrigation and E2 with irrigation withheld at tillering and anthesis stages according to Zadoks growth stage scale. Significant differences were observed in studied wheat genotypes under both conditions for all the traits. Correlation analysis revealed highest positive association (r = 0.924**) between grain yield and flag leaf area followed by thousand grain weight (r = 0.754**) under normal conditions while biological yield was highly correlated with grain yield (r = 0.890**) under drought stress. PCA showed that out of the 12 PCs, only four were significant having eigenvalues >1; accounting for 83.33% and 79.12% of the total variation under normal and drought stress conditions, respectively. Furthermore cluster heat map divided the genotypes into four clusters and revealed that the most tolerant genotypes (Barani-17, Chakwal-50 and Johar-2016) were fallen into cluster 2 depicting their genetic relatedness. Based on tolerance indices, genotypes G11 (Barani-17), G12 (Ehsan-16), and G13 (Dharabi-11) were drought tolerant and G4 (Benazir-13), G20 (Punjab-2011) were drought-sensitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field trials were conducted to evaluate wheat varieties and fungicides against yellow rust of wheat. Four wheat varieties (Digalu, Hidase, Danda'a, Honkolo) and two fungicides (Nativo SC 300, Tilt 250EC) were tested at two hotspot areas (Albazar and Alicho) of Southern Ethiopia. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. Nativo SC 300 resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) grain yield increment of 51%, 178.4% and 528.5% at Albazar and 85%, 206.1% and 586.2% at Alicho on the treated plot of Danda'a, Hidase and Digalu, respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between disease parameters and grain yield. Based on cost-benefit analysis, application of fungicides was cost effective in controlling the disease. The resistant variety Honkolo and Nativo SC 300 can be used for management of yellow rust and improve yield of wheat. [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]

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]

Global warming, as a result of climate change, may destructively affect wheat yield potentially increasing food insecurity and poverty. The field experiments were laid out during two consecutive rabi seasons of 2016–17 and 2017–18 at Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, to enhance wheat growth, quality, and productivity. The present experiment consisted of three sowing at different thermal environments (22°C, 20°C and 18°C) in main plot and eight foliar sprays of bio-regulators (control, water spray, salicylic acid @ 100 ppm, salicylic acid @ 200 ppm, thiosalicylic acid @ 100 ppm, thiosalicylic acid @ 200 ppm, thioglycolic acid @ 100 ppm, and thioglycolic acid @ 200 ppm) in subplot were set in a split-plot design with four replications. The pooled data indicated that crops are sown at 20°C (D2) attained maximum growth parameters i.e. (total number of tillers per square meter and plant height), heat indices (GDD and CTD), quality parameters (chlorophyll content of flag leaf stage, crude protein content in grain and protein yield), and yield (grain, straw and biological), also proved significantly superior over D1 (sowing at 22°C) and D3 (sowing at 18°C). The data further indicated that the above parameters were measured significantly higher in B4 (SA @ 200 ppm), which excelled over rest of the treatments. Therefore, enhancement in yield requires improved agronomic practices i.e. application of SA @ 200 ppm along with crop sowing at 20°C temperature in order to sustain enhanced productivity under heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Mediterranean, unbalanced precipitation distribution causes drought stress in rainfed wheat cultivation. Under such conditions, supplemental irrigation (SI) is a highly efficient practice to reduce the adverse effects of drought stress and improve yield. The present study aimed to assess the effects of SI on traits related to N accumulation and remobilization, chlorophyll concentration, yield and yield components, and water use efficiency (WUE) in different cultivars. Two field experiments with four irrigation levels (I0= rainfed, I1= SI at booting stage, I2= SI at booting and anthesis stages, I3= SI at booting, anthesis, and grain filling stages) and five cultivars (Rejaw, Sardari, Homa, Azar2, and Sirwan) was conducted during the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 wheat growing seasons. Overall, results showed that SI notably had a positive effect on chlorophyll concentration, N content of plant parts, N remobilization (NR), grain number per spike, 1000-grain weight, biological yield, and grain yield in cultivars. Although the grain yield in the three SI treatments was 237.1 kg ha−1 and 630.4 kg ha−1 more than the other two (I2) and one (I1) SI, respectively, but the WUE was slightly lower in this treatment. The cultivars exhibited apparent differences in their responses to SI. The Sirwan cultivar showed a higher reaction to SI amongst cultivars. The highest N remobilization efficiency (NRE) was observed in I1 (73.69%) and I0 (73.34%) irrigation treatments. Sardari (74.03%) and Azar2 (73.60%) cultivars