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Given the scarcity of arable land and water resources in semi-arid regions, it becomes imperative to achieve maximum yield and early maturity for winter grains. In this regard, the present research was conducted to synchronize grain and shoot maturity in high-yielding barley (cv. Behrokh) by reducing nitrogen and deficit irrigation. The experimental factors included three levels of nitrogen (50, 75, and 100% plant nitrogen requirement; PNR) and three levels of irrigation (full irrigation, cutoff irrigation in the milk stage, and dough stage). Results showed that cutoff irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer caused early ripening. The interactions of irrigation and nitrogen were significant for the number of grains/spike, grain yield, straw yield, aboveground biomass, and protein yield. Grain yield in cutoff irrigation in the dough stage plus reducing 25% PNR was similar to full irrigation plus 100% PNR. In full and cutoff irrigation in the dough stage, reducing 25% PNR did not cause a significant change in straw yield. Cutoff irrigation in the dough and milk stages did not cause a significant difference in the grain protein content. In general, it is concluded that to maintain grain, straw yield, and protein quality, it is more appropriate to use 150 kg/ha of nitrogen in the conditions of cutoff irrigation in the dough stage, which could reduce the cost of fertilizer and water in addition to early ripening of the crop and minimize the environmental consequences of consuming these inputs. Early harvesting of barley also helps to prevent summer crops from encountering late-season chilling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) during the Neolithic period within Polish territory 5400–4900 BC, introduced plant cultivation, yet the definitive list of cultivated species remains debated. This study examines plant assemblages (fruits, seeds, pollen, and spores) from the LBK settlement in Biskupice, southern Poland, aiming to identify cultivated and wild species used during the development of the first stable settlements in the Carpathian Foothills. Due to extensive sampling, Biskupice yielded over 11,000 macroscopic plant specimens, enabling detailed analysis of plant diversity, distribution, and implications for agrarian and dietary practices. The analysis revealed a focus on emmer and einkorn wheat cultivation, with barley playing a minor role, alongside evidence of flax and pulses. Radiocarbon dating supported the settlement's existence in the 6th millennium BCE, and confirmed the use of barley. However, a younger date excluded bread wheat cultivation at this site. The plant assemblage included a diverse array of herbaceous wild plants like black bindweed, fat hen and brome species, suggesting their economic use. Additionally, the presence of cockspur grass, linked with Southeast Asia, indicates alternative migration routes of weeds in Europe, as supported by radiocarbon dating. Palynological analysis suggests existence of nearby cereal plots or the processing of cereals at the settlement, supporting archaeological evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the allelopathic inhibitory effects of harmala (Peganum harmala L.) seeds, seed powder and water extracts on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seed germination and seedling growth. The harmala seeds inhibited the barley germination and seedling growth and also significant effected the on root growth than on shoot growth. Ground harmala seed (0.06-0.72 g) had highly significant inhibitory effects on barley germination, except at the lowest concentrations (0.06 and 0.12 g/dish). Water extracts of harmala seeds concentrations (0.6-7.2 %) inhibited the barley germination and seedling growth by 2.4 %. There were clear inhibitory effects on root elongation and plumule growth. Additionally, the harmala extract caused radicle decay in barley seedlings. In the field, 1 g of ground harmala seeds inhibited the germination and growth of barley seeds and monthly irrigation with 5 g/L inhibited the fresh and dry weight of barley plants. The inhibitory effects were also on spikes and roots, number and weight of seeds. The germination and growth of new seeds were also inhibited. Similarly, adding 5 g of ground harmala seeds significantly affected the fresh and dry weight of barley plants, with leaves, stems and roots were more affected than spikes. Overall, this study provides an explanation for the absence of barley growth in harmala-infested soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach to supplying foods and feeds that are high in protein has emerged in the form of insect farming. Insect‐farmed food may also serve as part of a sustainable diet for humans. The mealworm Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is the most widely consumed insect worldwide. In this study, 10 larval diets were tested in the laboratory to determine their suitability for mass‐feeding mealworms at 28 °C and 60–65% r.h., in a completely randomized design. Various larval diets had a significant impact on the biological features of T. molitor. The larvae, pupae, and adults were greater on diets containing wheat bran alone and wheat bran in combination with maize and porridge. Larval mortality was significantly higher (60.7%) on a diet with porridge alone, compared to a control diet, followed by diets with porridge in combination with barley (55.6%) or maize (50.6%). Sex ratio was also affected by the tested larval diets. Female hatch (65%) was higher than male hatch (35%) on diet containing wheat bran alone as compared to all other diets. The findings contribute to optimizing mealworm rearing practices for sustainable food production and promote the potential use of mealworms as a viable protein source – especially livestock diets based on mealworm reared on wheat bran show promise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the seed germination potential and seedling growth rates play a pivotal role in increasing overall crop productivity. Seed germination and early vegetative (seedling) growth are critical developmental stages in plants. High-power microwave (HPM) technology has facilitated both the emergence of novel applications and improvements to existing in agriculture. The implications of pulsed HPM on agriculture remain unexplored. In this study, we have investigated the effects of pulsed HPM exposure on barley germination and seedling growth, elucidating the plausible underlying mechanisms. Barley seeds underwent direct HPM irradiation, with 60 pulses by 2.04 mJ/pulse, across three distinct irradiation settings: dry, submerged in deionized (DI) water, and submerged in DI water one day before exposure. Seed germination significantly increased in all HPM-treated groups, where the HPM-dry group exhibited a notable increase, with a 2.48-fold rise at day 2 and a 1.9-fold increment at day 3. Similarly, all HPM-treated groups displayed significant enhancements in water uptake, and seedling growth (weight and length), as well as elevated levels of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and total soluble protein content. The obtained results indicate that when comparing three irradiation setting, HPM-dry showed the most promising effects. Condition HPM seed treatment increases the level of reactive species within the barley seedlings, thereby modulating plant biochemistry, physiology, and different cellular signaling cascades via induced enzymatic activities. Notably, the markers associated with plant growth are upregulated and growth inhibitory markers are downregulated post-HPM exposure. Under optimal HPM-dry treatment, auxin (IAA) levels increased threefold, while ABA levels decreased by up to 65 %. These molecular findings illuminate the intricate regulatory mechanisms governing phenotypic changes in barley seedlings subjected to HPM treatment. The results of this study might play a key role to understand molecular mechanisms after pulsed-HPM irradiation of seeds, contributing significantly to address the global need of sustainable crop yield. [Display omitted] • Pulsed high power microwaves (HPM) generated with main frequency 3.5 GHz. • Seed germination significantly increased in all HPM-treated groups. • HPM-treated groups displayed enhancements in water uptake and seedlings growth. • Growth markers upregulated and growth inhibitory markers downregulated by HPM. • Auxin (IAA) levels 3-fold increase, while ABA levels decreased up to 65 % by HPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this study, the role of germination times and malt production preliminary stages on the bioactive and phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of barley grains was investigated. Antioxidant activity values of barley, soaked barley and dried barley have been reported between 5.00 mmol/kg (barley) and 6.65 mmol/kg (sokaed barley). The total phenol and flavonoid quantities of the barley, soaked barley and dried barley samples were recorded to be between 58.49 (dried barley) and 69.10 mgGAE/100 g (soaked barley) to 145.22 (dried