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Heavy metals typically coexist with microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial ecosystems. Yet, little is known about how the co-existence of heavy metals and MPs affect crops. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of cadmium (Cd; 40 mg/L) alone and its co-existence with polypropylene (PP)-MPs (50 and 100 µm) on seed germination, root and shoot growth, seedling dry weight (DW), and antioxidant enzyme activities of wheat. The study demonstrated that the germination rate of wheat did not vary significantly across treatment groups. Yet, the inhibitory impact on wheat seed germination was strengthened under the co-existence of Cd and PP-MPs, as the effect of a single treatment on seed germination was non-significant. The germination index and mean germination time of wheat seeds were not affected by single or combined toxicity of Cd and PP-MPs. In contrast, Cd and PP-MPs showed synergistic effects on germination energy. Wheat root and shoot length were impeded by Cd alone and in combination with PP-MPs treatments. The DW of wheat seedlings showed significant change across treatment groups until the third day, but on the seventh day, marginal differences were observed. For example, on third day, the DW of the Cd treatment group increased by 6.9% compared to CK, whereas the DW of the 100 µm PP-MPs+Cd treatment group decreased by 8.4% compared to CK. The co-occurrence of Cd and PP-MPs indicated that 50 mm PP-MPs+Cd had an antagonistic impact on wheat seedling growth, whereas 100 mm PP-MPs+Cd had a synergistic impact due to the larger size of PP-MPs. The antioxidant enzyme system of wheat seeds and seedlings increased under single Cd pollution, while the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase were decreased under combined pollution. Our study found that Cd adversely affects wheat germination and growth, while the co-existence of Cd and PP-MPs have antagonistic and synergistic effects depending on the size of the PP-MPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bottom ash (OIBA) generated from the incineration of hazardous oil sludge is classified as a hazardous waste. In this work, the OIBA was applied as raw material to prepare SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 -CaO system glass-ceramics by melt-sintering with the addition of waste glass wool (GW). The effects of basicity (CaO/SiO 2 ratio, 0.52-1.05) and sintering temperature (900–1050 °C) on the crystallization kinetics, properties, microstructure, leaching concentrations of heavy metals and potential toxicity of glass-ceramics were investigated. The results showed that the crystallization pattern was two-dimensional crystallization, and with the decrease of basicity, the main crystalline phase evolved from gehlenite to diopside. And the glass-ceramics with basicity of 0.88 and sintering temperature of 950 °C exhibited the best comprehensive properties, including density (2.72 g/cm3), water absorption (0.06%), compressive strength (452.45 MPa) and chemical corrosion resistance. In addition, the reduction of heavy metal leaching concentration indicates that produced glass-ceramics showed excellent solidification effect on heavy metals, the low toxicity of glass-ceramics leaching solution to the wheat seeds and Artemia suggests the environmental protection characteristics of OIBA-based glass-ceramics. These findings proved that the glass-ceramics produced by OIBA and GW could be a promising method to dispose hazardous waste with preparing high value-added construction materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat crop is subjected to various biotic and abiotic stresses, which affect crop productivity and yield. Among various abiotic stresses, drought stress is a major problem considering the current global climate change scenario. A high-yielding wheat variety, HD3086, has been released for commercial cultivation under timely sown irrigated conditions for the North Western Plain Zone (NWPZ) and North Eastern Plain Zone NEPZ of India. Presently, HD3086 is one of the highest breeder seed indented wheat varieties and has a stable yield over the years. However, under moisture deficit conditions, its potential yield cannot be achieved. The present study was undertaken to transfer drought-tolerant QTLs in the background of the variety HD3086 using marker-assisted backcross breeding. QTLs governing Biomass (BIO), Canopy Temperature (CT), Thousand Kernel Weight (TKW), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Yield (YLD) were transferred to improve performance under moisture deficit conditions. In BC1F1, BC2F1, and BC2F2 generations, the foreground selection was carried out to identify the plants with positive QTLs conferring drought tolerance and linked to traits NDVI, CT, TKW, and yield. The positive homozygous lines for targeted QTLs were advanced from BC2F2 to BC2F4 via the pedigreebased phenotypic selection method. Background analysis was carried out in BC2F5 and obtained 78-91% recovery of the recurrent parent genome in the improved lines. Furthermore, the advanced lines were evaluated for 2 years under drought stress to assess improvement in MABB-derived lines. Increased GWPS, TKW, and NDVI and reduced CT was observed in improved lines. Seven improved lines were identified with significantly higher yields in comparison to HD3086 under stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Volunteer wheat is commonly found in the main wheat-producing areas of China and impacts cultivated wheat production. This study's aim was evaluating the effects of environmental conditions on the adaptability and germination of volunteer wheat grains. Our results showed that volunteer wheat was more adaptable to low temperatures of 5 °C and was poorly adaptable to high temperatures of above 30 °C. Volunteer wheat was more adaptable to higher salinity and lower osmotic potential than cultivated wheat. The secondary germination ability of volunteer wheat was also higher than that of cultivated wheat after water immersion. The deep tillage of cultivated land could effectively prevent the spread of volunteer wheat. Our study provides a basis for future studies concerning the control of volunteer wheat. Volunteer wheat commonly occurs and spreads rapidly in the main wheat-producing areas of China, seriously impacting cultivated wheat production. Limited information is currently available regarding the adaptability and germination traits of volunteer wheat. Therefore, this study's aim was to evaluate the effects of environmental conditions on the germination and emergence of volunteer wheat seeds through laboratory experiments. The results showed that the germination percentages and viability of volunteer wheat were significantly higher than those of cultivated wheat at a low temperature of 5 °C, and they were lower than those of cultivated wheat at high temperatures of above 30 °C. Compared to cultivated wheat, volunteer wheat was able to tolerate higher salinity and lower osmotic potential, especially long-dormancy volunteer wheat. The secondary germination ability of volunteer wheat was higher than that of cultivated wheat after water immersion. Furthermore, volunteer wheat could not emerge normally when the seeding depth was greater than 8 cm, and the emergence ability of the volunteer wheat was weaker than that of the cultivated wheats when the seeding depth was 4–8 cm, which indicates that the deep tillage of cultivated land could effectively prevent the spread of volunteer wheat. This study revealed differences in the germination characteristics of volunteer wheat and cultivated wheat under the influence of different environmental factors, which provides a basis for future studies concerning the control of volunteer wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) are important viral pathogens of wheat in the Great Plains. These viruses individually or in mixed infections with High Plains wheat mosaic virus cause a devastating wheat streak mosaic (WSM) disease. Although seed transmission of WSMV has been studied, no information is currently available on that of TriMV. Furthermore, no study has explored the implications of mixed infections of WSMV and TriMV on seed transmission of one or both viruses. To study both aspects, seeds from differentially resistant field-grown wheat plants (cv. TAM 304 (susceptible), Joe (WSMV resistant, Wsm2 gene), and Breakthrough (BT) (WSMV and TriMV resistant, Wsm1 gene)) showing characteristic WSM symptoms were collected and analyzed to quantify both viruses using qRT-PCR. The percentage of seeds tested positive for WSMV or TriMV individually and in mixed infection varied with cultivar and virus combinations; 13% of TAM 304 seeds tested positive for WSMV, followed by 8% of BT and 4% of Joe seeds. Similarly, TriMV was detected in 12% of BT seeds, followed by 11% of TAM 304 and 8% of Joe seeds. Lastly, mixed infection was detected in 7% of TAM 304 seeds, followed by 4% in BT, and 2% in Joe. Dissection of field-collected seeds into three parts, embryo, endosperm, and seed coat, revealed both WSMV and TriMV accumulated only in the seed coat. Consistent with seeds, percent infection of WSMV or TriMV in the plants that emerged from infected seeds in each treatment varied with cultivar and virus combinations (WSMV: BT 3%; Joe 2%; TAM 304 9%; TriMV: BT 7%; Joe 8%; and TAM 304 10%). Plants infected with mixed viruses showed more pronounced WSM symptoms compared to individual infections. However, both viruses were present only in a few plants (BT: 2%, Joe: 1%, and TAM 304: 4%). Taken together, this study showed that TriMV was transmitted vertically at a higher frequency than WSMV in resistant cultivars, and the seed transmission of TriMV with WSMV increased the virulence of both pathogens (measured via WSM symptom severity) in the emerged plants. Furthermore, Wsm1 and Wsm2 genes considerably reduced WSMV transmission via infected seeds. However, no such effects were observed on TriMV, especially in progeny plants. These results reiterated the importance of planting clean seeds and highlighted the immediate need to identify/develop new sources of TriMV resistance to effectively manage the recurring WSM epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highest effect of wheat seeds inoculation in the first field experiment managed in the plain conditions was fixed for Agrobacterium radiobacter strain 204, treatment with Paenibacillus polymyxa impact take second place. In the second field experiment managed in the reclaimed lands, a bigger winter wheat yield can be obtained after the seeds treatment with mycorrhiza (Glomus fasciculatus strain, New Zealand). It is obvious that winter wheat seeds treatment with mycorrhiza leads to partial removal of the phytotoxic effect of underlying rocks on the development of root mass in the arable soil layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Selenium rich bread is a good carrier of selenium, but the inorganic selenium used in the actual production process is toxic. It is necessary to develop a new green bread production technology. The extraction and utilization of humic acid chelated selenium from selenium‐rich soil is beneficial for reducing resource waste and pollution without destroying the soil ecosystem in selenium‐deficient areas. Sodium selenite and nanoselenium were selected as controls because they are commonly used as selenium agronomic enhancers in production. RESULTS: Humic acid chelated selenium can be absorbed and accumulated by wheat leaves, and humic acid chelated selenium had no significant effect on wheat yield, which was also shown in the treatments with nanoselenium and sodium selenite. Excessive accumulation of selenium in wheat grains can lead to a deterioration of processing quality. Among them, the use of excessive nanoselenium at the filling stage inhibited the accumulation of wheat grain protein, whereas humic acid chelated selenium is beneficial to grain protein accumulation and has the least negative effect on the processing quality. The accumulation of excessive selenium in wheat seeds had a negative effect on seed germination and growth; specifically, the seed vigor of wheat treated with humic acid chelated selenium was higher than that of untreated wheat. CONCLUSION: Humic acid chelated selenium is particularly suitable for the whole process of Se‐enriched bread wheat production. The seed vigour of wheat treated with humic acid chelated selenium, which supplied a moderate amount of selenium, was higher than that of untreated wheat. Conversely, the accumulation of excessive selenium in wheat seeds reduced germination and seedling growth. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the antagonistic and plant growth promotion activity of the new indigenous bacteria antagonist strains P. chlororaphis BZR 245-F and Pseudomonas sp. BZR 523-2. It was found that on the 10th day of cultivation, BZR 245-F and BZR 523-2 exhibit an antagonistic activity against F. graminearum at the level of 59.6% and 15.1% and against F. oxysporum var. orthoceras at the level of 50.2% and 8.9%, respectively. Furthermore, the BZR 523-2 strain stimulated the growth of winter wheat seedlings more actively than the BZR 245-F strain. When processing seeds of winter wheat, Pseudomonas sp. BZR 523-2 indicators were higher than in the control: plant height increased by 10.3%, and root length increased by 18.6%. The complex characteristic properties of the metabolite were studied by bioautography and HPLC-MS. Bioautography proved the antifungal activity of phenazine nature compounds synthesized by the new bacterial strains. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed them by HPLC-MS analysis of the strain sample metabolites. In the BZR 245-F sample, we found more phenazine compounds of various types. Their total phenazine concentration in the BZR 245-F was more than five times greater than in the BZR 523-2. We defined crucial differences in the quantitative content of the other metabolites. Despite the difference between new indigenous bacteria antagonist strains, they can be used as producers of effective biopesticides for sustainable agriculture management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Legume seeds, such as grass pea, yellow lupine, and narrow-leaf lupine, are highly nutritious and offer a wide range of health benefits. The objective of this research was to explore the possibility of partially replacing wheat flour (at levels of 10, 15, 20, and 25%) with flour derived from these legume seeds in sourdough wheat bread and examine its impact on the physicochemical and sensory properties of the bread. The physical properties of the dough were also assessed. The substitution of wheat flour with ground legume seeds resulted in increased water absorption (from 54.1 to 63.5%) and prolonged dough development time (from 2.0 to 13.5 min). Ground lupine seeds reduced the volume of the bread and increased its crumb density, consequently making the bread harder. The most significant increase in hardness was observed when narrow-leaf lupine flour was added to the wheat flour (from 8.4 to 22.5 N). Narrow-leaf lupine had the greatest impact on enhancing the protein content in the enriched bread (from 11.5 to 20%), while yellow lupine caused the highest increase in fiber content (from 1.9 to 6.9%). The proposed additives slightly but significantly (p < 0.05) increased the antioxidant activity and phenolic content in the bread samples. Importantly, for all legume seeds, replacing up to 15% of the wheat flour allowed the production of bread with high consumer acceptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeds carry a complex population of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria, which may have synergistic or antagonistic effects on each other and also affects their interaction with hosts. Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss) and Xanthomonas translucens (Xt) are two well-known phytopathogenic bacteria that colonize wheat seeds and cause specific symptoms of the disease on the plant. The present study aims to determine Pss community composition in wheat seeds sampled from different areas of Iran causing bacterial leaf streak disease (BLS) and investigate the effects of Pss strains that are located on/in wheat seeds on the severity of BLS disease caused by Xt. Culture-based and molecular methods detected Pss strains in epiphytic and endophytic status and X. translucens pv. cerealis as an epiphytic pathogen from all sampled wheat seeds. Sequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed no significant variations between Pss strains. Moreover, we found that some Pss strains strongly promoted BLS disease severity index. This was increased up to 6.11 and 5.62 times after seed treatment by epiphytic Pss strain Ais 153 and endophytic strain Ais 170, respectively. The Pss strains have different ranges of autoaggregation ability and coaggregation with Xt. No significant correlation was found between the synergistic effects of Pss strains and their aggregation ability as a crucial step for bacterial interaction with each other and the host plant. Altogether, our results show the role of complex interactions of pathogenic bacteria in the emergence of seed-borne diseases. Understanding these interactions will help develop new strategies for bacterial disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By exploiting the physical effect of the electron emission from a thermionic source in combination with a magnetically controlled Fe–Al dynamic platform to assist electrical discharge, we generated atmospheric microplasma (AM). The electrical characteristics of microplasma discharge-induced cold atmospheric plasma in combination with a magnetically controlled Fe–Al dynamic platform in open air were evaluated. The surface analysis of organic wheat seeds was investigated at two steps: (1) the coating effect of an Al nanoparticle with an electrons drift toward the seed surface along the direction of an electric field and (2) inelastic collision with secondary electrons moving from the cathode in the presence of an electric field. Using SEM microscopy analysis, it was found that plasma affects seed surface topography and apparent contact angle (ACA). The effect of atmospheric microplasma treatment leads to seed surface modification by the manifestation of fine mesh structures on the seed surface. Well-established AM technology will garner interest in agriculture and biomaterials coatings applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air-assisted centralized metering devices cannot fully meet the large-scale seed supply during high-speed operations in recent years. It is high demand for better compatibility in the seeding rate and size of rice, wheat, and rapeseed, particularly on the high flowability of rice and wheat. In this study, a type-hole wheel was proposed to specifically design for the compatible mode with rice, wheat, and rapeseed. The number and rotational speed of the hole wheels were rapidly adjusted to allow for the flexible seeding rate in the seeding system, leading to the simultaneous use of rice, wheat, and rapeseed. The spiral arrangement of the hole wheels was used to increase the mobility of seeds within the seed-filling area. Thereby, the stability of seed supply was improved during high-speed seed feeding operations. Mechanical analysis was also carried out on the seed filling, seed carrying, and seed falling stages during the seed supply process. The type-hole structure parameters were determined using the physical characteristics of rice