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Enlarging the lateral space of drip tubes saves irrigation equipment costs (drip tubes and bypass), but it will lead to an increased risk of grain yield heterogeneity between wheat rows. Adjusting wheat row spacing is an effective cultivation measure to regulate a row's yield heterogeneity. During a 2-year field experiment, we investigated the variations in yield traits and photosynthetic physiology by utilizing two different water- and fertilizer-demanding spring wheat cultivars (NS22 and NS44) under four kinds of drip irrigation patterns with different drip tube lateral spacing and wheat row spacing [① TR4, drip tube spacing (DTS) was 60 cm, wheat row horizontal spacing (WRHS) was 15 cm; ② TR6, DTS was 90 cm, WRHS was 15 cm; ③ TR6L, DTS was 90 cm, WRHS was 10 cm, inter-block spacing (IBS) was 35 cm; and ④ TR6S, DTS was 80 cm, WRHS was 10 cm, IBS was 25 cm]. The results showed that under 15-cm equal row spacing condition, after the number of wheat rows served by a single tube increased from four (TR4, control) to six (TR6), NS22 and NS44 exhibited a marked decline in yield. The decline of NS22 (9.93%) was higher than that of NS44 (9.04%), and both cultivars also showed a greater decrease in grain weight and average grain-filling rate (AGFR) of inferior grains (NS22: 23.19%, 13.97%; NS44: 7.78%, 5.86%) than the superior grains (NS22: 10.60%, 8.33%; NS44: 4.89%, 4.62%). After the TR6 was processed to narrow WRHS (from 15 to 10 cm) and add IBS (TR6L: 35 cm; TR6S: 25 cm), the grain weight per panicle (GWP) and AGFR of superior and inferior grains in the third wheat row (RW3) of NS22 and NS44 under TR6L increased significantly by 26.05%, 8.22%, 14.05%, 10.50%, 5.09%, and 5.01%, respectively, and under TR6S, they significantly increased by 20.78%, 9.91%, 16.19%, 9.28%, 5.01%, and 4.14%, respectively. The increase in GWP and AGFR was related to the increase in flag leaf area, net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, relative water content, actual photochemical efficiency of PSII, and photochemical quenching coefficient. Among TR4, TR6, TR6L, and TR6S, for both NS22 and NS44, the yield of TR6S was significantly higher than that of TR6 and TR6L. Furthermore, TR6S showed the highest economic benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In bread wheat, a literature search gave 228 QTLs for six traits, including resistance against spot blotch and the following five other related traits: (i) stay green; (ii) flag leaf senescence; (iii) green leaf area duration; (iv) green leaf area of the main stem; and (v) black point resistance. These QTLs were used for metaQTL (MQTL) analysis. For this purpose, a consensus map with 72,788 markers was prepared; 69 of the above 228 QTLs, which were suitable for MQTL analysis, were projected on the consensus map. This exercise resulted in the identification of 16 meta-QTLs (MQTLs) located on 11 chromosomes, with the PVE ranging from 5.4% (MQTL7) to 21.8% (MQTL5), and the confidence intervals ranging from 1.5 to 20.7 cM (except five MQTLs with a range of 36.1–57.8 cM). The number of QTLs associated with individual MQTLs ranged from a maximum of 17 in MQTL3 to 8 each in MQTL5 and MQTL8 and 5 each in MQTL7 and MQTL14. The 16 MQTLs, included 12 multi-trait MQTLs; one of the MQTL also overlapped a genomic region carrying the major spot blotch resistance gene Sb1. Of the total 16 MQTLs, 12 MQTLs were also validated through marker-trait associations that were available from earlier genome-wide association studies. The genomic regions associated with MQTLs were also used for the identification of candidate genes (CGs) and led to the identification of 516 CGs encoding 508 proteins; 411 of these proteins are known to be associated with resistance against several biotic stresses. In silico expression analysis of CGs using transcriptome data allowed the identification of 71 differentially expressed CGs, which were examined for further possible studies. The findings of the present study should facilitate fine-mapping and cloning of genes, enabling Marker Assisted Selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined treatments are a successful way to overcome salinity damage in an environmentally safe and cost-effective method. So this experiment aimed to study the individual and combined effects of a seaweed extract of Cystoseira compressa (SWE) and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (VA-M) on the growth and yield of Triticum aestivum L. cultivar (ACSAD 1398), under salinity conditions. In general, the study showed a significant decrease in morphological and biochemical parameters of the wheat under salinity levels. On the contrary, the results showed that all treatments significantly increased shoot and root length, number of leaves /plant, leaf area, seedling length, fresh and dry weight seedlings, spike length, fresh and dry weight spike, chlorophyll (a b), carotenoids, total pigments, Ca, Mg, P, K, Cu, N, crude protein, and total soluble sugars. As caused a decrease in proline content. The findings revealed that the (SWE+VA-M) combined treatment was superior to the foliar individual application of (SWE), and (VA-M) individual inoculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of soybean and wheat and the relationship with grain yield and biometric components after lime and phosphogypsum (GY) reapplication. Treatments consisted of two lime application methods, surface liming and incorporated liming, to different levels of base saturation (BS) (44, 70, and 90%), in addition to surface liming to 70% BS associated with a standard dose (70GY1) or double dose (70GY2) of GY. Treatments were applied in 2012 and reapplied in 2016. The results refer to the 2018/2019 soybean season and the 2019 wheat season. Lime + GY treatment increased leaf area, plant height, leaf dry matter, and stem dry matter in soybean but had no effect on specific leaf area (235.4 cm2 g−1), stem diameter (6.08 mm), number of pods per plant (71.7), grain number per plant (165), or thousand grain weight (117 g). Liming to 90% BS reduced leaf manganese contents in both crops and leaf iron content in soybean. GY application improved the calcium status of both crops and the sulfur status of soybean. However, 70GY2 reduced leaf magnesium contents in soybean and wheat. Soil tillage without lime reduced wheat yield by 12% compared with no-till. Soybean yield correlated positively with leaf nitrogen (0.79), leaf phosphorus (0.91), leaf area (0.62), and thousand grain weight (0.65), whereas wheat yield correlated with leaf phosphorus (0.83), calcium (0.75), and sulfur (0.74). For improved soybean and wheat performance, it is preferable to apply lime and GY to the soil surface (70GY1), permanently maintaining no-till practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperatures (HT) and drought are two major factors restricting wheat growth in the early growth stages. This study investigated the role of glutathione (GSH) amendment (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mM) to soil in mitigating the adverse effect of HT (33 °C, with 25 °C as a control), water regimes (60% of field capacity and control), and their combinations. HT decreased the length, project area, surface area, volume, and forks of the root, while drought had the reverse effect. Shoot length, leaf area, leaf relative water content, and shoot and root dry matter were significantly decreased by HT and drought, and their combined impact was more noticeable. GSH significantly promoted the root system, shoot growth, and leaf relative water content. The combined treatment reduced chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll. However, 0.5 mM GSH raised chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll by 28.6%, 41.4%, and 32.5%, respectively, relative to 0.0 mM GSH. At combined treatment, 0.5 mM GSH decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) by 29.5% and increased soluble protein content by 24.1%. GSH meaningfully enhanced the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxide in different treatments. This study suggested that GSH could protect wheat seedlings from the adverse effects of HT and/or drought stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant growth indicators (GIs) are important for evaluating how different genotypes respond to normal and stress conditions separately. They consider both the morphological and physiological components of plants between two successive growth stages. Despite their significance, GIs are not commonly used as screening criteria for detecting salt tolerance of genotypes. In this study, 36 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) along with four genotypes differing in their salt tolerance were grown under normal and 150 mM NaCl in a two-year field trial. The performance and salt tolerance of these germplasms were assessed through various GIs. The analysis of variance showed highly significant variation between salinity levels, genotypes, and their interaction for all GIs and other traits in each year and combined data for two years, with a few exceptions. All traits and GIs were significantly reduced by salinity stress, except for relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), and specific leaf weight (SLW), which increased under salinity conditions. Traits and GIs were more correlated with each other under salinity than under normal conditions. Principal component analysis organized traits and GIs into three main groups under both conditions, with RGR, NAR, and specific leaf area (SLA) closely associated with grain yield (GY) and harvest index, while leaf area duration (LAD) was closely associated with green leaf area (GLA), plant dry weight (PDW), and leaf area index (LAI). A hierarchical clustering heatmap based on GIs and traits