had higher NRE than other cultivars. The minimum contribution of NR to grain appeared in the I3 treatment (74.54%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper (Cu) foliar spray is a requested technique to prevent Cu deficiency in cereals grown in calcareous soil. The reasonable Cu foliar feeding requires identifying the Cu phytotoxic threshold. Such a threshold will help producers to prevent the negative impact of excessive foliar Cu application. The aim was to compare the phytotoxic effect of foliar Cu spray on wheat and barley. The field experiments were conducted in calcareous soil (16.5% of free carbonates) that contains 0.26 mg kg−1 of Cu (DTPA-Extraction). Six Cu foliar spray concentrations were tested in wheat (0% or control; 0.2%; 0.4%; 0.6%; 0.8% and 1%) and barley (control; 0.2%; 0.4%; 0.6%; 1% and 2%) using a randomized complete blocks with five replications. Leaf Cu was supplied at the stem extension and booting stages using the sulfate form (CuSO4.5H2O). Cu foliar spray of 0.2% resulted in leaf damage for wheat. Barley did not show phytotoxic symptoms even at 2% of Cu. A significant decline in wheat grain yield (-20%) was recorded at Cu foliar spray of 1% compared to control. For barley, a grain yield decline (-14%) was induced at 2% Cu foliar spray compared to the optimum yielding recorded at 0.94% of Cu. The Cu flag leaf content reached 130 and 13 mg.kg−1, respectively, for wheat and barley at 1% of sprayed Cu. The flag leaf contents on other nutrients were invariable. The current study demonstrates that the negative impact of Cu phytotoxicity was more pronounced in wheat compared to barley at excessive Cu concentration of foliar feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), increased understanding of relationships between grain protein concentration (GPC) and other phenotypic traits is needed for simultaneously achieving high yield and GPC through genetic improvement and management. Two field experiments with 20 genotypes each were conducted in 2018/2019 in Uvalde and Chillicothe, TX. The primary objective was to assess direct and indirect effects of phenotypic traits on GPC using path analysis. Broad-sense heritability was high for grain yield but low for GPC, indicating that breeding selection for high yield is best done directly, but selection for elevated GPC may be approached indirectly. Grains m−2 was positively related to GPC, though highly affected by environment, whereas 1000-kernel weight was negatively related to GPC and highly heritable. Heads m−2 had a negative direct influence on GPC, but a positive indirect effect of head number on GPC through grain number indicated head number would positively impact GPC if additional heads increased grain number. There were conflicting results between locations on the relationship between aboveground biomass at anthesis and GPC, similar to other reports. Increased time to physiological maturity positively affected GPC, with time to anthesis being the primary offsetting indirect factor, meaning a longer grain-filling period can likewise increase GPC. Crop management practices can interact with these phenotypic factors to affect GPC, which is discussed herein. These findings provide novel information on direct and indirect effects of several phenotypic traits on GPC, giving insights into routes for improvement of wheat quality through breeding and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) is a major nutrient influencing the wheat grain yield. The experiment was conducted to need-based N application using leaf color chart (LCC) and GreenSeeker on grain yield and quality. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with the combination of three varieties (WH 1105, HD 2967 and PBW 621) in main plots and seven nitrogen management practices [absolute control, N150 kg/ha, N by LCC ≥ 4 135/125 kg N ha−1, N by LCC ≥ 4 145/135 kg Nha−1, N by LCC ≥ 4 155/145 kg ha−1, Green Seeker (129.3 kg N/ha) and N 225 kg ha−1] in sub-plots replicated thrice. Wheat varieties WH 1105, HD 2967 and PBW 621 showed similar grain yields. The protein content of PBW 621 was better than WH 1105 and HD 2967. GreenSeeker guided 122.9-133.3 kg N ha−1 for wheat varieties found more efficient than blanket N recommendation of 150 kg N ha−1. The N management with LCC 145 kg/ha (LCC ≥ 4:155/45) saved 5 kg N/ha. The N management with LCC 145/135 kg N ha−1 (LCC ≥ 4) saved 15 kg N ha−1 but with a yield penalty of 3.2% as compared to 150 kg N ha−1. Comparable quality with GreenSeeker and LCC 145 kg N ha−1 was observed as compared to blanket 150 kg N ha−1 application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under intensive rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS), the information on the optimum Zn dose and frequency of application is needed for sustainable productivity of the system and maintenance of soil fertility. In a 6-year field study carried out on a sandy loam (Typic hapludoll), the effect of different dosages (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 kg Zn ha−1) and frequency of Zn applications (once, alternate year, and every year) were investigated on yield and Zn nutrition of rice-wheat crops and changes in chemical fractions of Zn in soil. Based on the