and wheat seeds. A hole wall curve was designed using brachistochrone. EDEM simulation experiments were conducted to analyze the population motion states under different rotational speed conditions at the filling, carrying, and falling stages. The variation curves were derived for the number of seeds that were supplied in the spiral and linear arrangement of the hole wheel with time. The peaks, valleys, and periods of the curves were statistically analyzed. The EDEM simulation experiments show that better performance was achieved at 40 r/min for the rice, wheat, and rapeseed supply stages. There was more outstanding behavior of the dragging and bouncing during the seed-filling stage at 80 r/min. Some seeds cannot fully enter the mold hole during the initial stage of seed carrying. But the seeds were moved down the side wall of the mold hole for the secondary seed filling, as the mold hole wheel rotated. All seeds were fed in a timely manner without any "seed sticking" phenomenon during the seed-feeding stage. Once the number of holes was determined, the pulsation period was inversely proportional to the speed of the hole wheel. The adjacent holes were sequentially misaligned on the hole wheel, when the hole wheel was spirally arranged. The continuous seed filling and feeding performance were improved to reduce the pulsation, indicating a more stable seed supply. Furthermore, the fluctuation range was reduced by more than 30 grains in the spiral arrangement of the shaped hole wheel for the rice and wheat seeds under the same rotational speed conditions, compared with the linear arrangement. The bench test was carried out to determine the rotation speed range with the better seed supply rate and stability. The regression model of seed supply rate was constructed for the rice, wheat, and rapeseed. Therefore, the coefficient of variation was less than 1% for the stability of the seed supply rate, and the seed supply rates were 1 050.62-1 535.87, and 4 171.82-5 073.76 g/min, respectively, for the hybrid rice and wheat seeds, when the number of type-hole wheels was 16, and the speed of seed supply ranges were 30-50, and 50-70 r/min, respectively. In rapeseed, the coefficient of variation was less than 0.5% for the seed supply rate stability, and the range of rapeseed supply rate was 160.42-227.45 g/min, when the number of type-hole wheels was 1, and the rotational speed of seed supply was 20-30 r/min. Moreover, there was a relative error of less than 2% between the regression model and the experimental value of the seed supply rate of rice, wheat, and rape. The field seeding experiment showed that the stability coefficients were 1.32%, 1.16%, and 1.07% for the variation of the total displacement in the collector for the rice, wheat, and rapeseed, respectively when the operating speed was 8-10 km/h. The seeding system fully met the high requirements for the multi-crop seeding operations with the rice, wheat, and rapeseed. This finding can provide a strong reference to optimize the structural parameters of the air-assisted centralized metering device for multiple crops [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gliding arc cold plasma treatment of wheat seeds is an alternative to chemical seed dressing, but this treatment is not very effective. This study was focused on testing the addition of salt, water and nitrogenous compounds during plasma treatment to increase the efficiency of the plasma seed treatment. The additives were not supplied in the gaseous state, as usual, but in an aqueous solution by spraying under a plasma nozzle during the treatment. The phytosanitary effect of the plasma treatment was evaluated based on the germination of Tilletia caries spores from artificially infected seeds on water agar. The viability of the seeds, growth and yield characteristics of the plasma-treated seeds were evaluated in the laboratory, greenhouse and even in field experiments with the primary goal of reducing spore vitality. The germination of T. caries spores was mostly limited to the variant with the addition of water during plasma treatment, where spore germination reached only 32.7% of the control variant while maintaining sufficient growth properties. The experiment demonstrated the suitability of using the addition of various substances during plasma treatment in the form of aqueous solutions and increasing the effectiveness of this treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of new agents for induction of practical biodiversity in local varieties of winter wheat for breeding process is a promising area in terms of obtaining both new commercial varieties and components for recombination breeding. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate the possibilities of low-damaging mutagens in terms of optimizing the yield and grain quality parameters of mutant forms. Winter wheat seeds of eight varieties (Balaton, Borovytsia, Zelenyi Hai, Zoloto Ukrainy, Kalancha, Nyva Odeska, Polianka, Pochaina) were subjected by DAB (1,4-bisdiazoacetylbutane) 0.1%, 0.1%, 0.3%; NEU (nitrosoethylurea) 0.010%, 0.025%; NMU (nitrosomethylurea) 0.0125%, 0.025% (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany). The seeds were treated with 24 h exposure according to the generally recommended method for chemical mutagens actions. The regularity of the mutational process was monitored by agriculturally valuable traits, which makes the process of using experimental mutagenesis in order to obtain new forms with the required parameters more reliable and predictable. Studies have demonstrated that three varieties Kalancha, Polianka, Pochaina are promising in terms of variability of agriculturally valuable mutations to optimize the mutation process. Polianka and Pochaina were tested for NEU and NMU, Kalancha for all. The study revealed that NEU and NMU were more perspective in action for wheat genetic improvement, especially for biochemical changes, than DAB, which action is suitable for changes in size of spike. In general, traits for improvement were thick stem semi-dwarf, dwarf, intense epicuticular wax accumulation, large-size grain forms cannot be proper for low-damage ability mutagens, influence of which is effective for short-stem, early ripeness, and also tillering capacity, higher protein content, positive changes at protein components, and positive changes in microelement content. Only NMU can be used for mutations for tolerance of diseases, and NEU for changes in protein content as a regular mutation process. The possibility of producing forms with complex favorable changes has been confirmed, although their number is small. With increasing concentration, the likelihood of additional unfavorable traits, such as high stem or late ripeness, also increases in promising lines. Several new mutation lines of winter wheat were proposed as future commercial varieties with high grain productivity and sufficient bread-making qualities. One of these forms has excellent grain protein qualities. It is planned to analyze physiological changes in the produced lines, primarily in terms of resistance to abiotic factors such as drought tolerance and winter hardiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delayed sowing of wheat is a common problem in Punjab that exacerbates serious yield loss. However, individual or combined applications of seed rate and slow-release nitrogen fertilizer significantly impacted their efficacy in improving crop growth and productivity. In this regard, the present study explored the potential of slow-release nitrogen fertilizers (control (CK), simple urea (SU), neem-coated urea (NCU), and sulfur-coated urea (SCU)) to improve the growth, yield, and physiological and biochemical attributes of delayed sown wheat with three seed rate [(100 kg ha−1 (S1), 125 kg ha−1 (S2), and 150 kg ha−1 (S3)]. The study was carried out at the Postgraduate Agricultural Research Station of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad in 2018–19 and 2019–20. The study findings revealed that the sulfur-coated urea performed better under S3 seed rate. Combining SCU with S3 significantly increased leaf area index by 0.99 cm2 and plant height by 8.24% compared to simple urea, maximum spikelets, and spike length by 3.9 and 3.8 cm, respectively. The SCU with S3 treatment also increased the biological yield by 43% and 41% and the grain yield by 46% in 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, respectively, compared to CK. Similarly, higher N contents in straw and grain were recorded in the interaction of SCU with S3 treatment. Likewise, the SCU with S3 treatment enhanced the physiological attributes, i.e., chlorophyll contents and transpiration rate, by 18% and 25%, respectively, and decreased internal CO2 by 25.5%, compared to CK. In conclusion, applying sulfur-coated urea with a seed rate of 150 kg ha−1 could be considered a potential strategy for improving the growth and productivity of delayed sown wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to test the effect of the physical factor (UV-C) in degrading insecticide Flash residue in post-harvest wheat seeds and soil. As for Flash residual in the soil, the highest concentration (3.10 ppm ) was detected in seeds produced from plants treated with UV-C untreated Flash, while the lowest concentration (below the detectable level) was in the wheat seeds from plants sprayed with UV-C treated Flash. As for Flash residual in the soil, the highest concentration was 12.50 ppm detected in uncultivated soil treated with Flash untreated, while the lowest residue (0.00 ppm) was in wheat-planted soil treated with UV-C treated Flash. Findings also showed that exposing the insecticide to UV-C for 20 min resulted in the best degradation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being one of the most important ancient cities, Aizanoi in Kütayha's Çavdarhisar town is settled continuously by Turkish tribes from the 13th century onwards. As well as ancient building remains, buildings belonging to the Turkish-Islamic period can be seen in Çavdarhisar, and it is known that there are civil architectural works that preserve their original state. Some examples of these buildings are granaries. In Çavdarhisar, where the continental climate is dominant, almost all the agricultural production consists of grain products. The surplus of cereals such as barley, wheat and chickpeas or the seeds for the next year were stored in these granaries. Built with only wooden material using "çantı" technique (joint notched, also known as dog's neck cornered), the granaries were placed on simple foundation walls or stone blocks and raised from floor level by disconnecting their contact with the ground. Built in available places on house yards without any concerns about direction, it is not known when and by whom these granaries were built. Although many granaries in Çavdarhisar are known to be demolished, undone, or even sold to other cities; there are still some examples that preserve their original state. In this study, a total of eighteen granaries located in four neighborhoods of Çavdarhisar's old settlement will be introduced. By discussing the common features and differences of similar examples in Anatolia, the place and importance of Çavdarhisar granaries, which are a concrete example of traditional architecture place and importance in Turkish art were emphasized.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although salinity inhibits plant growth, the use of a nitric oxide (NO) gasotransmitter can reduce its negative effects. In this study, the influence of 200 μM sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (donor of NO) on wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Salavat Yulaev) in conditions of salinization (100 mM NaCl) was analyzed in pot experiments. Seed priming regulated the level of endogenous NO in normal and salinity conditions throughout the entire experiment (30 and 60 days). Salinity led to the strong accumulation of NO and H2O2, which is negative for plants, and significantly reduced leaf area and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids). In addition, stress caused a drop in the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (ASA), an accumulation of oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and significantly activated glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in wheat leaves. SNP treatment significantly attenuated the negative effects of salinity on leaf area and photosynthetic pigments. An important indicator of reducing the damaging effect of salinity on treated plants is the stabilization of the content of GSH and ASA throughout the experiment (60 days). This condition has been associated with long-term modulation of GR and APX activity. Such an effect of 200 μM SNP may be related to its ability to reduce stress-induced accumulation of NO. Additional accumulation of proline also mitigated the negative effect of salinity on plants, and this also evidenced decreased LPO and H2O2 in them. For the first time, in natural growing conditions (small-scale field experiments), it was found that pre-sowing seed treatment with 200 μM SNP led to an improvement in the main yield indicators and an increase in the content of essential amino acids in wheat grains. Thus, SNP treatment can be used as an effective approach for prolonged protection of wheat plants under salinity and to improve grain yield and its quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Ecosystem services (ESs) and disservices (EDs) are routinely estimated from changes in service provider densities without measuring their actual levels. By using the sentinel approach (i.e., exposing a plant, seeds, and prey models in a standardized way), we tested how coriander (Coriandrum sativum) strips planted in mixed orchards on Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal) affected ESs/EDs via herbivory on lettuce plants, seed predation on wheat and weed seeds, and predation on artificial caterpillars. Vertebrates had more influence than invertebrates on ESs and EDs. Herbivory (ED) after 2 weeks was similar in the coriander and the control plots, while seed predation was higher in the control than in the coriander plots on both wheat grain (an ED: 30.8% vs. 15.3%) and weed seeds (an ES: 2.5% vs. 0.4%). Vertebrate predation (ES) rates after 48 h were significantly higher in the control (9%) than in the coriander plots (3%), while no difference was observed for invertebrate predation. Coriander strips did not support increased ES/reduced ED levels in this habitat. The sentinel approach is effective to quantitatively compare multiple ESs/EDs under different farming management strategies. The effect of flower strips on ecosystem services (ESs) and disservices (EDs) is routinely assessed following changes in service provider densities without measuring the associated levels of ES/EDs. By using the sentinel approach (i.e., exposing a plant, seeds, and prey models in a standardized way), we tested how coriander (Coriandrum sativum) strips planted in mixed orchards on Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal) affected herbivory on lettuce plants, seed predation on wheat and weed seeds, and predation on artificial caterpillars. Vertebrates had more influence than invertebrates on ESs/EDs. Herbivory (ED) after 2 weeks was similar in the coriander and the control plots (mean ± SD; 2.3% ± 3.3% vs. 2.2% ± 2.9%, n = 32 for both). Seed predation was higher in the control than in the coriander plots for both grain (ED; 30.8% ± 38.9% vs. 15.3% ± 10.8%, n = 18 for both) and weed seeds (ES; 2.5% ± 4.1% vs. 0.4% ± 0.5%, n = 18 for both). Vertebrate predation (ES) rates after 48 h were significantly higher in the control (estimate 9%, 95% CI: 4–20%) than in the coriander plots (3%, 1–8%), while no difference was observed for invertebrate predation. Coriander strips did not support increased ES/reduced ED levels in this setting. The tools used can be effective to quantitatively compare multiple ESs/EDs under different farming management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria are among the most frequently studied microorganisms in plant growth-promoting traits and fighting against different pathogens. Actinobacteria are prokaryotic organisms that produce mycelium, spores, and can form various secondary metabolites, especially antibiotics. In our study, free-living and endophytic Actinobacteria were isolated from rhizosphere soils and plant parts of olive (Olea europaea L.) and walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees, which are commercially essential agricultural products for Turkey. The study aimed to explore the plant growth-promoting activities of these Actinobacteria as biological fertilizers. Some of the properties of purified Actinobacteria that regulate the plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits; phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore, ammonia, protease, beta-galactosidase, chitinase production, and antagonistic activities against various plant-pathogen fungi were investigated. As a result, 422 Actinobacteria were isolated, and 88 Actinobacteria determined to be possible plant bio-fertilizers were identified as Streptomyces spp. (70), Amycolatopsis spp. (12), Micromonospora spp. (four) and Nocardiopsis spp. (two) after the sequencing of their 16S rRNA genes. Moreover, four Streptomyces spp. and two Amycolatopsis spp. were used in hydroponic germination of wheat seeds (Triticum aestivum L.), and plant growth in terms of root and stem parts increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is the most important crop in Pakistan being influenced by delayed sowing and delayed harvesting of rice and cotton owing to rainfall at maturity is the key factor behind late sowing of wheat. Furthermore, seed quality is another predicament for growers in the country. Graded seed can be a contributing factor to overcome the yield losses due to delayed sowing because it enables a healthy stand establishment to crop. Therefore, an experiment was executed to evaluate the effectiveness of three different seed sizes [Bold (>2.7 mm), Medium (2.4-2.7 mm) and Small (<2.4 mm)] and three different sowing dates (20th November, 10th December and 30th December) in randomized complete block design (RCBD ) split plot arrangement 2019. Data for different growth and yield parameters was recorded and analyzed statistically using analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques and treatments means were compared using least significant difference LSD test at 5% probability. Bold seed and sowing on 20th November produced supreme results regarding net assimilation rate (NAR) (5.42 gm-1/day), productive tillers (379.67), biological yield (t/ha), seed index (46.52 g), spike length (12.50 cm), grain yield (4.35 t/ha) and harvest index (32.55%). It is concluded that wheat sowing in mid-November produced the best results, whereas bold seed performed its positive role significantly in comparison to other seed sizes even under delayed sowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal ions, in particular cadmium (Cd), have a negative impact on the growth and productivity of major crops, including wheat. The use of environmentally friendly approaches, in particular, bacteria that have a growth-stimulating and protective effect, can increase the resistance of plants. The effects of the pre-sowing seed treatment with the plant growth-promoting endophyte Bacillus subtilis 10-4 (BS) on cadmium acetate (Cd)-stressed Triticum aestivum L. (wheat) growth, photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress parameters, roots' lignin content, and Cd ions accumulation in plants were analyzed. The results showed that the tested Cd-tolerant BS improved the ability of wheat seeds to germinate in the presence of different Cd concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mM). In addition, the bacterial treatment significantly decreased the damaging effects of Cd stress (1 mM) on seedlings' linear dimensions (lengths of roots and shoots), biomass, as well as on the integrity and permeability of the cell walls (i.e., lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage) and resulted in reduced H2O2 generation. The pretreatment with BS prevented the Cd-induced degradation of the leaf photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll (Chl) a, Chl b, and carotenoids. Moreover, the bacterial treatment intensified the lignin deposition in the roots under normal and, especially, Cd stress conditions, thereby enhancing the barrier properties of the cell wall. This manifested in a reduced Cd ions accumulation in the roots and in the restriction of its translocation to the aboveground parts (shoots) of the bacterized plants under Cd stress in comparison with non-bacterized controls. Thus, the pre-sowing seed treatment with the endophyte BS may serve as an eco-friendly approach to improve wheat production in Cd-contaminated areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of research was the hereditary variability of a group of genotypes, selected in order to maximally characterize the existing biological diversity of winter wheat cultivated in Ukraine. Winter wheat dry seeds of eight varieties were acted with water (control) and ЕМS (ethylmethansulfonate) action in concentrations of 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1%. An extremely high general mutation rates and variability in the spectra of changes was observed. The level of variability showed that the concentration of 0.05% was more promising in terms of the number of altered traits; it was also successful in inducing predominantly agronomical-valuable traits. (earliness, forms with long well-grained spike, short stem, semidwarf, with high photosynthetic ability, lines with high grain productive. New promising lines were identified with improved plant architecture, optimal ratio between grain and vegetative part of the plant (index of economic value). A further increase in the concentration of the mutagen to 0.1% only led to a decrease in variability and a smaller number of valuable forms. However, it can be used to obtain dwarf forms and forms with systemic changes in the spike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Misr Journal of Agricultural Engineering is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

the effects of various concentrations of barium (Ba) on seed germination and early seedling growth of wheat and mung bean were studied. Ba influenced the seedling growth of wheat and mung bean in similar fashion. Ba enhanced the germination relative index at lower concentration (upto 10 μg ml-1). the relative yield of biomass increased at lower doses of Ba and decreased at higher concentration (>100 μg ml-1). lower applied doses of Ba showed a maximum index of tolerance while higher applied doses of metal showed a toxic effect on plant growth. the toxic effect of barium on mung bean was more marked than on wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Plant & Soil Science is the property of National University of Life & Environmental Sciences of Ukraine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Botanica Serbica is the property of University of Belgrade, Institute of Botany & Botanical Garden Jevremovac and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the most significant environmental challenges in the twenty-first century is heavy metal pollution. The potential use of fresh Azolla pinnata to alleviate the toxic effects of Cd and Co on the germination measurements of wheat seeds (Triticum aestivum L.) and the biochemistry of seedlings was studied. Two concentrations (80 and 100 mg L−1 solutions) of CdNO3 and CoCl2 were used before and after treatment with A. pinnata. The highest removal efficiency (RE) by A. pinnata was obtained on the fifth day, with a Cd RE = 55.9 and 49.9% at 80 and 100 mg L−1, respectively. Cadmium and cobalt solutions reduced the germination percentage, and the measured variables of wheat seeds meanwhile increased the radicle phytotoxicity. In contrast, the presence of A. pinnata in the germination medium increased all the measured variables and decreased radicle phytotoxicity. At 80 and 100 mg L−1, Cd significantly reduced the fresh and dry biomass, and height of wheat seedlings after 21 days of cultivation compared to Co. Cadmium and high concentrations of cobalt increased the contents of H2O2, proline, MDA, phenolic, and flavonoid compounds. The application of treated Cd and Co solutions by A. pinnata showed a decrease in H2O2, proline, phenolic, and flavonoid compounds levels accompanied by a reduction in catalase and peroxidase activities compared to the control. This study showed the positive role of A. pinnata in alleviating the metal impacts, particularly Cd, on the seedling growth of wheat and its germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common bunt of durum wheat (DW), Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (Desf.) Husn., is caused by the two closely related fungal species belonging to Tilletia genus (Tilletiales, Exobasidiomycetes, Ustilaginomycotina): Tilletia laevis Kühn (syn. T. foetida (Wallr.) Liro.) and T. caries (DC) Tul. (syn. T. tritici (Bjerk.) G. Winter). This is one of the most devastating diseases in wheat growing areas worldwide, causing considerable yield loss and reduction of wheat grains and flour quality. For these reasons, a fast, specific, sensitive, and cost-effective method for an early diagnosis of common bunt in wheat seedlings is urgent. Several molecular and serological methods were developed for diagnosis of common bunt in wheat seedlings but at late phenological stages (inflorescence) or based on conventional PCR amplification, with low sensitivity. In this study, a TaqMan Real Time PCR-based assay was developed for rapid diagnosis and quantification of T. laevis in young wheat seedlings, before tillering stage. This method, along with phenotypic analysis, was used to study conditions favoring pathogen infection and to evaluate the effectiveness of clove oil-based seed dressing in controlling the disease. The overall results showed that: i) the Real Time PCR assay was able to quantify T. laevis in young wheat seedlings after seed dressing by clove oil in different formulations, greatly reducing times of analysis. It showed high sensitivity, detecting up to 10 fg of pathogen DNA, specificity and robustness, allowing to directly analyze crude plant extracts and representing a useful tool to speed up the tests of genetic breeding for disease resistance; ii) temperature was a critical point for disease development when using wheat seeds contaminated by T. laevis spores; iii) at least one of the clove oil-based formulations tested was able to efficiently control wheat common bunt, suggesting that clove oil dressing could represent a promising tool for managing the disease, especially in sustainable farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Seeds are an indispensable part of the flowering plant life cycle and a critical determinant of agricultural production. Distinct differences in the anatomy and morphology of seeds separate monocots and dicots. Although some progress has been made with respect to understanding seed development in Arabidopsis, the transcriptomic features of monocotyledon seeds at the cellular level are much less understood. Since most important cereal crops, such as rice, maize, and wheat, are monocots, it is essential to study transcriptional differentiation and heterogeneity during seed development at a finer scale. Here, we present single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) results of over three thousand nuclei from caryopses of the rice cultivars Nipponbare and 9311 and their intersubspecies F1 hybrid. A transcriptomics atlas that covers most of the cell types present during the early developmental stage of rice caryopses was successfully constructed. Additionally, novel specific marker genes were identified for each nuclear cluster in the rice caryopsis. Moreover, with a focus on rice endosperm, the differentiation trajectory of endosperm subclusters was reconstructed to reveal the developmental process. Allele-specific expression (ASE) profiling in endosperm revealed 345 genes with ASE (ASEGs). Further pairwise comparisons of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in each endosperm cluster among the three rice samples demonstrated transcriptional divergence. Our research reveals differentiation in rice caryopsis from the singlenucleus perspective and provides valuable resources to facilitate clarification of the molecular mechanism underlying caryopsis development in rice and other monocots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress has emerged as a chief problem impeding wheat crop productivity. In several crops, specific HSP90A genes have intensively managed induced fluctuations in temperature. A wheat plant with TaHSP90A transcripts had the potential to cope with temperature stress. It enables plants to survive in transient extremes of temperature and under heat stress. The presented study design enhanced temperature tolerance plasticity with high yield in wheat through a line x tester mating design containing lines (12) and testers (4) having a differential expression of TaHSP90A transcripts (TraesCS2A02G033700.1, TraesCS5B02G258900.3, and TraesCS5D02G268000.2), then hybridized to get the F1 (48) wheat hybrids. For heat