organized germplasms into three and four groups under normal and salinity conditions, respectively. Based on the values of traits and GIs for each group, the germplasms varied from high- to low-performing groups under normal conditions and from salt-tolerant to salt-sensitive groups under salinity conditions. RGR, NAR, and LAD were important factors determining genotypic variation in GY of high- and low-performing groups, while all GIs, except leaf area duration (LAR), were major factors describing genotypic variation in GY of salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive groups. In conclusion, different GIs that reveal the relationship between the morphological and physiological components of genotypes could serve as valuable selection criteria for evaluating the performance of genotypes under normal conditions and their salt tolerance under salinity stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yield traits and physiological responses of three wheat genotypes were studied when subjected to heat and combined heat and drought stress at anthesis under either aCO2 (400 ppm) or eCO2 (800 ppm) in a greenhouse. The heat treatment was 7‐days at day/night 35/28°C, and the combined heat and drought was withholding irrigation from the heat‐stressed plants until the photosynthetic rate reached <5 μmol m−2 s−1. The LM62 genotype had higher photosynthetic rate compared with LM19, though no significant difference in grain yield was found. eCO2 increased photosynthesis at 35°C and significantly lowered the electron transport rate at high intercellular CO2 concentrations. Maximum velocity of Rubisco carboxylation (Vcmax) and the maximum velocity of RuBP regeneration in leaves (Jmax) increased in 35°C compared with 25°C, though when normalized to 25°C both Vcmax and Jmax decreased in the heat‐stressed plants, indicating that an inhibition had occurred. The maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) decreased under heat, which correlated with the yield loss caused by the stress. Fv/Fm also decreased under combined heat and drought, though it did not related to the declined yield. A small leaf area prolonged the drying period of Gladius, and it was the genotype with the lowest decrease in yield because of stress. It is concluded that the effects of heat and combined heat and drought stress on the gas exchange and photosynthetic capacity on leaf area basis are not directly linked to the yield performance among wheat genotypes, while the morphological characteristics of the plants are important determinants of grain yield in response to those abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major tasks faced by wheat breeders in Uzbekistan is to enhance wheat genotypes' adaptability to soil and other environmental conditions and improve the grain quality, making the country self-sufficient in wheat grains and later becoming an exporter. Better results are achievable using the world wheat collection, including the CIMMYT germplasm. Determination of the positive correlation of physiological traits of new wheat cultivars, the importance of physiological indicators of water balance with productivity, and the vital role of these indicators in productivity level were the chief concerns. The timely study evaluated heat resilience, rust resistance, and grain yield in bread wheat genotypes. Bread wheat germplasm obtained from CIMMYT with a background of artificial infection of yellow rust incurred scrutiny for their rust resistance. A 15% incidence was detectable in seven genotypes; however, necrosis quickly formed around the symptoms of the disease in plant leaves, preventing its further development. Resistant wheat accessions, i.e., 1088, 1164 (R), 1006, and 1251 (MR), occurred as moderately resistant, showing high leaf area and grain yield. The average value of the genotypes was low, mainly due to the two rust-resistant samples, and the 1000-grain weight was 34.8 g and 34.6 g, respectively, and the grains per spike and grain yield were lower than the average. The chlorophyll a and b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, relative water content, flag leaf area, and production traits of the genotypes K-1088 and K-1164 gained assessment, revealed to be physiologically effective under the field conditions of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Quantitative indicators of the productivity of these wheat genotypes indicated positive differentiation. Selection ensued for promising accessions to develop initial sources for producing the wheat genotypes with rust resistance and high grain yield under the environmental conditions of Uzbekistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds are a key component of agroecosystems and compete with crop plants. Crop‐weed competition has been widely investigated over the past decades, although how functional traits mediate these competitive interactions has rarely been explored. In this study, we measured functional traits in 4400 individual plants belonging to 32 weed species, growing among four crops differing in functional traits. We assessed the intraspecific variation in weed functional traits in response to competition with crops but also with the other weeds. We found that the most abundant weeds have a lower intraspecific trait variability than other weed species for leaf dry matter content (LDMC), but this pattern was not observed for canopy height (CH) nor for specific leaf area (SLA). We found that most of the weed species tended to grow taller and have higher LDMC values when crop CH and LDMC increased. We propose that these species display a 'crop matching' strategy, tending to match crop functional trait values in response to competition. We also found that weed‐weed competition affected weed functional traits, sometimes more strongly than crop‐weed competition. This study highlights that intraspecific trait variation is important to consider when investigating the processes underlying weed species community assembly, especially resource competition. Further studies are required to identify the source of intraspecific trait variation in weeds and the consequences for weed fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication through airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and root exudates plays a vital role in the multifarious interactions of plants. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemesiifolia L.) is one of the most troublesome invasive alien species in agriculture. Below- and aboveground chemical interactions of ragweed with crops might be an important factor in the invasive species' success in agriculture. In laboratory experiments, we investigated the contribution of intra- and interspecific airborne VOCs and root exudates of ragweed to its competitiveness. Wheat, soybean, and maize were exposed to VOCs emitted from ragweed and vice versa, and the adaptation response was measured through plant morphological and physiological traits. We observed significant changes in plant traits of crops in response to ragweed VOCs, characterized by lower biomass production, lower specific leaf area, or higher chlorophyll contents. After exposure to ragweed VOCs, soybean and wheat produced significantly less aboveground dry mass, whereas maize did not. Ragweed remained unaffected when exposed to VOCs from the crops or a conspecific. All crops and ragweed significantly avoided root growth toward the root exudates of ragweed. The study shows that the plant response to either above- or belowground chemical cues is highly dependent on the identity of the neighbor, pointing out the complexity of plant–plant communication in plant communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water availability is the most important aspect of plant growth and development, which has an impact on crop yield and productivity. Plants respond to water shortages by altering their physiology, biochemistry, and osmotic balance. This study aimed to evaluate the role of K applications on wheat performance under water stress. The study was comprised of five levels of potassium applications, i) NK = control-no K applied, ii) WA = water applications at the heading stage (50 DAS), iii) K50 = 50 mg L-1, iv) K100= 100 mg L-1, and v) K150 = 150 mg L-1, and two levels of water status viz. i) WS0 = Control-no Water stress and ii) WS1 = Water stress (50 DAS). Results revealed that plant height, leaf area, and dry weights were decreased by 29.3, 20.8 and 23.3%, respectively, under water stress due to the reduction in the photosynthetic pigments in plants. Alternatively, cell membrane injuries were increased along with the overproduction of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. However, the production of metabolites (soluble proteins and phenolics), and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, protease, and peroxidase) regulate plant defense. The K supplementation ameliorated the harmful effect of water stress as proved by improving plant growth attributes, leaf area and dry weight, and chlorophyll contents. In addition, the production of antioxidant enzymes and metabolites contents were increased under K applications which improved stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate by 38.4 and 12.8%, respectively resulting in the grain yield increase of 25.3%. Among the different K levels, K applied at 150 mg L-1 was the most effective as compared to 50 mg L-1 and 100 mg L-1, which increased the seed yield by 29.5% as compared to the control. In crux, K applications have an important role to impart water stress tolerance in wheat plants based on the improvements in plant physicochemical activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf rolling (LR) is one of the defensive mechanisms that plants have developed against adverse environmental conditions. LR is a typical drought response, promoting drought resistance in various gramineae species, including wheat, maize, and rice. Rice cultivation faces the formidable challenge of water deprivation because of its high water requirements, which leads to drought-related symptoms in rice. LR is an important morphological characteristic that plays a key role in controlling water loss during water insufficiency, thereby regulating leaf area and stature, which are crucial agronomic traits determining yield criteria. Bulliform, sclerenchyma, mesophyll, and vascular bundles are the cells that engage in LR and commonly exhibit adaxial or abaxial types of rolling in rice. The specific genes linked to rolling, either adaxially or abaxially, are discussed here. In addition to the factors influencing LR, here is a short review of the morphological, physiological and molecular responses of this adaptation under drought stress. Moreover, this review highlights how LR combats the consequences of drought stress. The eco-physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying this morphological adaptation in rice should be further explored, as they might be useful in dealing with various degrees of drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agronomic biofortification could possibly be a promising strategy to overcome zinc (Zn) deficiency in wheat; however, the cultivar's response to foliar applications is enigmatic when it comes to the relative efficiency of Zn absorption and accumulation. To decipher that enigmatic response, this study was designed with the objectives (i) to track the amount of Zn absorbed through leaves after foliar application, (ii) to calculate the amount of the absorbed Zn actually translocated and stored in the grains, and (iii) to calculate the relative efficiency of the high yielding cultivars in terms of their Zn absorption and translocation. The results reveal that 0.90% of the zinc sprayed was absorbed through leaves, and 43% of the absorbed Zn was translocated to the grains. The cultivars significantly varied for their Zn absorption (0.71–1.07%) and subsequent translocation of the absorbed Zn (23–66%). Foliar zinc treatment also improved growth attributes such as leaf area, height, spikelet per spike, number of grains per spike, grain yield, leaf and grain Zn content, and grain protein content. These findings suggest a need for cautious parent selection in devising the breeding strategies intended for biofortification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Phenomics has emerged as important tool to bridge the genotype-phenotype gap. To dissect complex traits such as highly dynamic plant growth, and quantification of its component traits over a different growth phase of plant will immensely help dissect genetic basis of biomass production. Based on RGB images, models have been developed to predict biomass recently. However, it is very challenging to find a model performing stable across experiments. In this study, we recorded RGB and NIR images of wheat germplasm and Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) of Raj3765xHD2329, and examined the use of multimodal images from RGB, NIR sensors and machine learning models to predict biomass and leaf area non-invasively. Results: The image-based traits (i-Traits) containing geometric features, RGB based indices, RGB colour classes and NIR features were categorized into architectural traits and physiological traits. Total 77 i-Traits were selected for prediction of biomass and leaf area consisting of 35 architectural and 42 physiological traits. We have shown that different biomass related traits such as fresh weight, dry weight and shoot area can be predicted accurately from RGB and NIR images using 16 machine learning models. We applied the models on two consecutive years of experiments and found that measurement accuracies were similar suggesting the generalized nature of models. Results showed that all biomass-related traits could be estimated with about 90% accuracy but the performance of model BLASSO was relatively stable and high in all the traits and experiments. The R2 of BLASSO for fresh weight prediction was 0.96 (both year experiments), for dry weight prediction was 0.90 (Experiment 1) and 0.93 (Experiment 2) and for shoot area prediction 0.96 (Experiment 1) and 0.93 (Experiment 2). Also, the RMSRE of BLASSO for fresh weight prediction was 0.53 (Experiment 1) and 0.24 (Experiment 2), for dry weight prediction was 0.85 (Experiment 1) and 0.25 (Experiment 2) and for shoot area prediction 0.59 (Experiment 1) and 0.53 (Experiment 2). Discussion: Based on the quantification power analysis of i-Traits, the determinants of biomass accumulation were found which contains both architectural and physiological traits. The best predictor i-Trait for fresh weight and dry weight prediction was Area_SV and for shoot area prediction was projected shoot area. These results will be helpful for identification and genetic basis dissection of major determinants of biomass accumulation and also noninvasive high throughput estimation of plant growth during different phenological stages can identify hitherto uncovered genes for biomass production and its deployment in crop improvement for breaking the yield plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the genetic variations, correlation and factor analysis for grain yield and its components in eight wheat genotypes. The wheat genotypes showed significant differences for all the studied traits. Genotypes Sakha 95, Misr 1, Giza 171, Misr 1, and Misr 2 performed well in both seasons for grain yield and its components. Maximum phenotypic and genotypic variances were detected for number of spikes/m² and plant height in both seasons. The phenotypic coefficient of variation and genotypic one ranged from 48.72and 28.78% to 132.67and 74.73% and from 34.85and 21.42% to 182.98 and 117.17% for 1000 grains weight and the number of spikes/ m2 in the 1st season and the 2nd one, respectively. The highest heritability was detected for plant height and flag leaf area in both seasons. Moderate heritability was observed for number of grains/ spikes in both seasons. Low heritability was detected for the remaining traits during both seasons. A high genetic advance was observed for number of spikes/m2 (29.61) in the 2nd season. A significant positive correlation was registered between grain yield (ard./fed.) and each of flag leaf area, the number of spikes/plant and 1000 grains weight in both the 1st season and the 2nd one. The factor analysis method grouped the studied variants into two factors. These factors represented 79.424% in the 1st season and 84.255% in the 2nd one of the total variations of grain yield. The results of this study could be used to develop breeding programs for bread wheat improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluated the spatial variation of the photosynthetic pigments along the length of the wheat leaf. The biological material was represented by the 'Dacic' wheat cultivar, cultivated under the conditions of SCDA Lovrin, Romania. The fully developed leaf, third leaf, stage BBCH 30, was considered for analysis. 50 leaves were taken at random, from which 10 leaves with a length of 30 cm were selected. The photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll - Chl, carotenoids - Car) were determined in 29 positions along the length of the leaf, at intervals of 1 cm (p1 to p29). Based on the determined values, the Chl/Car and Car/Chl ratios were calculated. The chlorophyll content (Chl) varied between 36.70 - 67.80±0.51 units, the carotenoid content (Car) varied between 4.90 - 17.10±0.17 units. In the case of the calculated ratios, the Chl/Car ratio values were between 3.95 - 7.65±0.04, and the Car/Chl ratio values were between 0.13 - 0.25±0.001. The analysis of the data was done on the basis of a proposed logical scheme. The distribution of Chl and Car along the length of the leaf was described by polynomial equations of degree 4, under statistical safety conditions (R2=0.963 for Chl; R2=0.928 for Car, p<0.001). The cluster analysis facilitated the grouping of the determination positions (p1 to p29) based on similarity in relation to Chl values (Coph.corr.=0.738). Starting from the equations that described Chl and Car variation in relation to the position on the leaf (p1 to p29) were found the areas on the leaf where pigment content values were determined at the level of the calculated average values (Chl_Avg, Car_Avg; p8-p9, p24-p25), and the area with the maximum level of pigment content (p16 - p18). These areas were also identified in the dendrogram resulted from the cluster analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Septoria tritici blotch caused by Zymoseptoria tritici is a serious threat to wheat in Tunisia, causing yield losses of up to 50%. Epidemics occur regularly, mainly on durum wheat (DW) but also to a lesser extent on bread wheat (BW), that are mainly cropped in the north‐western and north‐eastern regions, respectively. Isolates of Z. tritici exhibit both cultivar specificity and host species specificity. In this study, we investigated the extent of host specialization of Z. tritici in the Tunisian context. Cross‐inoculations of different strains derived from either BW or DW were performed at the seedling stage on a panel of the most cultivated BW and DW varieties in Tunisia using the percentage of pycnidia coverage and necrotic leaf area as disease parameters. Results showed that the effect of strains, the strain‐derived species, the wheat species and of their interactions were highly significant based on pycnidia coverage. This indicates the presence of significant virulence variability among Z. tritici strains on the tested wheat genotypes, with some strains being more virulent than others. It also suggests cultivar and host species specificity, as not only genotypes of the strains interacted differently with the genotypes of the host, but also the origin of the strain, whether BW or DW, influenced the disease outcome. Hence, future research based on comparative genomics coupled with transcriptomics of these strains and their progenies could determine genes whose expression control this host specificity or is influenced by host or strain genotype, or alternatively by life cycle stage. [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]

The present study was conducted on wheat for two years from 2020-2022 to evaluate the effect of seed priming, tillage practices and nutrient management on growth and yield studies of crop under rainfed conditions at CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three factors. Factor I (Tillage practices) consisted of Conventional tillage (CT), Conventional tillage+ mulch (CT+M) and Zero tillage+ mulch (ZT+M); Factor II (Seed priming) consisted of Hydropriming and micronutrient (Zn, Mn) priming; Factor III (Nutrient management practices) consisted of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) and Integrated nutrient management. An additional treatment of control was also kept for general comparison of results. Tillage practices and nutrient management significantly effected growth and yield studies of wheat. However, seed priming had no significant effect on various parameters. Growth and yield of wheat were found to be significantly superior under conventional tillage+mulch (CT+M) as compared to other tillage practices. Maximum height (108.4 cm), dry matter accumulation (896.7 g/m2), leaf area index (2.43) and yield (9.19 t/ha) of wheat was obtained with CT+M. Zero tillage+mulch being the second best treatment proved to be better than conventional tillage. The growth and yield of wheat was significantly enhanced with integrated nutrient management as compared to recommended dose of fertilizers. Among different treatment combinations, T6 (CT+M, Hydro, Int) was found to be best in terms of both growth and yield studies in wheat under rainfed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of two types of negatively charged quasi-spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at concentrations of 10, 20 and 30 mg L−1 and silver ions at a concentration of 30 mg L−1 on the growth, selected physiological aspects and yielding of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Tybalt, and on plant resistance to seedling blight. Seed germination, α-amylase activity in seeds, morphology and infestation of seedlings by pathogens were assessed in a hydroponic treatment. Growth rate, PSII efficiency, heading and yield of the same plants were then analysed in pot culture. Results showed that the AgNPs and silver ions had a negative effect on roots, but reduced seedling blight and improved leaf area compared to the control. In addition, the AgNPs reduced with sodium borohydride in the presence of trisodium citrate at concentrations of 10 and 20 mg L−1 stimulated germination, α-amylase activity and shoot length, which was not observed in the case of silver ions and the AgNPs reduced with sodium hypophosphite in the presence of sodium hexametaphosphate. In a pot experiment, the AgNPs improved plant growth, PSII efficiency, accelerated heading and increased yield-related parameters compared with the control. Results revealed the interaction strength in the following order: TCSB-AgNPs > SHSH-AgNPs > silver ions. TCSB-AgNPs in the lowest concentration had the most favourable effect, indicating their great potential for use in improving wheat cultivation. We evaluated two types of negatively charged silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver ions on the growth, photosynthesis, yield and seedling blight resistance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Results indicate that plant reaction to silver compounds was different, and that surface properties resulting from the AgNPs synthesis method are important for the analysed parameters. The use of a non-toxic stabilising agent, such as trisodium citrate, for the synthesis of AgNPs is beneficial for their application in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimum sowing dates proposed a suitable atmosphere to achieve an outstanding yield. Field and laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of three sowing dates, namely, November 15th, November 30th, and December 15th, and four cultivars, i.e., Sakha 95, Sakha 94, Misr 3, and the Chinese cultivar Jinqiang 7, on potential yield and wheat seed quality. A split-plot design with three replicates was used. According to the results, late sowing on December 15 caused a great reduction in flag leaf area, number of days to physiological maturity, plant height, number of spikes/m2, number of grains/spike, spike length, 1000 kernel weight, grain yield, wet and dry gluten, as well as crude protein percentage in both seasons. estimated reduction in grain yield of about 31 and 30% in both seasons, respectively. The Sakha 95 cultivar had a significant difference in plant height, number of spikes per m2, grain yield, and wet and dry gluten compared to other cultivars in both seasons. Jinqiang 7 recorded early days to heading, high leaf area, early maturity, and high crude protein. Also, Sakha 94 recorded a high grain yield, thousand kernel weight, and spike length. Tested cultivars could be descendingly arranged according to their grain yield or feddan as follows: Sakha 95, Sakha 94, Misr 3, and Jinqiang 7. The highest grain yield/feddan resulted from sowing the Sakha 95 cultivar on all sowing dates. Significant wheat seed quality parameters were obtained by Sakha 95 when sowing on November 30 in both seasons. These results indicated that sowing Sakha 95 maximizes wheat crop productivity, while delayed sowing recommended sowing Sakha 94 or Misr 3 maximizes yield and wheat seed quality in this experimental environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant responses to soil drying and the metabolic basis of drought‐induced limitations in stomatal opening are still being discussed. In this study, we investigate the roles of root‐born chemical and hydraulic signals on stomatal regulation in wheat genotypes as affected by soil drought and vapour pressure deficit. Twelve consecutive pot experiments were carried out in a glasshouse. Two bread wheat cultivars (Gönen and Basribey) were subjected to drought under high and low vapour pressure deficit (VPD) in a growth chamber. Total dry matter, specific leaf area, xylem ABA content, xylem osmotic potential, xylem pH, root water potential (RWP), stomatal conductance, leaf ABA content and photosynthetic activity were determined daily during 6 days after the onset of treatments (DAT). In the first phase of drought stress, soil drying induced an increase in the xylem ABA with a peak 3 DAT while RWP drastically decreased during the same period. Then the osmotic potential of leaves decreased and leaf ABA content increased 4 DAT. A similar peak was observed for stomatal conductance during the early stress phase, and it became stable and significantly higher than in well‐watered conditions especially in high vapour deficit conditions (H‐VPD). Furthermore, xylem pH and xylem osmotic potential appeared to be mostly associated with atmospheric moisture content than soil water availability. The results are discussed regarding possible drought adaptation of wheat under different atmospheric humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Joint scaling test x2 and non-allelic interaction scaling test (A, B, and C) and a six-parameter model was used to assess the effectiveness of the genetic model and calculates the genetic elements for days to heading, flag leaf area, (number of spikes / plant, number of grains/spike, 1000 - grain weight and grain yield/plant (g) using six populations (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2) and triple test crosses analysis of two wheat crosses; 1. Gemmeiza11 X Misr1 and 2. Gemmeiza 12 X Misr2. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used. The obtained results indicated the importance of additive genetic variance (D) in the genetic control of days to heading and flag leaf area for Gimmeiza 12 X Misr2 in tow methods analysis and number of spikes / plant in two crosses in tow method analysis. Heritability in narrow sense was more than 0.50. While the dominant type controlling for the remaining traits in two crosses was determined to be the dominance genetic variance (H), the value of (H/D)05 was more than one for these characters and heritability in narrow sense was less than 0.50. Joint scaling test (X2) and non-allelic interaction (A, B, and C) demonstrated that a basic genetic model was sufficient to explain the inheritance of number of spikes/plant for Gemmeiza 12 X Misr1, epistasis played a great role of controlling remaining characters in two crosses. Additive (d) and additive X dominance (j) were significant for days to heading and number of grains/spike (1st and 2nd crosses), 1000 grain weight and grain yield / plant for 2nd cross. The digenic interaction type dominance X dominance (l) controlling days to heading (1st and 2nd crosses), Number of spikes per plant (1st cross), number of grains per spike, weight in 1000 grains, and yield in grains per plant (2nd cross). The main limiting variables for selecting the best breeding technique are thought to be an understanding of the type of gene action controlling mechanism of the yield and yield components paired with the reproduction system. These information are of great interest for plant breeder to release high yielding wheat cultivars as well as early mature ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stresses have brought the crops to a destructive position towards yield production of crops, especially wheat. The present study was investigated to compare the relationship between normal and heat stress conditions under two different sowing dates viz. normal and late sowing dates (25th Nov and 25th Dec). The correlation coefficients varied with both sowing dates (normal and late planting). In normal planting number of grains showed a significant positive correlation with grain weight spike-1 (r = 0.618**), grain yield plant-1 (r = 0.591**), seed index (r =0 .456**), biological yield plant-1 (r = 0.540**) and harvest index (r =0 .667**). Grains spike-1 contributed significant positive correlation with grains spike-1 (r=0.094**), grain yield plant-1 (r=0.844**), biological yield plant-1 (r=0.936**), harvest index (r=0.556**), leaf area (r=0.791**), relative water content (r=0.763**), chlorophyll content (r=0.853**), cell membrane stability (r=0.828**) and stomatal conductance (r=0.292**). Grain yield plant-1 exhibited a significant positive correlation under normal planting with the number of tillers plant-1, number of spikelets spike-1, grains spike-1, and grain weight spike-1 (r=0.695**,0.207*,0.591**and 0.950**), respectively. Whereas, late planting declared grains spike-1 revelaed signficant positive correlation with grains spike-1 (r=0.094**), grain yield plant-1 (r=0.844**), biological yield plant-1 (r=0.936**), harvest index (r=0.556**), leaf area (r=0.791**), relative water content (r=0.763**), chlorophyll content (r=0.853**), cell membrane stability (r=0.828**) and stolatal conductance (r=0.292**). Under late planting, Yield showed a significant positive correlation with spike length, grains spike-1, and grain weight spike-1 (r=0.343**,0.844**, and 0.964**), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field experiment was conducted during the agricultural season of 2021-2022 in the AlMajd area, located north of Samawah city. The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of plowing depths and perlite on various soil characteristics, as well as the growth and yield of wheat. This was achieved through a factorial experiment design, employing the split plot design and utilizing the randomized complete block design (RCBD). The experimental design incorporated two independent variables the first factor in the experiment pertains to plowing depths, which were categorized into three levels: 0 cm, 10 cm, and 20 cm. These levels were coded as D0, D1, and D2, respectively. The second factor involves the addition of perlite mineral, which was examined at four different levels: 0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%. These levels were coded as P0, P1, P2, and P3, respectively. The experimental land was divided into slabs, and wheat seeds of the Barcelona variety were sown on November 15, 2021. The harvest was conducted on April 20, 2022. Upon doing an analysis of the obtained data, the subsequent findings emerged: The study investigated the impact of different levels of perlite on the enhancement of vegetative growth parameters, specifically the number of tillers, plant height, and flag leaf area, throughout two stages: growth and tillering. The results showed that at the P2 level, the average values for tiller number, plant height, and flag leaf area were 12.03 tillers per plant, 89.93 cm in height, and 66.89 cm², respectively. The impact of plowing depth on the enhancement of vegetative characteristics, such as the number of tillers, plant height, and flag leaf area, was seen during the growth and tillering stages at the D2 level. The respective values for these attributes were 14.50 tillers per plant, 94.90 cm in plant height, and 82.24 cm² in flag leaf area. The rise in yield characteristics, such as spike length and total yield, throughout the harvesting stage was influenced by the levels of perlite. Specifically, at the P2 level, the spike length and total yield were measured to be 13.94 cm and 7.40 tons H-1, respectively. The rise in yield characteristics, specifically spike length and total yield, throughout the harvesting stage at the D2 level was influenced by the plowing depths. The spike length and total yield reached values of 14.61 cm and 7.79 ton ha-1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted under the conditions of Muthanna Governorate during the 2022-2023 agricultural season in one of the fields belonging to a farmer in the Al-Bandar area (3 km from the center of Samawah city), which is located at longitude 45.18 east and latitude 31.19 north. The experiment aimed to study the effect of different treatments in reducing the impact of irrigation water salinity on the growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Variety Abaa 99 The experiment was conducted using a split-plot design with complete randomized blocks with three replications. The main plots included levels of irrigation water salinity with concentrations of (6, 9 and 12) dS m-1 in addition to the control treatment of normal river water (3) dSm-1 . The secondary plots included some salinity reduction treatments, namely (Kamasol, Clean Salt, magnetic irrigation water). The results of the experiment showed that the Clean Salt treatment significantly outperformed the control treatment in terms of plant height (95.50 cm), flag leaf area (34.07 cm² ), number of tillers (412.50 tillers m² ), and grain yield (6.210 t ha-1). While salinity levels significantly affected some of the studied traits, the irrigation water treatment (control) was superior in the flag leaf area, recording 35.61 cm² . The 6 dS m-1 treatment, on the other hand, outperformed the other treatments in terms of biological yield, recording the highest yield of 13.458 t ha-1 . The interaction between the factors of the experiment had a significant effect on some of the studied traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild emmer, the direct progenitor of modern durum and bread wheat, has mostly been studied for grain quality, biotic, and abiotic stress-related traits. Accordingly, it should also have a certain amount of diversity for morphological and agronomic traits. Despite having a high chance of huge diversity, it has not been deeply explored. In the current study, 263 wild emmer accessions collected from different regions of Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria were characterized for a total of 19 agronomic and shoot morphological traits. Three trials were carried out in Western Australia, which demonstrated a large variation in these traits. The average phenotypic diversity (H') was 0.91 as quantified by Shannon's diversity index. A high heritability was recorded for most of the traits, where biomass/plant and yield/plant were identified as the most potential traits. Correlation analysis revealed several significant associations between traits, including significant positive correlation between yield and tiller number, first leaf area, spike length, and biomass/plant. The principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that most of the traits contributed to the overall observed variability. The cluster analysis categorized 263 accessions into five clusters on average. On the other hand, accessions were categorized into eight populations based on the collection region and a comparative analysis demonstrated considerable variations between populations for plant height, spike length, and flag leaf area. Despite the low yield, several wild emmer accessions demonstrated superior performance compared to modern bread wheat cultivars, when selection was based on combining yield with multiple traits. These observations indicate that wild emmer contains a broad gene pool for several agronomic and shoot morphological traits, which can be utilized for bread and durum wheat improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With climate change, longer periods without precipitation but also heavy rains will become more frequent. Thus, understanding and predicting the implications of drought–waterlogging–redrying cycles for plants is essential. We examined the effects of such events on wheat (Triticum aestivum). We measured the impacts of subsequent water treatments (drought–waterlogging–redrying) on plant shoot and root biomass, photosynthesis and transpiration, as well as on primary metabolites and transcripts of leaves. Drought and drought followed by waterlogging severely reduced shoot and root biomass. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and the CO2 assimilation rate per unit leaf area were not affected by the treatments but, after the redrying phase, plants grown under the stress treatments showed a higher transpiration rate per unit leaf area and a lower instantaneous water use efficiency. Many organic acids of the citrate cycle were less concentrated in leaves of stressed plants, while most amino acids were more concentrated. Transcript analysis of genes involved in signalling and metabolism revealed different expression patterns. While some genes responded only to drought or drought followed by waterlogging, several genes were induced upon both treatments and some were still upregulated at the end of the redrying phase. We provide insights into how wheat responds to changes in water regimes, with some of the changes probably allowing the plants to cope with these stressors, at least to a certain degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The wheat flag leaf is the main contributor of photosynthetic assimilates to developing grains. Understanding how canopy architecture strategies affect source strength and yield will aid improved crop design.We used an eight‐founder population to investigate the genetic architecture of flag leaf area, length, width and angle in European wheat. For the strongest genetic locus identified, we subsequently created a near‐isogenic line (NIL) pair for more detailed investigation across seven test environments.Genetic control of traits investigated was highly polygenic, with colocalisation of replicated quantitative trait loci (QTL) for one or more traits identifying 24 loci. For QTL QFll.niab‐5A.1 (FLL5A), development of a NIL pair found the FLL5A+ allele commonly conferred a c. 7% increase in flag and second leaf length and a more erect leaf angle, resulting in higher flag and/or second leaf area. Increased FLL5A‐mediated flag leaf length was associated with: (1) longer pavement cells and (2) larger stomata at lower density, with a trend for decreased maximum stomatal conductance (Gsmax) per unit leaf area.For FLL5A, cell size rather than number predominantly determined leaf length. The observed trade‐offs between leaf size and stomatal morphology highlight the need for future studies to consider these traits at the whole‐leaf level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields are thought to be capable of modulating the resistance of plants to adverse factors, particularly drought. Magnetic fields in this frequency range occur in nature in connection with so-called Schumann resonances, excited by lightning discharges in the Earth–ionosphere cavity. The aim of this work was to identify the influence of a magnetic field with a frequency of 14.3 Hz (which corresponds to the second Schumann harmonic) on the transpiration and photosynthesis of wheat plants under the influence of drought. The activity of photosynthesis processes, the crop water stress index, relative water content and leaf area were determined during drought intensification. At the end of the experiment, on the 12th day of drought, the length, and fresh and dry weight of wheat shoots were measured. The results obtained indicate a protective effect of the magnetic field on plants in unfavorable drought conditions; the magnetic field delayed the development of harmful changes in the transpiration and photosynthesis processes for several days. At the same time, in the absence of the stressor (drought), the effect of the electromagnetic field was not detected, except for a decrease in relative transpiration. In favorable conditions, there were only minimal modifications of the photosynthetic processes and transpiration by the magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop productivity worldwide is being hampered by salt stress. Nanotechnology and its applications in agriculture are noteworthy and fruitful. The current work investigates the potential significance of TiO2 NPs in alleviating salt stress in wheat cultivars. TiO2 NPs were prepared by green synthesis; their characterizations were carried out by UV–visible spectroscopy, SEM, and EDX. In the greenhouse control condition, different concentrations of salt (NaCl) with and without TiO2 NPs were administered to wheat crops. Plants treated with TiO2 NPs showed an enhanced germination rate, morphological, and metabolic profiling with and without salt stress. Different concentrations of TiO2 NPs (25, 50, 75, and 100 µg/mL) and salt solutions (NaCl 50, 100, and 150 mM) were used. TiO2 NP concentrations of 25 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL improved the germination attributes, physio-morphic parameters: plant length, the fresh and dry weight of plants, the number of leaves, the leaf area, the RWC, the MSI, and different chlorophyll contents at all saline conditions. These two concentrations also enhanced the biochemical attributes: free amino acids, soluble sugar content, proline content, SOD, and POD, of wheat varieties at all salinity levels. Wheat subjected to salt stress responded best to the application of TiO2 NPs at a concentration of 50 µg/mL. However, the highest concentrations (75 and 100 µg/mL) of TiO2 NPs showed detrimental effects on germination, agronomic, physiological, and biochemical attributes, and caused stress in both wheat varieties (Pirsabak-05 and NARC-09) under control and saline conditions. The outcomes of the current research work are notable, and NPs with such capabilities may be a useful supply of fertilizer in the agricultural industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to test whether night‐time transpiration provides any potential benefit to wheat plants which are subjected to salt stress. Hydroponically grown wheat plants were grown at four levels of salt stress (50, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl) for 5–8 days prior to harvest (day 14–18). Salt stress caused large decreases in transpiration and leaf elongation rates during day and night. The quantitative relation between the diurnal use of water for transpiration and leaf growth was comparatively little affected by salt. Night‐time transpirational water loss occurred predominantly through stomata in support of respiration. Diurnal gas exchange and leaf growth were functionally linked to each other through the provision of resources (carbon, energy) and an increase in leaf surface area. Diurnal rates of water use associated with leaf cell expansive growth were highly correlated with the water potential of the xylem, which was dominated by the tension component. The tissue‐specific expression level of nine candidate aquaporin genes in elongating and mature leaf tissue was little affected by salt stress or day/night changes. Growing plants under conditions of reduced night‐time transpirational water loss by increasing the relative humidity (RH) during the night to 95% had little effect on the growth response to salt stress, nor was the accumulation of Na+ and Cl− in shoot tissue altered. We conclude that night‐time gas exchange supports the growth in leaf area over a 24 h day/night period. Night‐time transpirational water loss neither decreases nor increases the tolerance to salt stress in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For identification of correlations and relations among different traits in bread wheat, 30 genotypes were investigated based on a split plot experiment in the form of randomized complete block design with three replications under normal and moisture stress conditions during the 2016-2017 crop season. The results of the analysis of variance showed that the effect of genotypes was significant for most of the studied traits. The interaction effect of drought stress and genotype was significant for all examined traits except 1000-grain weight. Genotypes c-94-3 and Heidari were recognized as the best genotypes with average grain yield of 437 and 427 g/m², respectively, in normal conditions. Under drought conditions, genotypes cd-4 and cd-6 had the lowest grain yield with an average of 104 and 108 g/m², respectively. Based on the results of multiple regression in field experiment, under optimal irrigation conditions, flag leaf area, spike density, number of days to 50% flowering and spike length, (R² = 0.466) and under stress conditions, grain filling rate, grain filling period and straw yield (R² = 0.736) were considered as important traits affecting grain yield. Path analysis of grain yield under normal conditions indicated that the flag leaf area, spike density and spike length, and under stress conditions, the grain filling rate, grain filling period and straw yield, with the greatest direct positive effect were the important and effective traits in grain yield. Based on the results of the analysis of the grain yield correlation coefficients under normal condition, the number of kernels per spike, 1000-grain weight, flag leaf area, spike density and spike length, and under stress conditions, the number of kernels per spike, the grain filling rate, grain filling period and straw yield, were considered as the traits affecting grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research was conducted in the field area of Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad during 2018-19. Six parents were used as female lines and three parents as male testers. F1 along with their parents were sown under drought and normal conditions in a randomized complete block design. Data were recorded for flag leaf area, chlorophyll contents, plant height, spike length, spikelets per spike, grains per spike, grain weight per spike, relative water contents, spike density, weight of 1000-grain, grain yield from each plant and tillers per plant. F1 plants and their parents were evaluated for general as well as for specific combining ability. The SSR marker-based screening of parental genotypes was also conducted using 4SSR markers related to drought tolerance. Under normal water conditions, parent Chakwal-50 was a good general combiner for plant height and 1000 grain weight, 9774 perform best for spike length and grain weight per spike. Line BARS-2009 performed best for tillers per plant, number of spikes per plant. In drought conditions, for plant height parent AAS-11, Chakwal-50 and 10137 gave significant results. Line BARS-2009 and 9774 gave desirable results for number of tillers per plant. Under normal water condition, cross 9774 × Kohistan 97, Chakwal-50 × Sialkot-13, Chakwal-50 × 9733, BARS-2009 × 9496 and Punjab 2011 × Sialkot-13 performed well for chlorophyll content, flag leaf area, 1000-grain weight and tillers/plant. In drought conditions, crosses 9774 × Kohistan 97, AAS-11 × Sialkot-13, 10137 × Sialkot-13 and 10137 × 9496 performed good for plant height, grain weight per spike, flag leaf area and yield per plant. So, it was concluded from physiological and molecular analysis results that among parents Chalwal-50, BARS-2009, 9496 and 10137 were better performing for drought and can be included in future breeding program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was carried out at the research station of the College of Agriculture, university of Al-Muthanna in winter 2021-2022 to study the effect of four levels of nitrogen (250, 200, 150, 100) kg N ha-1 and four Row Spacing (30, 25, 20, 15). (cm) on Wheat Growth and Yield. The results a significant superiority of the fertilizer rate 250 kg N ha-1 in plant height, leaf area, number of tillers, and nitrogen concentration, with means of 90.5 cm, 32.3 cm 2 , 323.3 leaves m-2, and 2.94%, respectively. The row spacing of 30 cm showed a significant superiority for the characteristic of the number of tillers, which reached to 319.5 tillers m-2, while the The row spacing did not show any significant superiority in most of the studied traits plant height, number of days from planting to flowering, number of days from flowering to maturity, leaf area of the plant, nitrogen concentration). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted on wheat for two years from 2020-2022 to evaluate the effect of seed priming, tillage practices and nutrient management on growth and yield studies of crop under rainfed conditions at CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three factors. Factor I (Tillage practices) consisted of Conventional tillage (CT), Conventional tillage+ mulch (CT+M) and Zero tillage+ mulch (ZT+M); Factor II (Seed priming) consisted of Hydropriming and micronutrient (Zn, Mn) priming; Factor III (Nutrient management practices) consisted of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) and Integrated nutrient management. An additional treatment of control was also kept for general comparison of results. Tillage practices and nutrient management significantly effected growth and yield studies of wheat. However, seed priming had no significant effect on various parameters. Growth and yield of wheat were found to be significantly superior under conventional tillage+mulch (CT+M) as compared to other tillage practices. Maximum height (108.4 cm), dry matter accumulation (896.7 g/m2), leaf area index (2.43) and yield (9.19 t/ha) of wheat was obtained with CT+M. Zero tillage+mulch being the second best treatment proved to be better than conventional tillage. The growth and yield of wheat was significantly enhanced with integrated nutrient management as compared to recommended dose of fertilizers. Among different treatment combinations, T6 (CT+M, Hydro, Int) was found to be best in terms of both growth and yield studies in wheat under rainfed conditions.

A field experiment was carried out during the winter season 2020-2021 at the research station of the College of Agriculture, University of Al-Muthanna (Al Bandar region) to study the effect of spraying with nano potassium fertilizer and salinity levels of irrigation water on the growth and yield of wheat. The experiment was applied in a strip split-plot design with three replications, the spraying included three concentrations of nano potassium (3000, 6000, 9000 K ppm) and three concentrations of salinity of irrigation water (3, 6, 9 ds m-1). The results are as follows: the spraying potassium 9000 ppm exceeded significantly and gave the highest means plant height of 84.26 cm, number of tillers 354.10 teller m², flag leaf area 40.19 cm², spike length 9.89 cm, number of spikes 297.87 spike m². The number of grains 47.33 grains spike-1, yield 4.96 tons ha-1 and potassium content 0.62%. The increase in salinity level led to a decrease at level 9 ds m-1 get the lowest means of Plant height 75.44 cm, number of tillers 316.77 teller m², flag leaf area 39.04 cm², length of spike 8.33 cm, the number of spikes 271.30 spikes m², yield 3.32 tons ha-1 and potassium content 0.44%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To characterize the adaptability of strip tillage for wheat production in a rice–wheat rotation system in China, a two-year experiment was conducted. Three methods of tillage and sowing were designed, including broadcast and drill sowing following full tillage (TS1 and TS2) as well as drill sowing following strip tillage (TS3), under two planting densities. Compared to TS2, TS1 only increased seedling tiller number (by 17%–54%) at the beginning of the over-wintering stage, while TS3 improved tiller number, leaf area, and shoot weight (by 17%–39%, 14%–15%, and 19%–27%, respectively), achieving individual seedlings with improved growth vigor. An increased planting density (300 vs. 225 plants m−2) significantly promoted culms, leaf area, and shoot weight per m2 seedlings (by 8%–14%, 7%–23%, and 11%–19%, respectively) under TS3, improving seedling growth quality. The present results indicate that vigorous seedling growth promoted the potential and synergy of the source and sink (maximum leaf area, grains per m2, and sink–source ratio), thereby increasing grain yield. Furthermore, TS3 promoted nitrogen (N) uptake (by 7%–9%) compared with TS1 and TS2. The present study highlights the good adaptability and applicability of strip tillage for the environmentally conscious and efficient production of wheat in rice–wheat rotation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncovering the mechanism that underlies the relationship between crop height and grain yield would potentially inform the strategies for improving wheat with optimal height. The aim of the research reported here was to identify the attributes able to produce wheat yield increases in Rht genotypes without further straw-shortening. Attention was given to examination in a controlled environment the question of the mechanistic foundation that determined the relationship between wheat height and yield in lines (Rht-B1b, Rht-D1b, Rht-B1c, Rht-D1c) compared to wild types in Mercia background. In addition to height reduction, this research revealed three other mechanisms by which the Rht genes may also improve the Harvest Index (HI) of wheat: (i) low Specific Leaf Area (SLA), (ii) increased Mean Residence Time (MRT) of Nitrogen (N), and (iii) increased grain number on spike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat plants experience substantial physiological adaptation when exposed to salt stress. Identifying such physiological mechanisms and their genetic control is especially important to improve its salt tolerance. In this study, leaf chlorophyll content (CC), leaf canopy temperature (CT), and specific leaf area (SLA) were scored in a set of 153 (103 having the best genotypic data were used for GWAS analysis) highly diverse wheat genotypes under control and salt stress. On average, CC and SLA decreased under salt stress, while the CT average was higher under salt stress compared to the control. CT was negatively and significantly correlated with CC under both conditions, while no correlation was found between SLA and CC and CT together. High genetic variation and broad-sense-heritability estimates were found among genotypes for all traits. The genome wide association study revealed important QTLs for CC under both conditions (10) and SLA under salt stress (four). These QTLs were located on chromosomes 1B, 2B, 2D, 3A, 3B, 5A, 5B, and 7B. All QTLs detected in this study had major effects with R2 extending from 20.20% to 30.90%. The analysis of gene annotation revealed three important candidate genes (TraesCS5A02G355900, TraesCS1B02G479100, and TraesCS2D02G509500). These genes are found to be involved in the response to salt stress in wheat with high expression levels under salt stress compared to control based on mining in data bases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study comprised two experiments that were carried out for two consecutive years (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) at the Agricultural Research Station, Babil Governorate, Iraq. In the first experiment, seven wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, viz., Iraq, Ezz, Abba-99, Furat, Sham-6, N-70, and Tamoz, were studied for most drought-tolerant genes in 2019-2020. During this year, three droughttolerant wheat cultivars, i.e., Iraq, Tamoz, and Abba-99, were selected having the most droughttolerant genes. In the second experiment, the three selected drought-tolerant wheat cultivars under three different drought stress conditions (D-1, D-2, and D-3) were studied during 2020-2021 in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications using a split-plot arrangement. The study aimed to determine the impact of drought effects on the expression of drought-resistant genes, growth, and yield traits in wheat. The results showed that wheat cultivars differed in their possession of drought-resistant genes (ABC4, GPAT, GBSS1, and umc1283), and the bands appeared in cultivars, Iraq, Tamoz, and Abba-99, while the rest of the four cultivars had lost one or two genes. Cultivar Iraq was distinguished as the most drought-tolerant genotypes, by having an increased relative expression of genes, ABC4 and GPAT, compared with other cultivars. The D-3 - drought stress condition caused a significant reduction in the biological and grain yield, and harvest index, with a decrease of 38.85%, 12.60%, and 29.83%, respectively. Cultivar Iraq was the least affected for plant height, flag leaf area, tillers meter2, biological and grain yield, and harvest index when increasing drought severity, and these traits decreased by 16.96%, 24.08%, 44.17%, 28.08%, 15.10%, and 15.29%, respectively. Results authenticated wheat cultivars differed in the expression of drought-resistant genes, and drought resistance is largely controlled by genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature stress is a major yield limiting factor in cereals. Five wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes viz.; WH 1105, PBW 550, HD 2967, PBW 621 and PBW 702 were raised under three temperature regimes (ambient+3.0oC; ambient+3.3oC and ambient+3.6oC) in a temperature gradient tunnel (TGT). Crop raised at ambient temperature (outside the tunnel) was taken as control. Higher than ambient temperature accelerated plant height at vegetative stage but decreased leaf area, leaf membrane thermo-stability index (MTS), chlorophyll content. Yield and its attributes such as number of spike bearing tillers, length and compactness of spike also decreased in crop raised under TGT. Yield showed a positive correlation with MTS, chlorophyll content and compactness of spikes. The crop raised at ambient+3.6oC temperature was adversely affected to a maximum extent among the three temperature regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop avoidance and tolerance strategies are critical adaptive mechanisms of drought stress and play different roles in grain yield. However, little is known about the contribution of these two mechanisms to grain yield in old and modern wheat genotypes. Here, pot and field experiments were carried out to characterize and compare the mechanisms of drought avoidance and drought tolerance, and determine their differential contributions to the yield in six wheat genotypes. The pot experiment results demonstrated that the old genotypes acquired a better avoidance ability to adapt to drought stress. These avoidance abilities include larger root systems, lower leaf areas, low stomatal conductance, pale green leaf colour, higher degrees of leaf rolling and leaf waxiness. The modern genotypes displayed stronger drought tolerance advantages, such as high osmotic adjustment and antioxidant enzyme activity, and a smaller root system. Our field experiment further showed that under severe water-deficit conditions, the old genotypes with stronger drought avoidance traits had higher yields and water use efficiency (WUEg), whereas the modern genotypes with strong drought tolerance characteristics produced higher yields and had higher WUEg under mild and intermediate water deficits. The results indicate that the relative contribution of drought tolerance and drought avoidance to grain yield depends to a large extent on the degree of drought stress and genotypes. Understanding the differential plant response depending on genotype and drought stress may help plant breeders develop drought-resistant varieties suitable for drought-prone environments under anticipated climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature stress during grain filling substantially decreases wheat productivity; thus, to ensure food security, heat tolerance in wheat must be developed. It remains unclear whether exogenous salicylic acid (SA) can induce tolerance to high temperatures in wheat at the grain-filling stage. In this study, a two-year pot culture experiment using the wheat cultivar 'Yangmai 18' was conducted from 2018 to 2020. The plants were pre-sprayed with SA from the heading stage (SAH), anthesis stage (SAA), 5 days after anthesis (DAA; SA5), and 10 DAA (SA10). After that, the wheat plants were subjected to high temperature stress (G) simulated using a passive warming method during the period between 15 and 19 DAA. The results showed that, compared with the normal temperature control group (NN), high temperature stress at the grain-filling stage significantly reduced the yield and photosynthetic capacity of wheat. The application of SA at different stages reduced the yield loss and the damage to the photosynthetic capacity caused by high temperature stress; the effectiveness of the treatments in descending order was SAAG > SA5G > SA10G > SAHG. Exogenous SA treatment increased the amount and proportion of dry matter distributed in the stem sheaths and leaves and grains, and decreased the amount and proportion of dry matter distributed in the rachises and glumes at the maturity stage, thereby reducing the yield loss under high temperature stress. The application of SA significantly increased the leaf area, stomatal density, chlorophyll content, soluble protein content, maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), actual photochemical efficiency (ΦPSII), and activity of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) of the wheat flag leaves under high temperature stress at the grain-filling stage, thereby improving the photosynthetic performance of the flag leaves under stress. In summary, exogenous SA significantly restored the photosynthetic capacity of wheat flag leaves injured by post-anthesis high temperature stress, which effectively alleviated the inhibition of wheat growth caused by the stress and ultimately reduced the yield loss. Spraying SA at the anthesis stage had the greatest effect abating the loss of yield and reduced photosynthetic performance under high temperature stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abioticstress such as drought is a potential threat posing a severe challenge to wheat production across the globe. The current study comparatively delineated the performance of elite Pakistani bread wheat genotypes at physiological (chlorophyll, canopy temperature, cell membrane percentage stability and leaf relative water content), agronomic (plant height, tillers plant−1, flag leaf area, spike length, spikelets spike−1, grains spike−1, grain yield spike−1, thousand grain weight and plant biomass) and genetic (TaDREB1A, TaGROS-A, TaLEA3, TaHSFA1a, TaWRKY44 and TaEXPA2) levels. Atri-replicate experiment was conducted in a two factorial arrangement using RCBD, and data were analyzed statistically using the computer-based programsStatistix8.1 and R-studio. In general, all wheat genotypes illustrated significant (p ≤ 0.05) alterations in physiological and agronomic traits under drought stress as compared to the control; however, this alteration was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) different among all genotypes owing to their varying genetic potential. Furthermore, these genotypes were evaluated for the extent of the association of physiological and agronomic traits using PCA, correlation and heatmap analysis, which proved statistically significant variation in the paired association of traits among all genotypes during drought stress as compared to the control. In addition, based on statistical evaluations, the genotypes Pakistan-13, Shahkar-13, AAS-11, Chakwal-86, Chakwal-50 and AUR-09 were found to be tolerant, while genotypes Anmol-97, Chakwal-97, Bhakkar-02 and BWP-97 were comparatively susceptible. Furthermore, these screened genotypes showed differential expression of drought-related genes, with relatively high expression in tolerant genotypes compared to susceptible genotypes. The current study concluded that physiological, agronomic and molecular characteristics are significantly interconnected, and these associations determine the end productivity of wheat genotypes during abiotic stress. Therefore, their integrated study can enhance the pace of wheat breeding for drought tolerance in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The study was done during winter season 2020-2021 at field of College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Duhok University, to evaluate the influence of different phosphorus fertilizer P2O5 rate (0, 60, 90, 120kg ha-1 on yield and yield components of four promising bread wheat Bura, Jehan-99, Apst-35 and Apst-26. The experiment was Laid out in factorial experiments using randomize complete block design with three replications. Significant difference in plant height, flag leaf area (cm), spike length(cm), No. seed spike, weight of seed per spike, 1000-seed weight and total yield were observed by the application of different phosphorus fertilizer 120kg ha-1. However, only days to 75% flowering was not significant affected by different rate of phosphorus fertilizer. Also the results exhibited that the Apast-35 was significant in plant height (104.91cm), flag leaf area (40 cm2), spike length (15.4cm), No. seed per spike (37), seed weight of spike (1.48g), 1000-seed weight (41.09g) and total yield 3.66 (t.ha-1). The simple correlation exhibited positive and significant between yield and plant height (0.89), leaf area (0.85), 1000-seed weight (0.76), No. seed per spike (0.87) and weight of seed spike (0.92), this main these traits were intributed to increase the yield under rate 120kg ha-1of phosphorus P2O5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem rust, or black rust, of wheat, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, has recently re‐emerged in several parts of the world, with epidemics occurring in eastern Africa, as well as northern and southern Europe. Damage mechanisms from disease dynamically affect the physiology of the crop as it grows and develops, and as the epidemic progresses, leading to yield losses in the stem rust‐diseased wheat stand. Process‐based agrophysiological models that include disease‐induced damage mechanisms can help to better understand the physiological processes leading to yield losses, and to inform strategic decisions such as breeding strategies. Such models have not been developed for wheat stem rust so far. Two damage mechanisms for stem rust, light stealing and assimilate diversion, were incorporated in the agrophysiological simulation model WHEATPEST. The model, tested from experimental field data retrieved from the literature, provides a satisfactory representation of the system, although consistently underestimates relative yield losses by about 6.9%, resulting in relative yield losses between 17% and 56%. Analyses highlight the importance of the diversion of assimilates toward the pathogen in the magnitude of yield loss. Considering only the reduction of green leaf area would underestimate damage from stem rust by at least threefold. The analysis also shows the importance of the dynamic interplay between disease and crop growth, especially the dynamics of leaf area, on yield loss. Directions to consider additional damage mechanisms are proposed, and perspectives for future research, especially in relation to plant breeding strategies under climate change, are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]