average grain yields of rice and wheat, it was concluded that application of 7.5 kg Zn ha−1 as zinc sulfate heptahydrate to rice in alternate years was the best practice in a typic hapludoll as it resulted in an average production of 5.67 t of rice grain and 4.53 t of wheat grain ha−1. The practice resulted in a benefit:cost ratio of 14.2: 1 and also helped to maintain the optimum level of Zn in soil. Application of Zn markedly increased the residual Zn fraction in soils. The use of medium (5 kg Zn/ha) and high doses (7.5 and 10.0 kg Zn ha−1) in all years brought a significant increase in water soluble + exchangeable, organically bound, and sesquioxide bound fractions of Zn. Soil application of 7.5 kg Zn ha−1 to alternate year rice crop can be recommended under RWCS on typic hapludoll for higher grain yields, profitability, and maintenance of Zn availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium graminearum is a mycotoxin-producing pathogen involved in Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease of cereals, and is responsible for compromising grain yield and quality.Over the course of infection, the fungus secretes various metabolites and proteins, of which only a handful have been fully characterized in the context of FHB. We report herein the role of a secreted cerato-platanin protein (FGSG_10212, FgCPP1) in the growth and aggressiveness of F. graminearum. Pathogen strains in which FgCPP1 was disrupted (Δfgcpp1) or overexpressed (FgCPP1-OX1) did not differ from the wild-type with respect to macroconidial germination or mycelial growth, nor in sensitivity to chemicals targeting fungal cell walls. Host—plant interaction studies were conducted including disease assays in wheat and host-cell localization of FgCPP1 in tobacco cells. Consistent with previous reports for FgCPP1 disruption mutants of F. graminearum, no difference was observed among FgCPP1-OX1, Δfgcpp1 and the wild-type in their ability to cause disease spread in point-inoculated wheat spikes. Spray inoculation of the wheat spikes with FgCPP1-OX1 resulted in an increase in diseased spikelets as early as 3 days post-inoculation in each of the three wheat genotypes assessed; however, this increase was not observed when the disease assay was repeated in the cultivar 'Penhold' with an additional FgCPP1-OX transformant, FgCPP1-OX2. FgCPP1-OX1 also resulted in increased levels of deoxynivalenol accumulation in axenic culture, as well as in spray-inoculated wheat spikes. We propose that FgCPP1 is a minor contributor to pathogen aggressiveness in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) plays an essential role in durum wheat production since it affects yield and quality. However, applied nitrogen is liable to losses through denitrification, volatilization, leaching and runoff. Thus, it is important to apply the recommended amount in splits based on crop requirement and critical growth stages. A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of time of N fertilizer application on yield of Durum wheat at Adaa and Minjar during 2016 and 2017 cropping season. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments consisted of a factorial combination of two Durum wheat varieties (Mangudo and Ude) and eight times of split N application (0-0-0-0 N (control), full dose at tillering, 1/3 at planting + 2/3 at tillering), ½ at planting + ¼ at tillering +1/4 at flag leaf, 1/2 at tillering +1/4 at flag leaf + 1/4 at heading, ½ at tillering +1/3 at flag leaf + 1/6 at heading, 1/2 at planting + 1/4 at tillering + 1/8 at flag leaf + 1/8 at heading, and 1/2 at planting+ 1/6 at tillering +1/6 at flag leaf + 1/6 at heading). The fixed rate of N (92 kg/ha) was used. The results showed that variety and time of N applications had a significant effect on growth parameters and grain yield at both locations. The highest grain yield (5579 kg/ha) was obtained when N was applied 1/3 at planting + 2/3 at tillering at Adaa, while the maximum yield (3154 kg/ha) was recorded for ½ at planting+ ¼ at tillering + 1/8 at flag leaf + 1/8 at heading stage at Minjar. The partial budget analysis also confirmed that the highest net benefit (115190 and 78147 Ethiopian birr) and Marginal rate of return (MRR) (7267and 3615) were obtained in 1/3 at planting + 2/3 at tillering at Adaa and ½ at planting+ ¼ at tillering + 1/8 at flag leaf + 1/8 at heading at Minjar, respectively. Therefore, two times (1/3 at planting + 2/3 at tillering) and four times (½ at planting+ ¼ at tillering + 1/8 at flag leaf + 1/8 at heading) split application of the recommended N rate would be advisable to attain higher yields of durum wheat at Adaa and Minjar, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cereal cyst nematode (CCN) Heterodera and crown rot caused by Fusarium species limit cereal production and yield potential. Losses increase when CCN and crown rot occur together, especially under water stress conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the interactions among Heterodera filipjevi, Fusarium culmorum, and drought on a set of wheat germplasm with differing levels of resistance/tolerance to CCN, crown rot and drought. Plant emergence was significantly reduced (56% seedling death) when seeds were planted in a water stress environment where F. culmorum and H. filipjevi were present. Crown rot was more severe under water stress compared with Fusarium inoculation alone. The number of cysts fell significantly when H. filipjevi was co-inoculated with F. culmorum, revealing an antagonistic interaction between the nematode and fungus. The highest number of cysts was found on the susceptible accession 'Seri' under water stress conditions. Water stress caused a significant reduction in plant height, while F. culmorum inoculation did not, unless combined with water stress. Yield components were significantly reduced by each of the single stresses and losses were greater when plants were exposed to double or triple stresses. Water stress and F. culmorum inoculation caused a significant reduction in spike weight and seeds per spike. The chlorophyll content of wheat leaves was negatively affected by water stress and inoculation by both nematode and fungus. In conclusion, water stress exacerbates the damage caused by CCN and crown rot, and planting drought-resistant varieties would be an ideal solution to reduce losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-intensity crop-production seeking for higher grain yields increases nutrient demand by plants. A field experiment was performed in Parana State, Brazil, on a clayey Haplic Cambisol to evaluate the effects of phosphogypsum and nitrogen (N) amendments on a wheat–soybean rotation. Phosphogypsum was surface-applied to plots at 0, 2, 4, and 6 Mg ha−1 before wheat sowing and two rates of urea at 40 and 80 kg N ha−1 were applied to subplots in top dressing at tillering of wheat. Phosphogypsum improved the yield performance of wheat–soybean rotation. Wheat grain yield increased by 20% due to phosphogypsum application only when a higher rate of urea at 80 kg N ha−1 was applied in top dressing, indicating an influence of the interaction between N and sulfur (S). Soybean grain yield increased by 16% with phosphogypsum application, regardless of the urea-N rates to the previous wheat crop. Higher grain yields of wheat and soybean were related to higher levels of Ca2+ and S in the soil profile (0–0.40 m). Although there was a slight involvement of phosphogypsum in reducing aluminum Al3+ toxicity in the subsoil due to a reduction in Al3+ saturation caused by increased Ca2+ concentration, the improvements imparted by the use of phosphogypsum resulted mainly from increased S concentration. The results showed that the critical levels of SO4–S by 0.01 mol L−1 Ca(H2PO4)2 were 14 and 27 mg dm−3 at 0–0.20 m and 0–0.40 m depths, respectively, for the wheat–soybean cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 4 years field study was conducted to improve nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) use efficiencies in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and precision N management. Split plot design was employed to rationalize N and P fertilizer use in two different experiments with AMF in the main plot and fertilizer application practice in the subplots. The AMF seed coating improved mycorrhization, root dry weight and P uptake. AMF coating of wheat seeds improved mean grain yield and agronomic efficiency of applied P fertilizer (AEP) by 11% and 55.4%, respectively. However, AMF seed coating did not improve chlorophyll content, normalized difference vegetative index, grain yield and agronomic efficiency of applied N fertilizer (AEN). Precision N management using leaf color chart (LCC), chlorophyll meter (SPAD), and GreenSeeker optical sensor (GS) sustained wheat grain yield equivalent to the soil-test based N fertilizer recommendation with 20–31 kg ha−1 less fertilizer N. Proximal sensing guided N use improved AEN by 21.9%–39.6% while mitigating global warming potential by 16%–24%. Integrated use of AMF seed coating and precision N management provides a potential solution to improve N and P nutrition and reduce environmental footprints of fertilizer N use in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major and urgent interventions are needed in improving wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield to avert the predicted global crisis of food insecurity. Two doubled-haploid (DH) wheat populations were evaluated for normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), vegetative index ratio (VI RATIO), plant height (PH) and ear length (EL) in four environments with an aim to select DH lines with strong vegetative vigor. Genotypes and environments showed significant (p < 0.001) effects and only PH showed a significant (p < 0.018) genotype-by-environment interaction. The NDVI vs. VI RATIO showed a negative correlation (r2 = −1 – −0.99) in all environments. Positive correlations existed for NDVI vs. PH (r2 = 0.31– 0.40) and PH vs. EL (r2 =0.41– 0.54), suggesting a possible simultaneous improvement. Almost 23% of DH lines with precise, fixed, maximum variation, and strong vegetative vigor formed potential material for efficiently enhancing yield potential of wheat, which in turn could improve yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature rise in March induces forced maturity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), which generally reduces the grain-filling period under North Indian conditions. A field experiment was conducted at the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India, during 2015–16 and 2016–17 to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid on plant growth, physiological parameters, and grain yield of two wheat cultivars sown at different dates. A split-split-plot design was used, with sowing dates (November 5, November 20, and December 5) as main plots, wheat cultivars (WH1105, PBW677) as sub-plots, and salicylic acid foliar treatments (control, water spray, salicylic acid 75 and 100 mg l−1) as sub-sub plots. The highest tiller count, atLEAF-chlorophyll index, pollen viability, number of grains ear−1, 1000-grain weight, biological and grain yield were recorded for the November 5 sowing date. Salicylic acid foliar application at 75 and 100 mg l−1 increased the grain-filling period, improved the normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), pollen viability, number of grains ear−1, proline content, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield. We concluded that wheat cultivars WH1105 and PBW677 can be grown successfully by sowing early (November 5) and that foliar application of salicylic acid at 75 mg l−1 can improve the wheat grain yield under north Indian conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the simulation of a fixed bed drying process for wheat grains. A rigorous model based on Fick's law was developed and validated against experimental results. The impact on outputs and computational burden was studied after imposing different simplifying hypotheses. Neglecting internal temperature gradients, the external mass transfer resistance, and the difference between grain and air temperatures saved 18% of execution time with respect to the more rigorous model. These simplifications are adequate for some practical applications. Nevertheless, simulations with a simpler model that only used an average moisture content for the grains yielded worse predicted drying rates. [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]

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]

Wheat cultivation under a dual-purpose (DP) system holds great potential to provide additional fodder for livestock with marginal grain reduction. This study explores the potential of wheat as a DP crop for improving both, forage and grain cropping system by finding out optimal sowing dates and cultivars suitable for DP cropping. Field experiments with four cultivars (Saleem-2000, Bathoor-2007, Fakhre Sarhad-99 (FS-99) and Siran-2008), three sowing dates (October 15, October 30 and November 15) and two cutting treatments (cut and no-cut) determines the effects on yield and physiology of wheat. Wheat sown either in mid or end of October resulted in 11 and 8% increase in grain yield while 13 and 9% in biological yield over mid November sowing, respectively. This increase in yield was due to higher grain spike−1, chlorophyll content, transpiration rate and relative water content. The cultivars Siran-2008 and Saleem-2000 had higher biological and grain yields than other cultivars across cutting and sowing dates treatments. Biological and grain yields were reduced by 4% and 3%, respectively under the DP wheat compared with no-cut treatment, but grains N content was unaffected. Conclusively, DP wheat system (cut treatment) had higher profitability (11.2%) than wheat crop sown only for grain purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty-nine accessions were collected from arid and semi-arid areas of Pakistan to explore adaptive components in red-grained wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Single-line selections of these accessions were grown on an arid and a control site; that is, Uchkera Farm (UF) and Botanical Garden (BG), Faisalabad. The accessions grown at BG exhibited significantly better biomass and grain yield production than those grown at UF. Accession Ck5 from Chakwal produced the maximum grain yield (17.7 g plant−1) at BG and Jm3 (8.1 g plant−1) at UF. Among the eight accessions selected for further anatomical studies, Dg2 showed increased yield per plant at UF, which was related to root modifications like increased cortical region thickness, endodermal cell area, vascular region thickness, metaxylem area, and root hair length. Stem modifications included increased vascular bundle area, phloem area and stomatal density, while leaves showed increased cuticle thickness, bulliform cell thickness, trichome density, and length. Increased stomatal density and area were also found. Accession Jm3 showed a decrease in yield at UF. Root modifications in Jm3 included increased epidermal cell area, sclerenchymatous thickness, endodermal cell area, and root hair length. Stem modifications in this accession included increased stem cellular region thickness and sclerenchymatous cell area. Leaves had increased abaxial epidermal cell area, trichome number and length, and abaxial stomatal density. In conclusion, morpho-anatomical characteristics varied greatly in the red-grained wheat accessions at both experimental sites that have potential for incorporation into breeding efforts for drought tolerance in modern wheat cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]