treatment, temperature raising was only in the daytime, through the tunnel at anthesis (for two weeks). Data recording for several morphological and physiological parameters went along with the relative expression of TaHSP90A transcripts for hybrid evaluation. After one hour of heat treatment, the relative expression of TaHSP90A transcripts' determination in the flag leaf followed. The manifestation of TaHSP90A transcripts' upregulation was two folds in several hybrids after heat treatment. Best lines, testers, and selected crosses having TaHSP90A transcripts with high yield and heat tolerance compared with parents can further benefit breeding programs aiming toward tolerance against heat stress in changing climate scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of plasma treatment in agriculture has shown promising results in improving seed germination and crop production. In this work, we have investigated the effects of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on wheat seed germination and production qualities. Dielectric barrier discharge and plasma-activated water (PAW) made by gliding discharge plasma have been used for the treatment. Our results show that plasma-treated wheat seeds have better germination rates and higher production qualities. Among the various treatment times tested, 3 min of direct plasma treatment yields the highest germination rates, and 15 min of PAW produces the best results. Furthermore, the wettability and contact angle of the seeds decreases significantly with increasing treatment time. Our findings suggest that the atmospheric pressure plasma treatment can enhance the germination rate of wheat seeds and their production, which has potential applications in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that mechanized strip sowing of wheat in rice stubble fields can be constrained to the coupling effect of clay-heavy soil and straw return to the field. The seed guide device can be blocked to cause the breakage. In this study, a double-row wide strip seed introduction device was designed to combine with the spherical collision seed part, in order to evenly divide the falling population left and right during introduction. The broadband introduction of the diverted population was also carried out with the help of beveled bottom plate slope. The mechanical model of wheat seeding and introduction was established using particle kinematics. A systematic investigation was implemented to clarify the influencing mechanism of the spherical collision seed part diameter and beveled bottom plate slope on the uniformity of seed introduction. EDEM software was then used to optimize the key structural parameters of the wheat seed introduction device. Among them, the spherical collision seed part diameter and beveled bottom plate slope were taken as the test factors. The evaluation indexes were taken as the coefficient of variation of each row seeding quantity consistency and coefficient of variation of transverse uniformity in row. The test data was obtained to combine the univariate and quadratic orthogonal rotation. Design-Expert software was also selected to perform the regression analysis on experimental data. The regression equation was established between the test factors and indicators. The results show that the spherical collision seed part diameter posed a significant coefficient of variation of each row seeding quantity consistency, whereas, the beveled bottom plate slope was some impact on the coefficient of variation of transverse uniformity in row. The optimal structural parameters were achieved in the seed guiding device spherical collision seed part diameter of 40mm, and the beveled bottom plate slope of 10°. The beveled bottom plate guide device was evaluated under optimal structural parameters. Three types ( flat plate,curved bottom plate,wavy plate) of seed guide devices were selected to compare under the three sowing amounts. The simulation results show that the coefficient of variation of each row seeding quantity consistency and coefficient of variation of transverse uniformity in row were ranked in the descending order: flat plate,curved bottom plate,wavy plate,beveled bottom plate. The optimal coefficient of variation of each row seeding quantity consistency was 2.92% of the beveled bottom plate-type seed guiding device. The coefficient of variation of transverse uniformity was 14.19% in the row. The bench and field tests were combined to further verify the smallest coefficient of variation of each row seeding quantity consistency and coefficient of variation of transverse uniformity in row of the beveled bottom plate seed guiding device. Specifically, the coefficient of variation of each row seeding quantity consistency was not more than 4.0%, whereas, the coefficient of variation of transverse uniformity in row was not more than 16%. The field experimental results showed that coefficient of variation of each row seeding quantity consistency decreased by at least 2.73 percentage points, and the coefficient of variation of transverse uniformity in row decreased by at least 10.61 percentage points, compared with the other three types of seed guide devices. The error was not more than 5% between the actual and the simulation. Therefore, it was reliable for the optimized structural parameters of the split-citation combined wide strip guide device using the discrete element method. At the same time, the national technical specifications were fully met for the quality evaluation of seeders and the agronomic requirements for field seeding. The findings can provide a strong reference for the optimal design of wheat wide strip seed introduction device under a rice stubble clay loam environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial microorganisms, including members of the Trichoderma genus, are known for their ability to promote plant growth and disease resistance, as well as being alternatives to synthetic inputs in agriculture. In this study, 111 Trichoderma strains were isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Florence Aurore, an ancient wheat variety that was cultivated in an organic farming system in Tunisia. A preliminary ITS analysis allowed us to cluster these 111 isolates into three main groups, T. harzianum (74 isolates), T. lixii (16 isolates) and T. sp. (21 isolates), represented by six different species. Their multi-locus analysis (tef1, translation elongation factor 1; rpb2, RNA polymerase B) identified three T. afroharzianum, one T. lixii, one T. atrobrunneum and one T. lentinulae species. These six new strains were selected to determine their suitability as plant growth promoters (PGP) and biocontrol agents (BCA) against Fusarium seedling blight disease (FSB) in wheat caused by Fusarium culmorum. All of the strains exhibited PGP abilities correlated to ammonia and indole-like compound production. In terms of biocontrol activity, all of the strains inhibited the development of F. culmorum in vitro, which is linked to the production of lytic enzymes, as well as diffusible and volatile organic compounds. An in planta assay was carried out on the seeds of a Tunisian modern wheat variety (Khiar) by coating them with Trichoderma. A significant increase in biomass was observed, which is associated with increased chlorophyll and nitrogen. An FSB bioprotective effect was confirmed for all strains (with Th01 being the most effective) by suppressing morbid symptoms in germinated seeds and seedlings, as well as by limiting F. culmorum aggressiveness on overall plant growth. Plant transcriptome analysis revealed that the isolates triggered several SA- and JA-dependent defense-encoding genes involved in F. culmorum resistance in the roots and leaves of three-week-old seedlings. This finding makes these strains very promising in promoting growth and controlling FSB disease in modern wheat varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is increasingly considered as a major environmental issue, which threatens agricultural production by decreasing yield traits of crops. Seed priming is a useful and cost‐effective technique to alleviate the negative effects of salinity and to enable a fast and uniform germination. In this context, we quantified the effects of priming with gibberellic acid (GP), calcium chloride (CP), and mannitol (MP) on seed germination of three bread wheat cultivars and investigated their response when grown at high salinity conditions (200 mM NaCl). Salt exposure strongly repressed seed imbibition and germination potential and extended germination time, whereas priming enhanced uniformity and seed vigor. Seed preconditioning alleviated the germination disruption caused by salt stress to varying degrees. Priming mitigating effect was agent‐dependent with regard to water status (CP and MP), ionic imbalance (CP), and seed reserve mobilization (GP). Na+ accumulation in seedling tissues significantly impaired carbohydrate and protein mobilization by inhibiting amylase and proteases activities but had lesser effects on primed seeds. CP attenuated ionic imbalance by limiting sodium accumulation. Gibberellic acid was the most effective priming treatment for promoting the germination of wheat seeds under salt stress. Moreover, genotypic differences in wheat response to salinity stress were observed between varieties used in this study. Ardito, the oldest variety, seems to tolerate better salinity in priming‐free conditions; Aubusson resulted the most salt‐sensitive cultivar but showed a high germination recovery under priming conditions; Bologna showed an intermediate behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimum seeding rate and row spacing are important for uniform crop establishment and harvest of quality seed. Field experiment was conducted at three locations in 2014 and 2015 to study the influence of seed rate and row spacing on seed multiplication factor and yield of durum wheat. Triplicate split plot design was used. The highest seed yield was found at a seed rate of 125 kg ha−1 with a row spacing of 10 cm in 2014 but not significant with the seed rates of 100 kg ha−1 at 10 cm spacing, 75 kg ha−1 at 20 cm row spacing in 2014, and 150 kg ha−1 at 10 cm row spacing in 2015 at Debre Zeit. At Chefe Donsa, the highest seed yield (4.75 ton) was harvested at a seed rate of 100 kg ha−1. At Minjar, seed yield was not affected by seeding rate. Seed multiplication factor was higher at a seed rate of 50 kg ha−1 and spacing of 20 cm at Debre Zeit. At Chefe Donsa, the highest seed multiplication ratio (97.3) was observed in 2015 at a seed rate of 50 kg ha−1 with row spacing of 30 cm. Seed multiplication factor decreased with increasing seed rate at all testing locations. Sowing of 100 kg seeds per hectare with 20 cm spacing gave optimum seed yield over the testing locations. With limited seed availability of nucleus seed, 50 and 75 kg ha−1 with a spacing of 20 cm is appropriate to upsurge seed multiplication ratio. Core Ideas: Seed yield and multiplication factor of durum wheat are determined by the seed rate and row spacing.Sowing of 100 kg seeds per hectare and 20 cm spacing appear to be better than other seeding rates and spacing at all locations.Effect of seeding rate on durum wheat seed yield vary across the locations.With shortage of nucleus seed, 50 and 75 kg ha−1 rate and row spacing of 20 cm upsurge seed multiplication ratio.The number of seed per spike was high at lower seed rate than at higher seed rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tramates trogii biomass was immobilized in carboxymethyl cellulose-lignin composite beads via cross-linking with Fe(III) ions (i.e., Fe(III)-CMC@Lig(1–4)@FB). The composite beads formulations were used for the adsorption and degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) using the free fungal biomass as a control system. The maximum adsorption capacity of the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)-CMC@Lig-3@FB for BPA was found to be 57.8 and 95.6, mg/g, respectively. The degradation rates of BPA were found to be 87.8 and 89.6% for the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB for 72 h in a batch reactor, respectively. Adsorption of BPA on the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB fungal preparations described by the Langmuir and Temkin isotherm models, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The values of Gibbs free energy of adsorption (ΔG°) were − 20.7 and − 25.8 kJ/mol at 298 K for BPA on the free fungal biomass and Fe(III)-CMC@Lig-3@FB beads, respectively. Moreover, the toxicities of the BPA and degradation products were evaluated with three different test organisms: (i) a freshwater micro-crustacean (Daphnia magna), (ii) a freshwater algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardti), and (iii) a Turkish winter wheat seed (Triticum aestivum L.). After treatment with the Fe(III)CMC@Lig-3@FB formulation, the degradation products had not any significant toxic effect compared to pure BPA. This work shows that the prepared composite bioactive system had a high potential for degradation of BPA from an aqueous medium without producing toxic end-products. Thus, it could be a good candidate for environmentally safe biological methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal plant infections result in substantial losses to the agricultural sector. A range of fungicide seed dressings are available to control seed-borne fungal diseases; however, they lack sufficient efficacy because of intrinsic tolerance and acquired resistance. Moreover, many fungicide seed dressings can also penetrate plants, negatively affecting plant growth owing to their toxic effects on endophytes, as well as contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of M451, a member of a new class of antimicrobial agents that are not relevant to human healthcare. As a seed dressing for wheat seeds, M451 exhibited significant antifungal activity against one of the most devastating plant fungal pathogens, Fusarium spp. Furthermore, M451 was more active than the commercially used fungicide Maxim XL against both seed-borne and soil-borne F. oxysporum infection. Importantly, and unlike other antifungals, M451 seed dressing did not inhibit any of the major characteristics of wheat grains and seedlings, such as germination percentage, germination time, grain vigor, shoot- and root weight and length, but rather improved some of these parameters. The results also demonstrated that M451 had no negative impacts on endophytes and did not accumulate in grains. Thus, M451 may have potential applications as an antifungal agent in wheat cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc (Zn) is an indispensable element for proper plant growth. A sizeable proportion of the inorganic Zn that is added to soil undergoes a transformation into an insoluble form. Zinc-solubilizing bacteria (ZSB) have the potential to transform the insoluble Zn into plant-accessible forms and are thus promising alternatives for Zn supplementation. The current research was aimed at investigating the Zn solubilization potential of indigenous bacterial strains and to evaluate their impact on wheat growth and Zn biofortification. A number of experiments were conducted at the National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Islamabad, during 2020-21. A total of 69 strains were assessed for their Zn-solubilizing ability against two insoluble Zn sources (ZnO and ZnCO3) using plate assay techniques. During the qualitative assay, the solubilization index and solubilization efficiency were measured. The qualitatively selected Zn-solubilizing bacterial strains were further tested quantitatively using broth culture for Zn and phosphorus (P) solubility. Tricalcium phosphate was used as insoluble source of P. The results showed that broth culture pH was negatively correlated with Zn solubilization, i.e., ZnO (r² = 0.88) and ZnCO3 (r² = 0.96). Ten novel promising strains, i.e., Pantoea sp. NCCP-525, Klebsiella sp. NCCP-607, Brevibacterium sp. NCCP-622, Klebsiella sp. NCCP-623, Acinetobacter sp. NCCP-644, Alcaligenes sp. NCCP-650, Citrobacter sp. NCCP-668, Exiguobacterium sp. NCCP-673, Raoultella sp. NCCP-675, and Acinetobacter sp. NCCP-680, were selected from the ecology of Pakistan for further experimentation on wheat crop based on plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) traits, i.e., solubilization of Zn and P in addition to being positive for nifH and acdS genes. Before evaluating the bacterial strains for plant growth potential, a control experiment was also conducted to determine the highest critical Zn level from ZnO to wheat growth using different Zn levels (0.1, 0.05, 0.01, 0.005, and 0.001% Zn) against two wheat varieties (Wadaan-17 and Zincol-16) in sand culture under glasshouse conditions. Zinc-free Hoagland nutrients solution was used to irrigate the wheat plants. As a result, 50 mg kg-1 of Zn from ZnO was identified as the highest critical level for wheat growth. Using the critical level (50 mg kg-1 of Zn), the selected ZSB strains were inoculated alone and in consortium to the seed of wheat, with and without the use of ZnO, in sterilized sand culture. The ZSB inoculation in consortium without ZnO resulted in improved shoot length (14%), shoot fresh weight (34%), and shoot dry weight (37%); with ZnO root length (116%), it saw root fresh weight (435%), root dry weight (435%), and Zn content in the shoot (1177%) as compared to the control. Wadaan-17 performed better on growth attributes, while Zincol-16 had 5% more shoot Zn concentration. The present study concluded that the selected bacterial strains show the potential to act as ZSB and are highly efficient bio-inoculants to combat Zn deficiency, and the inoculation of these strains in consortium performed better in terms of growth and Zn solubility for wheat as compared to individual inoculation. The study further concluded that 50 mg kg-1 Zn from ZnO had no negative impact on wheat growth; however, higher concentrations hampered wheat growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stored random samples of food seeds of wheat and rice (60 samples) were purchased from places of Eastern UP and Gurgaon district Haryana. Its moisture contents were estimated. The Mycological investigations of wheat seeds revealed presence of a total number of 16 fungal species viz., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. ochraceous, A. phoenicis, A. tamari, A. terreus, A. sydowi, Fusarium moniliforme, F. oxysporum F. solani, P. glabrum, Rhizopus nigricans, Trichoderma viride and Trichothecium roseum. While mycological analysis of rice seeds showed presence of 15 fungal species viz., Alternaria padwickii, A. oryzae, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium moniliforme, Aspergillus clavatus, A. flavus, A. niger, Cladosporium sp., Nigrospora oryzae, Alternaria tenuissima, Chaetomium globosum, F. solani, Microascus cirrosus, Helminthosporium oryzae, Pyricularia grisea. It also projected variation in presence of fungal species in blotter and agar plate method of analysis. In wheat Blotter method of analysis showed 16 fungal species while agar plate depicted 13 fungal species. In rice Agar plate method depicted presence of 15 fungal species while blotter method shows presence of 12 fungal species. The insect analysis revealed that wheat samples were infected with Tribolium castaneum. While rice seeds sample showed presence of insect Sitophilus oryzae. The investigations revealed that Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Sitophilus oryzae and Tribolium castaneum caused reduction in seed weight loss, seed germination, carbohydrate and protein contents of common food grains (wheat, rice). It also revealed that randomly selected A. flavus isolate 1 of wheat showed higher potential of aflatoxin B1 production (1392.940 μg/l) while rice isolate 2 showed 1231.117 μg/l production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum) is constrained by soil salinity, although some fungal species have been shown to enhance production in saline environments. The yield of grain crops is affected by salt stress, and this study aimed to investigate how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) mitigates salt stress. An experiment was conducted to assess the impact of AMF on wheat growth and yield in conditions of 200 mM salt stress. Wheat seeds were coated with AMF at a rate of 0.1 g (108 spores) during sowing. The results of the experiment demonstrated that AMF inoculation led to a significant improvement in the growth attributes of wheat, including root and shoot length, fresh and dry weight of root and shoot. Furthermore, a significant increase in chlorophyll a, b, total, and carotenoids was observed in the S2 AMF treatment, validating the effectiveness of AMF in enhancing wheat growth under salt stress conditions. Additionally, AMF application reduced the negative effects of salinity stress by increasing the uptake of micronutrients such as Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn while regulating the uptake of Na (decrease) and K (increase) under salinity stress. In conclusion, this study confirms that AMF is a successful strategy for reducing the negative effects of salt stress on wheat growth and yield. However, further investigations are recommended at the field level under different cereal crops to establish AMF as a more effective amendment for the alleviation of salinity stress in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millimeter-wave irradiation of wheat seeds enhances the growth of roots under flooding stress, but its mechanism is not clearly understood. To understand the role of millimeter-wave irradiation on root-growth enhancement, membrane proteomics was performed. Membrane fractions purified from wheat roots were evaluated for purity. H+-ATPase and calnexin, which are protein markers for membrane-purification efficiency, were enriched in a membrane fraction. A principal-component analysis of the proteomic results indicated that the millimeter-wave irradiation of seeds affects membrane proteins in grown roots. Proteins identified using proteomic analysis were confirmed using immunoblot or polymerase chain reaction analyses. The abundance of cellulose synthetase, which is a plasma-membrane protein, decreased under flooding stress; however, it increased with millimeter-wave irradiation. On the other hand, the abundance of calnexin and V-ATPase, which are proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum and vacuolar, increased under flooding stress; however, it decreased with millimeter-wave irradiation. Furthermore, NADH dehydrogenase, which is found in mitochondria membranes, was upregulated due to flooding stress but downregulated following millimeter-wave irradiation even under flooding stress. The ATP content showed a similar trend toward change in NADH dehydrogenase expression. These results suggest that millimeter-wave irradiation improves the root growth of wheat via the transitions of proteins in the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, vacuolar, and mitochondria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work the effects of wheat seeds coating with polyvinyl alcohol (0 and 1.5 wt.%) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (0, 2, 4, and 6 wt.% of the amount of polyvinyl alcohol) under salinity stress (0 and 2 ds/m) to increase the seed resistance under non‐biological stresses and to improve its productivity were studied. To evaluate the properties of the applied coating on the studied seeds, films consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and zinc oxide nanoparticles were also prepared and characterized by tensile tests, differential scanning calorimeter, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy, moisture absorption, hardness, contact angle measurements, and scanning electronic microscope. A laboratory study was conducted as factorial in a completely randomized design with three replications to evaluate the germination indices. The films containing nanoparticles had a higher modulus and elongation at break. However, increasing the nanoparticles to 6 wt.% reduced the tensile strength by 29%. In addition, the application of nanoparticles caused an increase in film hardness, a decrease in moisture absorption, and an increase in contact angle. As results, the mechanical properties of the seed polymer coating were introduced as one of the most influential factors in seed germination performance. Regarding the effect of nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles significantly reduced the adverse effects of salinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is one of the major cereal crop grown food worldwide and, therefore, plays has a key role in alleviating the global hunger crisis. The effects of drought stress can reduces crop yields by up to 50% globally. The use of drought-tolerant bacteria for biopriming can improve crop yields by countering the negative effects of drought stress on crop plants. Seed biopriming can reinforce the cellular defense responses to stresses via the stress memory mechanism, that its activates the antioxidant system and induces phytohormone production. In the present study, bacterial strains were isolated from rhizospheric soil taken from around the Artemisia plant at Pohang Beach, located near Daegu, in the South Korea Republic of Korea. Seventy-three isolates were screened for their growth-promoting attributes and biochemical characteristics. Among them, the bacterial strain SH-8 was selected preferred based on its plant growth-promoting bacterial traits, which are as follows: abscisic acid (ABA) concentration = 1.08 ± 0.05 ng/mL, phosphate-solubilizing index = 4.14 ± 0.30, and sucrose production = 0.61 ± 0.13 mg/mL. The novel strain SH-8 demonstrated high tolerance oxidative stress. The antioxidant analysis also showed that SH-8 contained significantly higher levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbic peroxidase (APX). The present study also quantified and determined the effects of biopriming wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds with the novel strain SH-8. SH-8 was highly effective in enhancing the drought tolerance of bioprimed seeds; their drought tolerance and germination potential (GP) were increased by up to 20% and 60%, respectively, compared with those in the control group. The lowest level of impact caused by drought stress and the highest germination potential, seed vigor index (SVI), and germination energy (GE) (90%, 2160, and 80%, respectively), were recorded for seeds bioprimed with with SH-8. These results show that SH-8 enhances drought stress tolerance by up to 20%. Our study suggests that the novel rhizospheric bacterium SH-8 (gene accession number OM535901) is a valuable biostimulant that improves drought stress tolerance in wheat plants and has the potential to be used as a biofertilizer under drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a globally important staple crop, wheat seeds provide us with nutrients and proteins. The trend of healthy dietary has become popular recently, emphasizing the consumption of whole-grain wheat products and the dietary benefits. However, the dynamic changes in nutritional profiles of different wheat seed regions (i.e., the embryo, endosperm and outer layers) during developmental stages and the molecular regulation have not been well studied. Here, we provide this multi-omic resource of wheat seeds and describe the generation, technical assessment and preliminary analyses. This resource includes a time-series RNA-seq dataset of the embryo, endosperm and outer layers of wheat seeds and their corresponding metabolomic dataset, covering the middle and late stages of seed development. Our RNA-seq experiments profile the expression of 63,708 genes, while the metabolomic data includes the abundance of 984 metabolites. We believe that this was the first reported transcriptome and metabolome dataset of wheat seeds that helps understand the molecular regulation of the deposition of beneficial nutrients and hence improvements for nutritional and processing quality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the presented article, the effect of iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles on the pigment content in the leaves of wheat seedlings in different light spectra (white, red, and blue) was studied. Wheat seeds were initially kept in a suspension solution of iron oxide nanoparticles 20–40 nm in size for 3 hours and planted in pots. The process of germination and development of seedlings took place in the dark in a phytatron for growing plants in laboratory conditions. Samples were taken from the leaves of 7-day-old seedlings. The leaves of seedlings obtained from treated and untreated seeds with iron nanoparticles were irradiated with conventional white, red and blue light for 90 minutes and then grown again in the dark for 3 days. It can be seen from the experimental results that the pigment composition of seeds treated with iron oxide nanoparticles varies depending on the spectral composition of light. It turned out that iron oxide nanoparticles have a better effect on the synthesis of chlorophyll b (Chlb) pigment under red light, while under blue light the synthesis of both chlorophyll a (Chla) and Chlb slows down, in all cases the synthesis of carotenoids is weakened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]