barley) and 157.75 mgQE/100 g (soaked barley), respectively. The total phenol content of green malt and dried‐roasted malt were recorded to be between 115.85 (3rd day) and 237.80 mgGAE/100 g (7th day) to 111.83 (3rd day) and 346.04 mg GAE/100 g (7th day), respectively. While catechin amounts of barley samples are registrated between 5.83 (dried barley) and 10.29 mg/100 g (soaked barley), catechin amounts of green and dried‐roasted malt samples were identified between 5.20 (malt for 3rd day) and 56.42 mg/100 g (malt for 7th day). In general, an increase in the phenolic components of green and dried‐roasted malt samples was observed with germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance against aphids is an integrated pest management tactic that enhances the economic and environmental sustainability of cereal production. The aim of our study was to assess the degree of antibiosis against Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), one of the most important cereal aphids in temperate regions, in two lines of small grain cereals bred in the Crop Research Institute (CRI) of Prague: spring wheat, Triticum aestivum L. cv. ‘Rufia’, and germplasm of durum wheat, Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (Desf.) van Slageren ‘TTD40363’, under controlled laboratory conditions. Resistant spring wheat cultivar (‘Libertina’) and highly susceptible spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. ‘Sebastian’) were used for reference. The responses of M. dirhodum to each line and population growth projections were determined according to the age-stage, two-sex life table theory. We found that Rufia was susceptible and TTD40363 was rather resistant to M. dirhodum. The projected population sizes after 35 days were ~ 41,000 individuals in spring wheat Rufia and ~ 12,000 in durum wheat TTD40363, which is within the range delimited by the reference cultivars (4,000 in the highly resistant spring wheat Libertina and 77,500 in highly susceptible spring barley Sebastian). This study provides new data on small grain cereal resistance to aphids. An age-stage, two-sex life table approach was used to assess resistance to aphids on durum wheat and barley for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease in barley, causing significant losses for the malting and brewing industries. We hypothesized that the variation observed in Fusarium‐related issues during malting may be partially attributable to differences among Fusarium graminearum strains. Field trials in 2019–2021 used barley cultivars with different FHB resistance: Newdale (intermediate) and AAC Goldman (moderately resistant). Barley plants were grown under disease‐conducive conditions, and plots were inoculated with conidial suspensions of each of seven different F. graminearum monoclonal isolates plus a noninoculated control. Disease severity (as a percentage of symptomatic spikelets) significantly differed among years (2020 > 2019 > 2021). F. graminearum density in barley varied significantly across years (2019 > 2021 > 2020). Pathogen strain identity and cultivar (Newdale > AAC Goldman) had significant effects on F. graminearum density in barley grain. The harvested barley was micromalted. The deoxynivalenol (DON) content in barley and malt significantly differed among years and cultivars, with the highest levels in 2019 and in Newdale. Pathogen strain identity significantly influenced DON content in barley and malt. F. graminearum density in malt showed significant variation among years (2021 > 2019 > 2020) and was influenced by the pathogen strain identity, while cultivar did not significantly affect F. graminearum density in malt. Gushing varied significantly across years but was not affected by cultivar or pathogen strain identity and was independent of F. graminearum density. Our finding that F. graminearum strain identity altered impact in barley grain and malt may explain the variability of FHB impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study intends to investigate the impact of fractionation and micronization on the compositional, functional, and thermal characteristics of two protein concentrates derived from corn and barley. Fractionation of protein concentrates (by sieving) resulted in three fractions, i.e., fine (< 100 µm), medium (100–300 µm), and coarse (> 300 µm), while micronization resulted in an average particle size of 30 µm. No specific pattern was observed between particle size and chemical composition of corn and barley protein concentrates due to the complex interplay between particle size, surface area, structural changes, and botanical origin. Protein solubility varied depending on the pH and particle size, showing that the coarse fraction exhibited higher solubility than the fine fraction. For both corn/barley protein concentrates, coarse fraction had higher water-/oil-holding capacity. The barley fine fraction showed high foaming capacity, while all proteins lacked emulsification ability. Across all samples, a trend of increasing enthalpy with decreased particle size was observed, except for micronized barley, where enthalpy decreased, indicating possible protein structural changes. Thus, variations in properties among fractions highlight the importance of particle size in determining the proteins' functionality for potential applications in food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the activity and thermostability of α-amylase in green malt across a diverse panel of 54 barley genotypes, comprising 20 mutants, 19 hulled, 4 hulless, and 11 wild types, using starch as a substrate. The primary objective was to assess the variability in α-amylase activity among these genotypes and identify those with superior enzymatic activity and thermostability. Given that α-amylase is the most thermostable enzyme among the diastatic power enzymes yet exhibits significant activity reduction above 72.5 °C, a threshold frequently exceeded in industrial kilning and mashing. This research is therefore crucial for identifying genotypes that could enhance starch hydrolysis efficiency during mashing, a process critically dependent on sufficient enzymatic activity. We reported α-amylase activity and thermostability across a temperature range of 37 to 85 °C. The findings indicated that optimal temperature for α-amylase activity in barley malting lies between 65 and 75 °C. Interestingly, wild barley genotypes demonstrated the highest mean α-amylase activity, while hulless varieties exhibited the lowest. These results were validated by a significant negative correlation between α-amylase activity and the content of starch. Among the 54 genotypes, 11 displayed high α-amylase activity at 65 °C. Furthermore, one mutant (BL2105) and one wild genotype (WS230) exhibited high activity and thermostability at 75 °C, and another wild genotype (WS236) retained 30% of its original activity after heat treatment at 85 °C. These genotypes with enhanced α-amylase activity and thermostability could be strategically exploited in breeding programs to develop superior malt varieties. Such advancements could significantly enhance both malt quality and efficiency in beer production industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging malting industry in California needs adapted cultivars for a sustainable local barley production. 'UC‐Alameda' (Reg. no. CV‐381, PVP 202300263, PI 701932) is a two‐row, spring malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) released by the University of California, Davis, Agricultural Experiment Station, in 2022. UC‐Alameda is a highly productive cultivar with satisfactory malting quality for local craft maltsters. UC‐Alameda is adapted to the California Central Valley (Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys) and is resistant to the most common diseases present in this region (e.g., Barley yellow dwarf virus, Cereal yellow dwarf virus, stripe rust, and powdery mildew) and moderately resistant to scald and net blotch. It was evaluated in preliminary trials, as B9K62, from 2017 to 2023 at Davis, CA, and by the University of California Regional Small Grains Testing program, as UC1911, from 2018 to 2023 for late fall planting in the Central Valley. UC‐Alameda is a non‐glycosidic nitrile producer, which is an important trait for craft‐maltsters and distillers. UC‐Alameda satisfies the quality criteria of the local craft malting and brewing industry interested in sourcing locally grown malting barley. Core Ideas: UC‐Alameda is a new two‐row spring malting barley for California.UC‐Alameda is a non‐glycoside nitrile producer.UC‐Alameda meets the requirements of California local maltsters and brewers.UC‐Alameda is resistant to the common barley pathogens present in the Central Valley of California.UC‐Alameda is resistant to stripe and stem rust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight (FHB; caused by Fusarium graminearum) is a destructive disease of wheat (Triticum spp.), barley (Hordeum vulgare), rye (Secale cereale L.), and triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) not only reducing their yield but also contaminating the grain with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON). Developing varieties with genetic resistance is integral to successfully manage FHB. Triticale acreage worldwide is steadily increasing. However, the genetic diversity of triticale for FHB resistance is not well characterized. In the present study, a sequential screening of a set of winter triticale accessions from a global collection was done for their type‐2 FHB resistance and DON accumulation. In the first‐year screening, 298 triticale accessions were tested for FHB in an artificially inoculated, misted‐field nursery with high inoculum density. Most of the triticale accessions were susceptible to FHB, and only 8% of the accessions showed resistance in the field nursery screening. Next, the 24 resistant accessions identified in the nursery screening were tested for 2 years in greenhouse and 17 accessions showed significantly lower FHB severity in Year 2 and/or Year 3. These 17 resistant accessions were further tested for their FHB severity and DON accumulation in Year 4 in greenhouse and for DON accumulation in Year 5 in the field FHB nursery. Eight accessions showed significantly lower FHB severity and nine accessions showed DON accumulation of less than 1 mg/kg in Year 4 greenhouse testing. Eleven accessions had significantly lower DON concentration than the susceptible check in the Year 5 field screening. The resistant accessions common across all years identified in the study can be used for enhancing FHB resistance and reducing DON accumulation in triticale breeding programs. Core Ideas: A set of 298 triticale accessions was sequentially tested for FHB severity and DON content over multiple years.Only 2% of the accessions were found to be resistant and with low DON content across all the years.The robustly characterized accessions with low FHB severity and DON content can be used as sources of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is the fourth largest cereal crop in the world, with considerable nutritional value. Recently more studies on the toleration of barley to salt stress have been published, indicating an increased concern for food safety. Salt stress is an increasing threat to agricultural productivity; thus, an attempt was made to explore the growth-promoting capacities of an endophytic fungal strain Aspergillus niger CSR3 in H. vulgare. In the current study, we investigated various physiological and biochemical characteristics of two H. vulgare varieties, namely OM-80 and OM-82, under 300 mM NaCl and 100% seawater treatments with and without the inoculation of CSR3. Our results showed that biopriming of H. vulgare seeds with CSR3 enhanced germination ratio both in control and salt treated conditions. Under salt stress, the growth of H. vulgare plants was significantly reduced; however, CSR3 alleviated the salt stress and significantly increased root/shoot length and weight compared to their respective counterparts both under control and stress conditions. The fungal strain showed an ameliorated response to salt stress by improving the photosynthetic machinery. Results demonstrate that accumulation of reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and flavonoids decreased in inoculated plants as compared to non-inoculated under saline conditions indicating the potential of CSR3 in maintaining cellular homeostasis against salinity stress. Moreover, our finding also revealed that starch accumulation decreased with a gradual increase of salt treatment; however, CSR3 inoculation enhanced starch and decreased sugar level, indicating its potential to convert excess sugar to starch. In conclusion, CSR3 can improve plant performance significantly and can greatly improve sustainable agricultural production in saline marginal lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: The Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been recognized for its benefits for human health and sustainability for the planet, but it has considered not easy to reproduce in other populations. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development is fostering a research project (Planeterranea), aiming to identify a healthy dietary pattern based on local foods with the same MD features. The aim of our study is to develop a MD-based food pyramid for Asian populations. Methods: Asia was stratified into six areas according to pedo-climatic conditions. For each region a comprehensive scoping review of local crops and typical foods was conducted on several databases such as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s database, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) website, and PubMed, focusing on both plant-based and animal-based foods. Narrative review was then conducted on the identified foods to determine their nutritional composition and planetary health impact. Finally, the collected information was used to build up the Asian food pyramid with details for each respective region. Results: We proposed a food pyramid for Asian countries, guaranteeing the same nutritional intake and health benefits as MD, by considering dietary habits and typical foods of this population. From the bottom to the top, Asian fruits and vegetables present similar nutritional profile as those in MD. Whole grains (barley) may represent valid alternative to white rice. Sesame oil represents a source of unsaturated fats and an alternative to olive oil. Legumes (soybean), edible insects, mushrooms and algae, guarantee an adequate intake of plant-based proteins with a complete amino-acid profile and a low environmental impact with respect to animal-based ones. Conclusions: This work is a new insight of healthy and sustainable local food system based on MD principles for the Asian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing photosynthesis is considered an important strategy for improving crop yields to ensure food security. To evaluate the potential of using photosynthesis-related parameters in crop breeding programs, we measured chlorophyll fluorescence along with growth-related and morphological traits of 23 barley inbred lines across different developmental stages in field conditions. The photosynthesis-related parameters were highly variable, changing with light intensity and developmental progression of plants. Yet, the variation in photosystem II quantum yield observed among the inbred lines in the field largely reflected the variation in CO2 assimilation properties in controlled climate chamber conditions, confirming that the chlorophyll fluorescence-based technique can provide proxy parameters of photosynthesis to explore genetic variation under field conditions. Heritability (⁠ H 2 ⁠) of the photosynthesis-related parameters in the field ranged from 0.16 for the quantum yield of non-photochemical quenching to 0.78 for the fraction of open photosystem II center. Two parameters, the maximum photosystem II efficiency in the light-adapted state (⁠ H 2 =0.58) and the total non-photochemical quenching (⁠ H 2 =0.53), showed significant positive and negative correlations, respectively, with yield-related traits (dry weight per plant and net straw weight) in the barley inbred lines. These results indicate the possibility of improving crop yield through optimizing photosynthetic light use efficiency by conventional breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diverse class of plant diterpenoid metabolites serves important functions in mediating growth, chemical defence, and ecological adaptation. In major monocot crops, such as maize (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa), and barley (Hordeum vulgare), diterpenoids function as core components of biotic and abiotic stress resilience. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a perennial grass valued as a stress‐resilient biofuel model crop. Previously we identified an unusually large diterpene synthase family that produces both common and species‐specific diterpenoids, several of which accumulate in response to abiotic stress. Here, we report discovery and functional characterization of a previously unrecognized monofunctional class I diterpene synthase (PvKSL1) via in vivo co‐expression assays with different copalyl pyrophosphate (CPP) isomers, structural and mutagenesis studies, as well as genomic and transcriptomic analyses. In particular, PvKSL1 converts ent‐CPP into ent‐abietadiene, ent‐palustradiene, ent‐levopimaradiene, and ent‐neoabietadiene via a 13‐hydroxy‐8(14)‐ent‐abietene intermediate. Notably, although featuring a distinct ent‐stereochemistry, this product profile is near‐identical to bifunctional (+)‐levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthases occurring in conifer trees. PvKSL1 has three of four active site residues previously shown to control (+)‐levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthase catalytic specificity. However, mutagenesis studies suggest a distinct catalytic mechanism in PvKSL1. Genome localization of PvKSL1 distant from other diterpene synthases, and its phylogenetic distinctiveness from known abietane‐forming diterpene synthases, support an independent evolution of PvKSL1 activity. Albeit at low levels, PvKSL1 gene expression predominantly in roots suggests a role of diterpenoid formation in belowground tissue. Together, these findings expand the known chemical and functional space of diterpenoid metabolism in monocot crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Dormancy in barley has been thoroughly studied and shown to negatively impact malt quality, resulting in selection against dormancy. However, reduced dormancy coincides with increased preharvest sprout (PHS) risk, thus sparking a new interest in integrating dormancy back into American barley lines if the negative effects of dormancy on malt quality can be overcome. We evaluated the dormancy and hydration index (HYI) in a biparental mapping population to determine the genotypes that would protect against PHS but have good malt quality. We found 4 HYI QTLs and 4 dormancy QTLs, one of which was near the well‐described SD2 QTL. The HYI QTLs were pleiotropically related to seed size (1H), dormancy (5H) and malt quality (2H). Lines with dormancy (5H) and increased HYI (2H and 3H) had malt quality similar to nondormant lines while maintaining PHS resistance, suggesting improvements in HYI could be the key to overcoming the negative effects of dormancy in malting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forage grass factory could break through the restrictions of land resources, region and climate to achieve efficient production throughout the year by accurate and intelligent management. However, due to its closed environment, mold outbreaks in the forage grass factory were severe, significantly affecting barley production. In this study, 9 contaminated barley tissues were collected and 45 strains were isolated in forage grass factory. After ITS sequencing, 45 strains were all identified as Rhizopus oryzae. Through stress factor assays, R. oryzae growth was seriously hindered by low concentration of sodium nitrate, high pH value and ozone water treatment. High pH and ozone water affected growth mainly by altering membrane integrity of R. oryzae. Sodium nitrate inhibited the growth of R. oryzae mainly by affecting the amount of sporulation. Low concentration of sodium nitrate and ozone water did not affect the growth of barley. High concentrations of sodium nitrate (100mM) and pH values (8-8.5) inhibited barley growth. Among them, ozone water had the most obvious inhibition effect on R. oryzae. Large-scale ozone water treatment in the forage grass factory had also played a role in restoring barley production. Taken together, the green techonology to controlmold disease andmaintain the safety of forage through different physicochemical methods was selected, which was of considerable application value in animal husbandry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Alkylresorcinols (AR) are cereal-specific biomarkers and have recently been found in archaeological pots. However, their low concentrations and high susceptibility to degradation make them difficult to detect using conventional gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Here we describe the development of a more sensitive liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method to detect these compounds. Method: A method based on the use of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to an Orbitrap mass analyser was established and validated for the detection of low-concentration ARs in pottery. During the preliminary experiments, UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap MS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/Orbitrap mass spectrometry) was demonstrated to be more sensitive, and a wide range of AR homologues in cereal extracts were detected, unlike UHPLC-QTOFMS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry) and GC/MS. The developed method was utilised to profile AR homologue distribution in modern cereal samples and reanalyse AR-containing pots from the archaeological site of Must Farm. Results: A highly sensitive LC/MS method with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.02 µg/g and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.06 µg/g was used to profile ARs in five modern cereal grains. The obtained LOD is 250 times lower than that obtained using the conventional GC/MS approach. AR 21:0 was the most abundant homologue in all four Triticum spp.--einkorn, emmer, Khorasan wheat and common wheat. Meanwhile, AR 25:0 was the predominant homologue in barley, potentially enabling differentiation between wheat and barley. The developed LC/MS-based method was successfully used to analyse ARs extracted from Must Farm potsherds and identified the cereal species most likely processed in the pots--emmer wheat. Conclusion: The described method offers an alternative and more sensitive approach for detecting and identifying ARs in ancient pottery. It has been successfully utilised to detect AR homologues in archaeological samples and discriminate which cereal species--wheat and barley--were processed in the pots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollen wall protects pollen during dispersal and is critical for pollination recognition. In the Poaceae family, the pollen exine stereostructure exhibits a high degree of conservation with similar patterns across species. However, there remains controversy regarding the conservation of key factors involved in its formation among various Poaceae species. EPAD1, as a gene specific to the Poaceae family, and its orthologous genes play a conserved role in pollen wall formation in wheat and rice. However, they do not appear to have significant functions in maize. To further confirm the conserved function of EPAD1 in Poaceae, we performed an analysis on four EPAD1 orthologs from two distinct sub-clades within the Poaceae family. The two functional redundant barley EPAD1 genes (HvEPAD1 and HvEPAD2) from the BOP clade, along with the single copy of sorghum (SbEPAD1) and millet (SiEPAD1) from the PACMAD clade were examined. The CRISPR-Cas9-generated mutants all exhibited defects in pollen wall formation, consistent with previous findings on EPAD1 in rice and wheat. Interestingly, in barley, hvepad2 single mutant also showed apical spikelets abortion, aligning with a decreased expression level of HvEPAD1 and HvEPAD2 from the apical to the bottom of the spike. Our finding provides evidence that EPAD1 orthologs contribute to Poaceae specific pollen exine pattern formation via maintaining primexine integrity despite potential variations in copy numbers across different species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIt is unclear how seed-placed starter ammoniacal-N-and-K fertilizers influence barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seed-crop emergence, and its early establishment, due to salt injury and potential ammonia production and toxicity within the soil profile under different placement rates. Keeping in this view, the study was undertaken to experiment the effects of different fertilizer types, and rates using three different soil types characterized by fine (G1), medium (G2), and coarse (G3) textures when simultaneously placed with barley seed and establish safe-starter fertilizer recommendation models. The fertilizers were applied at varying rates from 0 to 60 kg N ha−1 and 0 to 74 kg K ha−1 alongside barley seeding. Maximum predicted safe starter ammoniacal-N-fertilizer rates were as follows: urea = 15, 35 and 26 kg N ha−1 is safe for G1, G2 and G3 soils, respectively. DAP (Diammonium phosphate), 52 kg N ha−1 is safe for fine textures whilst 12 and 37 kg N ha−1 for medium and coarse textures. MAP (Monoammonium phosphate) is safely placed at 55, 11 and ≥60 kg N ha−1 for G1 – G3 soils. For MOP (Muriate of Potash) and SOP (Sulfate of Potash), 67 and ≥74 kg K ha−1 were ideal for improved barley emergence across all the soil types. Visual appearances including delayed seed emergence, leaf chlorosis, and stubby coleoptiles were observed at varying seed-placed N and K rates. Intricate relationships among various emergence parameters, root architecture, aboveground and root biomass, chlorophyll content, all showing significant interrelationships. Data indicate that cubic model could be used for predicting seed-safe rates for multiple fertilizer types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CRISPR Cas9 and Cas12a are the two most frequently used programmable nucleases reported in plant systems. There is now a wide range of component parts for both which likely have varying degrees of effectiveness and potentially applicability to different species. Our aim was to develop and optimise Cas9 and Cas12a based systems for highly efficient genome editing in the monocotyledons barley and wheat and produce a user-friendly toolbox facilitating simplex and multiplex editing in the cereal community. Results: We identified a Zea mays codon optimised Cas9 with 13 introns in conjunction with arrayed guides driven by U6 and U3 promoters as the best performer in barley where 100% of T0 plants were simultaneously edited in all three target genes. When this system was used in wheat > 90% of T0 plants were edited in all three subgenome targets. For Cas12a, an Arabidopsis codon optimised sequence with 8 introns gave the best editing efficiency in barley when combined with a tRNA based multiguide array, resulting in 90% mutant alleles in three simultaneously targeted genes. When we applied this Cas12a system in wheat 86% & 93% of T0 plants were mutated in two genes simultaneously targeted. We show that not all introns contribute equally to enhanced mutagenesis when inserted into a Cas12a coding sequence and that there is rationale for including multiple introns. We also show that the combined effect of two features which boost Cas12a mutagenesis efficiency (D156R mutation and introns) is more than the sum of the features applied separately. Conclusion: Based on the results of our testing, we describe and provide a GoldenGate modular cloning system for Cas9 and Cas12a use in barley and wheat. Proven Cas nuclease and guide expression cassette options found in the toolkit will facilitate highly efficient simplex and multiplex mutagenesis in both species. We incorporate GRF-GIF transformation boosting cassettes in wheat options to maximise workflow efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To decipher the molecular bases governing seed germination, this study presents the pivotal role of the cap-binding complex (CBC), comprising CBP20 and CBP80, in modulating the inhibitory effects of abscisic acid (ABA) in barley. Using both single and double barley mutants in genes encoding the CBC, we revealed that the double mutant hvcbp20.ab/hvcbp80.b displays ABA insensitivity, in stark contrast to the hypersensitivity observed in single mutants during germination. Our comprehensive transcriptome and metabolome analysis not only identified significant alterations in gene expression and splicing patterns but also underscored the regulatory nexus among CBC, ABA, and brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant immunity is a multilayered process that includes recognition of patterns or effectors from pathogens to elicit defense responses. These include the induction of a cocktail of defense metabolites that typically restrict pathogen virulence. Here, we investigate the interaction between barley roots and the fungal pathogens Bipolaris sorokiniana (Bs) and Fusarium graminearum (Fg) at the metabolite level. We identify hordedanes, a previously undescribed set of labdane-related diterpenoids with antimicrobial properties, as critical players in these interactions. Infection of barley roots by Bs and Fg elicits hordedane synthesis from a 600-kb gene cluster. Heterologous reconstruction of the biosynthesis pathway in yeast and Nicotiana benthamiana produced several hordedanes, including one of the most functionally decorated products 19-β-hydroxy-hordetrienoic acid (19-OH-HTA). Barley mutants in the diterpene synthase genes of this cluster are unable to produce hordedanes but, unexpectedly, show reduced Bs colonization. By contrast, colonization by Fusarium graminearum , another fungal pathogen of barley and wheat, is 4-fold higher in the mutants completely lacking hordedanes. Accordingly, 19-OH-HTA enhances both germination and growth of Bs , whereas it inhibits other pathogenic fungi, including Fg. Analysis of microscopy and transcriptomics data suggest that hordedanes delay the necrotrophic phase of Bs. Taken together, these results show that adapted pathogens such as Bs can subvert plant metabolic defenses to facilitate root colonization. Infection of barley roots by Bipolaris sorokiniana and Fusarium graminearum elicits the biosynthesis of diterpenoid phytoalexins from a 600 kb gene cluster. Knock-out of the diterpene synthase encoding genes prevents production of these diterpenoids and results in increased colonization of barley roots by F. graminearum but reduced colonization by B. sorokiniana. B. sorikiniana uses the barley diterpenoids to facilitate root colonization by delaying entry into the necrotrophic phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley stripe or yellowrust (BYR) caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei (Psh) is a significant constraint to barley production. The disease is best controlled by genetic resistance, which is considered the most economical and sustainable component of integrated disease management. In this study, we assessed the diversity of resistance to Psh in a panel of international barley genotypes (n = 266) under multiple disease environments (Ecuador, India, and Mexico) using genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) (three on chromosome 1H and one on 7H) associated with resistance to Psh were identified. The QTLs were validated by mapping resistance to Psh in five biparental populations, which detected key genomic regions on chromosomes 1H (populations Pompadour/Zhoungdamei, Pompadour/Zug161, and CI9214/Baudin), 3H (Ricardo/Gus), and 7H (Fumai8/Baronesse). The QTL RpshQ.GWA.1H.1 detected by GWAS and RpshQ.Bau.1H detected using biparental mapping populations co-located were the most consistent and stable across environments and are likely the same resistance region. RpshQ.Bau.1H was saturated using population CI9214/Baudin by enriching the target region, which placed the resistance locus between 7.9 and 8.1 Mbp (flanked by markers sun_B1H_03, 0.7 cM proximal to Rpsh_1H and sun_B1H_KASP_02, 3.2 cM distal on 1HS) in the Morex reference genome v.2. A Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) marker sun_B1H_KASP_01 that cosegregated for RpshQ.Bau.1H was developed. The marker was validated on 50 Australian barley cultivars, showingwell-defined allelic discrimination and presence in six genotypes (Baudin, Fathom, Flagship, Grout, Sakurastar, and Shepherd). This marker can be used for reliable marker-assisted selection and pyramiding of resistance to Psh and in diversifying the genetic base of resistance to stripe rust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The valorization of date palm wastes as bioresources has received little attention. In this context, the feasibility of date palm waste valorization through composting and the application effects on barley plants production under control condition was investigated. The principal requirements for compost to be safely used are stability and maturity that refer, respectively, to the microbial biomass activity's level, germination tests, and plant growth bioassays or phytotoxicity. Indeed, the phytotoxicity of composted date palm waste used for seed germination and seedling growth bioassays was researched. The finished compost values of the C/N ratio were 15.36 and 18.58%, 1.21%, 0.54%, and 0.95% for total organic carbon, N, P, and K contents, respectively. The concentration of heavy metals and microelements were lower and met the requirement established by national standards. Moreover, the end product was free from harmful pathogens like Salmonella, Escherichia coli, total coliforms, and fecal coliform bacteria. Application of compost extract (especially 25%, 50%, and 75%) did not affect barley seed germination, stimulated hypocotyl and radicle growth and is characterized by a GI exceeding 90%, demonstrating its stability and lack of phytotoxic effect. Moreover, compost promotes plant growth, improved physiological parameters, photosynthetic pigments, and plant biomass. According to the results, the prepared compost especially at the dose T3 (soil amended with 30 t/ha) increased the nutrients availability and uptake which may be the reason for an increase in photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll synthesis, and dry matter accumulation. Composting may well represent an acceptable solution for disposing of date palm waste and be of great interest to sustainable agriculture in Tunisia oasis ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Drought stress is a major ecological constraint that resulted in the restricted growth of plants. • Ascorbic acid has an antioxidant property and acts as an important cofactor in plant hormones biosynthesis, including ethylene (ET), salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellic acid (GA 3). • Ascorbic acid as foliar spray supported the barley plant growth under drought stress to ameliorate the adverse effects of stress by maintaining growth, relative water contents, and osmotic adjustment through proline, phenolics accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activities. Drought is one of the most devastating environmental stress which affects the plant growth and yield in several ways. Grain crops including barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) are badly affected due to shortage of water all over the world. Ascorbic acid acts as an important cofactor in plant hormones biosynthesis and its exogenous application has been shown to confer tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present research, the ability of ascorbic acid to increase drought stress tolerance was investigated in three barley genotypes, a drought-resistant (V3 = Jau-Haider 93) and two drought-sensitive (V1 = 92,044 and V2 = 92,112) grown in pots under field conditions. Two levels of water, control i.e., with adequate irrigation and drought stress with 60 % of field capacity were applied. Ascorbic acid was applied as a foliar spray (1 mM) after every 7 days interval at 3rd leaf stage. In the present study, imposition of drought stress significantly reduced the growth, physiological and biochemical parameters in all genotypes of barley. Among all the varieties, V3 showed the highest increase (18.2 µmolm−2s−1) in net photosynthetic rate when treated with ascorbic acid. Similarly, ascorbic acid increased transpiration rate in V3 with a value of 1.42, 1.45, 1.18, and 1.28 µmolm−2s−1 in control, control with ascorbic acid, drought stress, and drought stress with ascorbic acid, respectively. During the present investigation polyamines i.e., putrescene, spermidine and spermine was highest (117.22, 99.12 and 107.02 nmol·g−1 FW, respectively) in V1 plants treated with ascorbic acid without drought stress. Proline, protein and carbohydrate contents was also increased significantly in barley by ascorbic acid application as compared to control plants. V1 showed the highest peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase (17.23, 39.12, 17.22 Umg−1 of proteins, respectively) in plants treated with ascorbic acid as compared to control without ascorbic acid treatment. Ascorbic acid as foliar spray supported the plant growth under drought stress to ameliorate the adverse effects of stress by maintaining the relative water contents and osmotic adjustment by enhancing antioxidant enzymes, polyamines, proline and phenolics contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Finite natural resources, rising human population, and climate change pose challenges to traditional crop production. Hydroponically grown fodder (i.e., sprouted grains) can be an alternative feed source for dairy cows; however, only sprouted barley has been investigated in low-producing cows. We aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing conventional concentrates with sprouted barley or wheat, grown using hydroponics, on milk production, nutrient digestibility, and milk fatty acid profile in high-producing cows. Twenty-four multiparous Holstein cows (3.25 ± 1.33 lactations; 102 ± 23 DIM; 49 ± 4 kg/d of milk) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 21-d experimental periods. Following a 2-wk covariate period, cows were fed 1 of 3 experimental diets: a TMR (1) without sprouted grains (control), or with (2) 10% sprouted barley, or (3) 10% sprouted wheat on a DM basis. Experimental diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous with sprouted grains that replaced ground corn, soybean meal, canola meal, and dextrose. Sprouted grains were grown using a semi-automatic hydroponic system and harvested after 6 d of growth. Data and sample collection occurred during the last 3 d of the covariate and experimental periods. Wide ranges were observed for the DM percent of sprouted grains (12.1%–22.9% and 13.3%–25.7% for barley and wheat, respectively) and the ratio of sprouted fodder to seed (0.67–1.07 for both barley and wheat). Feeding sprouted grains did not modify the yield of milk or ECM; however, DMI were lower for barley, relative to control. Feed efficiencies were greater for barley than for control (1.49 ± 0.03 vs. 1.43 ± 0.03 for milk yield/DMI; 1.85 ± 0.03 vs. 1.73 ± 0.04 for ECM/DMI). Yields and concentrations of milk components (i.e., fat, true protein, and lactose) were not affected by treatment. Milk urea N concentrations were greater for wheat, relative to control or barley. Body weight (752 ± 3 vs. 742 ± 3 kg) and BW gains (6.53 ± 2.99 vs. −9.33 ± 2.91 kg/21 d) were higher for wheat than for control. Apparent total-tract digestibility of organic matter was greater for wheat relative to barley. Digestibilities of NDF and starch were higher for wheat and control, relative to barley, and CP digestibility was greater for wheat, relative to barley and control. Rumination and physical activity were not affected by treatment. In summary, replacing traditional concentrates with sprouted grains grown using hydroponics improved milk production efficiency (barley sprouts) or enhanced body weight gain (wheat sprouts). A life-cycle assessment needs to be conducted to determine the net effect of this feeding strategy for the dairy industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant height and leaf morphology are considered complex agronomy traits; both are significantly related to nutrient utilization, lodging resistance, and photosynthetic efficiency, which ultimately affect biomass and yield. However, the molecular mechanism of leaf morphogenesis is still unclear. WOX is a group of plant-specific transcription factor families that regulate growth and development, cell division, and differentiation in plants. In the present study, we identified and characterized the m-876 mutant in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), which exhibited an extreme reduction in leaf width and plant height. Using a map-based cloning strategy, the m-876 mutant was narrowed down to an 11.4 Mb genomic interval on the long arm of chromosome 5. By analyzing the gene annotation information and nucleotide sequences, we found that HvWOX3A (HORVU.MOREX.r3.5HG0467090) had a G-to-A substitution at the second exon in the m-876 mutant, resulting in a change of the coding amino acid from Tryptophan to a premature stop codon at the 200th amino acid position. Remarkably, the mutation of the HvWOX3A gene leads to changes in gene expression in the m-876 mutant. Collectively, our results indicate that the loss function of the HORVU.MOREX.r3.5HG0467090 gene might be responsible for the phenotypic variation in barley mutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-throughput genomic technologies are enabling the identification of thousands or even millions of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SNP markers are frequently used to analyze crop varieties, with the marker data summarized in a common VCF file. At present, it is difficult to identify the minimal SNP set, the smallest sets that can distinguish between all crop varieties listed in a VCF file, due to the absence of available ready-to-use tools capable of such characterization. Here, we describe the development of the ready-to-use open-source tool MDSearch (Minimal Discriminatory SNP Set Search) based on the identification of the MDS (minimal discriminatory set) of SNPs using random walking staring from the maximal discriminatory set. MDSearch can be used for disploid as well as poliploid species and both phased and unphased VCF files. MDSearch has been validated using a publicly available dataset of barley SNPs obtained by genotyping-by-sequencing. As a result, we have successfully identified a discriminating set of 19 SNP markers capable of distinguishing all 254 barley varieties included in our study. We expect that this program will prove useful to genomics researchers to support a variety of certifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) fertilization plays a pivotal role in the nitrogen transport process and yield formation of field-grown Tibetan barley (Hordeum vulgare L., qingke in Chinese); however, little is known about its interaction with irrigation regimes. Here, we performed a control experiment to investigate the effects of irrigation regimes (primary irrigation and double irrigation, mentioned as W1 and W2) and N levels (0, 90, 120, and 150 kg ha−1, mentioned as N0, N9, N12, and N15) on the nitrogen accumulation, translocation, and utilization of Tibetan barley in the Tibetan Plateau during the spring barley seasons in 2022. The results showed that the highest yield (6242.28 kg ha−1) and aboveground biomass (12,354.13 kg ha−1 for anthesis; 15,827.9 kg ha−1 for maturity) were achieved in W2N15 as compared to other treatments. The maximum grain N accumulation (117.66 kg ha−1), the N translocation (54.16 kg ha−1), and the post-anthesis N accumulation (63.5 kg ha−1) were achieved in the W1N15 treatment. The N utilization efficiency increased with irrigation frequency and decreased with N application; however, the conclusion given by the N agronomic efficiency is contrary to this trend. The grain yield had significant positive correlations with the grain N accumulation (W1: r = 0.98; W2: r = 0.97) and N translocation (W1: r = 0.84; W2: r = 0.94), but significant negative correlations with the N harvest index (W1: r = −0.95; W2: r = −0.95) and N utilization efficiency (W1: r = −0.9; W2: r = −0.85). The path analysis revealed that the factors related to N utilization (β = 0.875) and the factors related to N translocation (β = −1.426) were the significant direct contributors towards grain yield. The influence of N application (total effect = 0.922) on the grain yield was much stronger than that of the irrigation regime (total effect = 0.324). Our findings can guide future efforts in designing sustainable water and N fertilizer management strategies for Tibetan barley in the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research reported here was conducted to follow up on observations of durable adult‐plant resistance to net form net blotch in several Australian varieties of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Over 11 years, isolates of Pyrenophora teres f. teres were collected and used to inoculate barley varieties. The resistance of five varieties (Clipper, Schooner, Sloop SA, Buloke and Scope) endured until the ninth year. To investigate the genetic control of this durable resistance, doubled haploid lines developed from the F1 generation of a cross between Sloop SA and the susceptible variety Fathom were inoculated with an isolate that appeared fully virulent on Fathom and were evaluated for adult plant resistance. Six quantitative trait loci were mapped: three with resistance from Sloop SA and three with resistance from Fathom. Effects were additive across loci and transgressive segregation provided a few lines with better resistance than Sloop SA. Although the resistance investigated here is no longer effective, insights gained from this research could help guide ongoing efforts in resistance breeding and disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramularia leaf spot of barley, caused by Ramularia collo-cygni has become a serious disease threat to barley production. By inducing necrotic lesions, the disease expiates the onset of leaf senescence, which can result in significant grain yield and quality losses. In addition to surviving between seasons in trash, stubble and volunteers, R. collo-cygni can be transmitted from seed to emerging seedlings. As a potential additional means of transmission it may also pose a risk for the spread of specific traits such as fungicide resistance. In the present study, we screened Irish barley seed stocks harvested in the years 2015–2017 for the presence of R. collo-cygni using qPCR, and subsequently using an amplicon sequencing assay screened for the presence of alleles in the SDHC gene of R. collo-cygni associated with SDHI resistance. Over the three year period > 60% of the samples screened had detectable levels of R. collo-cygni present. In a subsample of these five alleles associated with resistance (SDHC—N87S, G91R, H145R, R152M and H153R) were detected. The prevalence of the key alleles C-N87S and C-H146R remained stable over the three year period, and was similar to that detected amongst an isolate collection established in 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We detected isolates with SdhC-I87F-conferring mutations that were slightly SDHI-adapted in the barley leaf rust Puccinia hordei in France and the UK in 2019. SdhC-I87F of P. hordei is orthologous to SdhC-I86F in Phakopsora pachyrhizi, and SdhC-I88F in Puccinia horiana induced SDHI resistance. Nevertheless, the field performance of SDHIs against P. hordei was good, although strains with SdhC-I87F dominated the field. The sensitivity ranges were narrow for wheat leaf rust and Puccinia triticina in 2019; however, isolates with slightly higher EC50 values were obtained in southern France and the eastern UK in 2021. These isolates of P. triticina harbored an orthologous SdhC-I87F-conferring mutation. The range of EC50 values for the SDHI fungicide inpyrfluxam overlapped between the wild type and SdhC-I87F isolates. Further analyses are currently underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wheat stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), is an important disease of barley and wheat. A diverse sexual Pgt population from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the US contains a high proportion of individuals with virulence on the barley stem rust resistance (R) gene, Rpg1. However, the evolutionary mechanisms of this virulence on Rpg1 are mysterious considering that Rpg1 had not been deployed in the region and the gene had remained remarkably durable in the Midwestern US and prairie provinces of Canada. Methods and results: To identify AvrRpg1 effectors, genome wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using 113 Pgt isolates collected from the PNW (n = 89 isolates) and Midwest (n = 24 isolates) regions of the US. Disease phenotype data were generated on two barley lines Morex and the Golden Promise transgenic (H228.2c) that carry the Rpg1 gene. Genotype data was generated by whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 96 isolates (PNW = 89 isolates and Midwest = 7 isolates) and RNA sequencing (RNAseq) data from 17 Midwestern isolates. Utilizing ~1.2 million SNPs generated from WGS and phenotype data (n = 96 isolates) on the transgenic line H228.2c, 53 marker trait associations (MTAs) were identified. Utilizing ~140 K common SNPs generated from combined analysis of WGS and RNAseq data, two significant MTAs were identified using the cv Morex phenotyping data. The 55 MTAs defined two distinct avirulence loci, on supercontig 2.30 and supercontig 2.11 of the Pgt reference genome of Pgt isolate CRL 75-36-700-3. The major avirulence locus designated AvrRpg1A was identified with the GWAS using both barley lines and was delimited to a 35 kb interval on supercontig 2.30 containing four candidate genes (PGTG_10878, PGTG_10884, PGTG_10885, and PGTG_10886). The minor avirulence locus designated AvrRpg1B identified with cv Morex contained a single candidate gene (PGTG_05433). AvrRpg1A haplotype analysis provided strong evidence that a dominant avirulence gene underlies the locus. Conclusions: The association analysis identified strong candidate AvrRpg1 genes. Further analysis to validate the AvrRpg1 genes will fill knowledge gaps in our understanding of rust effector biology and the evolution and mechanism/s of Pgt virulence on Rpg1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Barley flour, known to be rich in various phytochemicals, has been demonstrated to improve the technological and nutritional properties of pasta; however, its volatile profile, on which its aromatic properties depend, also plays an important role in the acceptance of barley‐enriched pasta. In the present work, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of semolina doughs enriched with different percentages of barley and of the related pasta were characterized by solid phase micro‐extraction (HS‐SPME) coupled to gas‐chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and evaluated using a multivariate statistical approach, including principal component analysis (PCA), cluster heatmaps, Pearson's and Spearman's correlations, and partial least squares correlation (PLSC). RESULTS: The effects of single raw materials, and their interactions, were studied to establish their importance in the volatile profile of the samples, and the correlation between the dough VOCs and the processed product VOCs was assessed. The presence of barley flour markedly affected the volatile profile in comparison with the dough obtained with only durum wheat. For alcohols, esters, terpenes, and some aldehydes there was a clear correlation with the percentage of barley. For some of the VOCs, on the other hand, a strong dependence on the ingredients interaction effect due to the mixing stage has been demonstrated. CONCLUSION: The heatmaps allowed a good graphical visualization of the relationship between molecules and barley percentage, offering the possibility to select the best one according to the desired volatolomic footprint. Pasta with 40% of barley was demonstrated to give pasta with the most complex volatile profile. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spot blotch, caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, is a growing concern for barley (Hordeum vulgare) production in most humid, temperate growing regions of the world. Under epidemic conditions, this disease can reduce yields significantly. Reduction of kernel plumpness is associated with lower malt extract and consequently grain quality. Enhanced resistance to this disease is a major goal of western Canadian two‐row barley breeding programmes; however, two‐row barley is considered to be more susceptible than six‐row barley. Plant–pathogen interactions observed for Canadian germplasm are polygenic, where quantitative breeding methods could be beneficial for the development of resistant germplasm. A germplasm panel consisting of 200 two‐row, spring barley genotypes with differential reaction to spot blotch was evaluated at Brandon, Manitoba (MB), and Melfort, Saskatchewan (SK), over eight site years. Genome‐wide association study was conducted using a 50k single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Illumina iSelect genotyping array. The most‐resistant germplasm was found to carry Midwest Six‐rowed Durable Resistant Haplotype (MSDRH) alleles at the loci located on chromosomes 1H (Rcs‐qtl‐1H‐11_10764), 3H (Rcs‐qtl‐3H‐11_10565) and 7H (Rcs‐qtl‐7H‐11_20162, Rcs5 locus), where the 3H locus was found to be the most under‐represented in Canadian germplasm. Additional marker‐trait associations within nurseries were identified on chromosomes 1H, 2H and 4H. Several of the SNP markers identified were found to be polymorphic within the Canadian two‐row germplasm panel and thus could be useful for enhancing spot blotch resistance in two‐row barley for development of resistant cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: WHIRLY1 is a chloroplast‐nucleus located DNA/RNA‐binding protein with functions in development and stress tolerance. By overexpression of HvWHIRLY1 in barley, one line with a 10‐fold and two lines with a 50‐fold accumulation of the protein were obtained. In these lines, the relative abundance of the nuclear form exceeded that of the chloroplast form. Growth of the plants was shown to be compromised in a WHIRLY1 abundance‐dependent manner. Over‐accumulation of WHIRLY1 in chloroplasts had neither an evident impact on nucleoid morphology nor on the composition of the photosynthetic apparatus. Nevertheless, oeW1 plants were found to be compromised in the light reactions of photosynthesis as well as in carbon fixation. The reduction in growth and photosynthesis was shown to be accompanied by a decrease in the levels of cytokinins and an increase in the level of jasmonic acid. Gene expression analyses revealed that in nonstress conditions the oeW1 plants had enhanced levels of pathogen response (PR) gene expression indicating activation of constitutive defense. During growth in continuous light of high irradiance PR gene expression increased indicating that under stress conditions oeW1 are capable to further enhance defense. Significance Statement: With regard to its dual localization in chloroplasts and nucleus WHIRLY1 is an excellent communicator in retrograde signaling. Previous studies with barley showed that a knockdown of WHIRLY1 compromises acclimation to environment. Here we show that overexpression of WHIRLY1 in barley, leading to an over‐accumulation of the protein in both chloroplasts and nucleus, improves stress resistance whereas it has a negative impact on photosynthesis and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Response surface tests were used to determine the optimal conditions for Bacillus subtilis solid-state fermentation of highland barley bran. The polyphenol composition and antioxidant activity of the fermented bran were also assessed. The results showed that the optimal fermentation conditions for highland barley bran were 10% inoculum, a liquid–feed ratio of 1.80, a fermentation temperature of 30 °C, and a fermentation time of 93.5 h. Under these conditions, the polyphenol content of highland barley bran was 12.43 mg/g. After fermentation, the ferulic acid content of the bran decreased, catechol and gallic acid contents increased significantly, and catechins shifted from the bound state to the free state. In addition, solid-state fermentation improved the antioxidant capacity of highland barley bran, and the DPPH• radical scavenging rate, Fe ion-reducing capacity, and hydroxyl radical scavenging rate of highland barley bran increased after fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Improving low nitrogen (LN) tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) increases global barley yield and quality. In this study, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population crossed between "Baudin × CN4079" was used to conduct field experiments on twenty traits of barley yield, agronomy, and nitrogen(N)-related traits under LN and normal nitrogen (NN) treatments for two years. This study identified seventeen QTL, comprising eight QTL expressed under both LN and NN treatments, eight LN-specific QTL, and one NN-specific QTL. The localized C2 cluster contained QTL controlling yield, agronomic, and N-related traits. Of the four novel QTL, the expression of the N-related QTL Qstna.sau-5H and Qnhi.sau-5H was unaffected by N treatment. Qtgw.sau-2H for thousand-grain weight, Qph.sau-3H for plant height, Qsl.sau-7H for spike length, and Qal.sau-7H for awn length were identified to be the four stable expression QTL. Correlation studies revealed a significant negative correlation between grain N content and harvest index (p < 0.01). These results are essential for barley marker-assisted selection (MAS) breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley is a major grain crop in Canada and is used for generating malt, in addition to being used as human food and animal feed. Differentiating barley varieties is important for malt quality assurance and grain handling. Here, we present a DNA-based testing method for the identification of Canadian barley varieties. The method uses 24 custom TaqMan genotyping assays, which are analyzed using the high-throughput SmartChip system (Takara Bio Inc.). Using this method, we are able to distinguish 124 barley varieties commonly grown in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to better exploit crop yield potential through agronomic practices is driven by the necessity to feed a growing population in a changing climate. In this regard, cereals, including barley, represent strategic crops. Barley grain yield in Poland is comparable to the European average. Under good habitat and agronomic conditions, it can exceed the average. The effects of cropping system (continuous cropping, CC; crop rotation, CR), cultivar (Radek, Skald), plant protection level (control treatment, CT; herbicide, H; herbicide and fungicide, HF), and the interactions among these factors on spring barley yield were evaluated in northeast Poland in 2017–2022. Growing spring barley in the CR system promoted higher yields compared to the CC system due to increased spike density and 1000-grain weight (TGW). Skald, with a higher TGW, yielded more than Radek. H treatment increased barley yield by improving the spike density and TGW, while fungicide inclusion (HF) contributed to further yield increase by improving the TGW. The interaction of CR and HF practices contributed to the greatest realization of the yield potential of both cultivars. The study confirmed the strong contribution of inter-annual weather variability in modifying the effects of cropping system, cultivar, and plant protection strategy on barley yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stressors such as cold temperatures have intensified due to climate change. Cold stress is a crucial factor that restricts the growth of barley in tropical and subtropical regions. Fast chlorophyll a-fluorescence induction (OJIP test) parameters are also used as biological markers for screening cultivars tolerant to abiotic stresses. Therefore, an experiment was conducted over three growing seasons in the research farm of Gonbad Kavous University to identify closely linked quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling OJIP test parameters under chilling stress, in the Iranian barley RILs population. For this study, the genome-wide composite interval mapping method was utilized to identify closely linked QTLs associated with OJIP test parameters under chilling stress conditions. Combined analysis of variance showed that the lines had significant differences (p < 0.05) in terms of OJIP test parameters, indicating genetic diversity among the lines. Also, Pearson correlation coefficients showed that grain yield had a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) with Fm, Fv, ABS/CSm, ETo/CSo, ETo/CSm, REo/CSo, REo/CSm, TRo/CSo and TRo/CSm parameters under chilling stress conditions. Cluster analysis using the WARD method identified 50 lines tolerant to chilling stress. A total of 48 stable and closely linked QTLs related to 12 OJIP test parameters were identified on seven barley chromosomes under chilling stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polysaccharide consisting of po恥nぽizedD-glucose也roughs-glycosidic bonds is known鎚s-glu伺n. It is the most abund組1component of cereal組dfungal cell walls wi白血nctionalpropぽ出s，including immunomodulatory and anti旬mor c能cts.百lepurpose of也isstudy was to investigate社lee能ctof barley s-glucan consumption on白eincidence of upper respiratory回.ctsympωms白rougha before and after study. Seventeen healthy Japanese adults were given 100 g ofpacked barley rice to consume 1.8 g of s-glucan daily du血ga four-week of intervention period. A daily health questionn誼esurvey based on血eWisconsin UppぽRespiratorySymptom Survey (WURSS)・21and也econc四国tionof a sぽummarker (immunoglobulin A) were evalu蹴d箇out∞mes.A significant 30% inαease恒也eplasma也nnunoglob叫inA was observed dぽ泊g也eintervention p e，rdio whぽeas也eplasma immunoglobulin Al evels decr己創叫by17%d国主19也epre-in旬rvention period. Plasma immunoglobulin Al evels were negatively co町elatedwith representative nasal symptom scores，su ch as runny nose score (rs =・0.568;P< 0 .05)，pl ugged nose score (rs =・0.615;P< 0 .05) and sneezing s∞re (rs=・0.731;P< 0 .001)，wh ile 出ぽewasno si伊国C血tdi宜ぽ.ence泊血eWURSS-21s∞re between也巴泊tervention姐dpre・泊飽rventionperiods. Therefore， 也白血α.easein plasma immunoglobulin A obsぽvedin也e泊terventionperiod may reflect祖国provementof uppぽresp凶tory 仕acts戸npωmsover血ecourse of也isstudy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic and agronomic advances consistently lead to an annual increase in global barley yield. Since abiotic stresses (physical environmental factors that negatively affect plant growth) reduce barley yield, it is necessary to predict barley resistance. