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Durum wheat is the tenth most valuable crop on a global scale. The aim of this study was to compare the phenotypic variation of T. durum accessions of different origin with contemporary spring cultivars of this cereal species. One hundred and two accessions and 12 contemporary cultivars of Triticum durum Desf. as well as Kamut® wheat (T. turanicum), a Triticum species closely related to T. durum, were analyzed. The aim of this study was to describe the degree of variation in the phenotypic traits of grain and selected traits associated with technological quality. The examined genotypes were characterized by considerable phenotypic variation, and they can be a valuable source of material for genetic recombination in durum wheat breeding. The analyzed accessions were characterized by a higher average content of protein (16.48 vs. 14.56%) and wet gluten (38.04 vs. 32.07%), higher Zeleny sedimentation values (69.7 vs. 60.4ml), and higher flour strength (W index values of 404.64 vs. 353.47) than the reference cultivars. The kernels of the evaluated accessions and cultivars did not differ significantly in average crease depth, but significant differences were observed in the values of descriptors directly linked with kernel size, especially kernel image area and minimal Feret diameter. The traits responsible for the processing suitability of grain were more strongly correlated with color descriptors than shape descriptors, which suggests that color parameters can be used to select high-quality breeding material. The analyzed accessions have two major weaknesses, namely relatively low yields (22.6 dt ha-1 on average) and undesirable grain color, indicative of low carotenoid concentration. The accessions deposited in gene banks do not meet the relevant agronomic requirements. However, both grain yield and carotenoid concentration are polygenic traits which can be improved if desirable combinations of QTLs are assembled in breeding lines and cultivars., Competing Interests: Authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

In wheat, resistance to Fusarium is conditioned by anatomical, morphological, and physiological traits. The aim of this study was to evaluate selected elements of constitutive barriers in common wheat, spelt, Polish wheat, emmer, and einkorn. The activity of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme and rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were evaluated in the tissues of common wheat and spelt inoculated with Fusarium culmorum . Most of the relict wheat species were more abundant in morphological barriers than common wheat. F. culmorum penetrated constitutive barriers, which increased PAL activity and intensified ROS production 24 h after inoculation in wheat tissues. The lowest increase in PAL activity after inoculation was observed in cv. Sumai3, which resistance is based on limiting the spread of F. culmorum within the spike. Spelt line Tas 581 glumes were characterized by the highest concentration of ROS 24 h after inoculation. The ROS content remained high for five days. The results of this study indicate that high trichome density plays a key role in resistance to pathogens. In the resistant spelt line with effective constitutive barriers, PAL activity and ROS content were higher than those observed in susceptible wheats after inoculation with F. culmorum .

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192862.].

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) relies on fluorescent-labeled probes to detect specific DNA sequences in the genome, and it is widely used in cytogenetic analyses. The aim of this study was to determine the karyotype of T. aestivum and T. spelta hybrids and their parental components (three common wheat cultivars and five spelt breeding lines), to identify chromosomal aberrations in the evaluated wheat lines, and to analyze the distribution of polymorphisms of repetitive sequences in the examined hybrids. The FISH procedure was carried out with four DNA clones, pTa-86, pTa-535, pTa-713 and 35S rDNA used as probes. The observed polymorphisms between the investigated lines of common wheat, spelt and their hybrids was relatively low. However, differences were observed in the distribution of repetitive sequences on chromosomes 4A, 6A, 1B and 6B in selected hybrid genomes. The polymorphisms observed in common wheat and spelt hybrids carry valuable information for wheat breeders. The results of our study are also a valuable source of knowledge about genome organization and diversification in common wheat, spelt and their hybrids. The relevant information is essential for common wheat breeders, and it can contribute to breeding programs aimed at biodiversity preservation.

Fungi of the genus Fusarium infect cereal crops during the growing season and cause head blight and other diseases. Their toxic secondary metabolites (mycotoxins) contaminate grains. Several dozen toxic compounds produced by fungal pathogens have been identified to date. Type B trichothecenes-deoxynivalenol, its acetyl derivatives and nivalenol (produced mainly by F. graminearum and F. culmorum )-are most commonly detected in cereal grains. "T-2 toxin" (produced by, among others, F. sporotrichioides ) belongs to type-A trichothecenes which are more toxic than other trichothecenes. Antagonistic bacteria and fungi can affect pathogens of the genus Fusarium via different modes of action: direct (mycoparasitism or hyperparasitism), mixed-path (antibiotic secretion, production of lytic enzymes) and indirect (induction of host defense responses). Microbial modification of trichothecenes involves acetylation, deacetylation, oxidation, de-epoxidation, and epimerization, and it lowers the pathogenic potential of fungi of the genus Fusarium . Other modifing mechanisms described in the paper involve the physical adsorption of mycotoxins in bacterial cells and the conjugation of mycotoxins to glucose and other compounds in plant and fungal cells. The development of several patents supports the commercialization and wider application of microorganisms biodegrading mycotoxins in grains and, consequently, in feed additives., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Triticum genus encloses several tetraploid species that are used as genetic stocks for expanding the genetic variability of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Although the T. aestivum (2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD) and T. durum (2n = 4x = 28, AABB) karyotypes were well examined by chromosome staining, Giemsa C-banding and FISH markers, other tetraploids are still poorly characterized. Here, we established and compared the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) patterns on chromosomes of 20 accessions of T. polonicum species using different repetitive sequences from BAC library of wheat 'Chinese Spring'. The chromosome patterns of Polish wheat were compared to tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28, AABB) Triticum species: T. durum, T. diccocon and T. turanicum, as well. A combination of pTa-86, pTa-535 and pTa-713 probes was the most informative among 6 DNA probes tested. Probe pTa-k374, which is similar to 28S rDNA sequence enabled to distinguish signal size and location differences, as well as rDNA loci elimination. Furthermore, pTa-465 and pTa-k566 probes are helpful for the detection of similar organized chromosomes. The polymorphisms of signals distribution were observed in 2A, 2B, 3B, 5B, 6A and 7B chromosomes. Telomeric region of the short arm of 6B chromosome was the most polymorphic. Our work is novel and contributes to the understanding of T. polonicum genome organization which is essential to develop successful advanced breeding strategies for wheat. Collection and characterization of this germplasm can contribute to the wheat biodiversity safeguard.

Several cultivars and pure lines of Triticum monococcum, T. dicoccon, T. polonicum, T. spelta and T. aestivum were inoculated with Fusarium culmorum, the causal agent of Fusarium head blight in wheat. During the three-year study, the infection decreased the values of the analyzed yield components: spike weight (by 5.6% to 15.8%), number of kernels per spike (by 2.8% to 11.8%) and one kernel weight (by 8.4% to 10.7%). T. spelta was characterized by the weakest average response to infection. The grain from inoculated spikes contained significantly higher concentrations of deoxynivalenol (DON) and its 3-β-D-glucoside (D3G) than control grain. The D3G/DON ratio ranged from 11.4% to 21.4% in control grain and from 8.1% to 11.6% in inoculated grain. The lowest levels of mycotoxins were found in spelt, and the highest in T. polonicum lines and Kamut. PCA revealed that the grain of T. polonicum was characterized by an entirely different mycotoxin profile. The weakest response to F. culmorum infections was noted in T. spelta, and the strongest response in T. polonicum breeding lines and Kamut.

The SPE-HPLC method was developed to determine an isosalipurposide (5) and its derivative, 6"-O-p-coumaroyl ester (6) in the bark of eight taxa (I-VIII) belonging to three species of the genus Salix and originating from a natural habitat or cultivated for pharmaceutical purposes. The chalcones were separated by HPLC under gradient elution with the concentration of ACN increasing from 20% to 50% in 0.1% aqueous H3PO, (tG 15 min). The content of both compounds was determined by an external standardization with the use of isoliquiritigenin (7) as a reference substance - a commercially available chalcone, and also isosalipurposide (5) and its derivative, 6"-O-p-coumaroyl ester (6). The latter compound was isolated from the bark of Salix daphnoides (IV) by a CC and semi-preparative HPLC and its structure was elucidated by MS and NMR spectra. It was stated that 6"-O-p-coumaroylisosalipurposide (6), in addition to isosalipurposide (5), is a characteristic flavonoid for the S. daphnoides species. Moreover, the presence of these two chalcones was confirmed in the bark of S. acutifolia (I). Differences were observed in the results obtained from a quantitative analysis due to the type of reference substance used. The content of chalcones was varied and dependent on the species selected for analysis, namely from 22.01/21.08 mg/g in S. daphnoides clone 1095 (III) to 2.47/2.44 mg/g in S. daphnoides (II), collected from a natural habitat. Isosalipurposide (5) was determined in all the investigated species and clones of Salix, besides a number of naringenin derivatives. Separation of all flavonoids: flavanones - naringenin (1), naringenin (+)-5-O-glucoside (2), (-)-5-O-glucoside (3), 7-O-glucoside (4) and chalcones (5 and 6) was performed under gradient elution with the same solvents and changes in ACN concentration from 2% to 37% (tG 60 min). The total amount of flavanones ranged from 4.69 mg/g in S. purpurea clone 1132 (VII) to 41.93 mg/g in S. purpuea (VIII) from Herbapol Wrocław.

Analyses of ergosterol (ERG), adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) and groups A and B trichothecenes were performed in three Triticum monococcum cultivars registered in Germany (Albini, Terzino and Tifi), grown in the organic system. The experiment was carried out on two dates: the first - in the final phase of flowering (BBCH 69) and the second -- in the phase of full ripeness (BBCH 89). The analyses were performed on shanks, glumes, grain and awns. Concentrations of analyzed metabolites in different parts of T. monococcum plants varied significantly. Mean ERG concentration in the first term was more than 30 times higher than immediately before harvest, whereas for group B trichothecenes it was 4 times higher. Contents of ATP and concentrations of group A trichothecenes were similar at both times. When analyzing parts of the spike, the highest amount of metabolites was recorded in shanks (ERG - 114 mg/kg, ATP 900,000 RLU, group A and B trichothecenes - 0.07 and 0.20 mg/kg, respectively), while the lowest in grain (ERG - 5 mg/kg, ATP 55,000 RLU, group A and B trichothecenes - 0.03 and 0.08 mg/kg, respectively). A higher ERG concentration was found in awns (65 mg/kg) than in glumes (41 mg/kg), whereas for ATP and group A and B trichothecenes by contrast higher concentrations were recorded in glumes (160,000 RLU, 0.06 and 0.029 mg/kg, respectively) than in awns (77,000 RLU, 0.05 and 0.014 mg/kg, respectively). Recorded results indicate a potential occurrence of trichothecenes in shanks, awns and glumes already during flowering, when grain has not yet developed. In these parts of plants, after harvest, the highest amounts of microorganisms and Fusarium toxins were found, which pose a threat for farmers and workers employed in the cereal industry.

Oat plants, similar to other cereals, are susceptible to invasion by fungal pathogens and saprophytes, but the severity of disease symptoms and the extent of fungal growth depend to a considerable degree on environmental conditions. This study aimed to analyse the dependence of ergosterol and trichothecene production in oat grain on environmental conditions. Three oat cultivars were cultivated in 10 localities across Poland under natural conditions of fungal infection. Analysis of the effect of weather conditions during the growing season on ergosterol content and total trichothecene Fusarium toxin content in grain showed that they are negatively correlated with the sum of precipitation in the dry month of June, i.e. at the flowering stage of oats. Significant rainfall in July (256 % multiannual average) resulted in a considerable growth of saprophytic fungi and, as a consequence, in high ERG levels in grain (mean 14.0 mg/kg). Although the total trichothecene content was relatively low (< 150 microg/kg), a significant correlation was observed between this trait and ergosterol content of grain (r = 0.7313). Higher values of correlation coefficients were recorded for the dependence of trichothecene A, as well as trichothecene A and NIV, and ERG levels, amounting to r = 0.8703 and r = 0.7748, respectively. This was probably caused by specific weather conditions manifested by slight precipitation during panicle flowering, which promoted the growth of pathogens (F. poae, F. sporotrichioides) producing trichothecenes A (T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin and NIV). In addition, a significant influence of locality on values of both traits was recorded. Variation between cultivars was not significant.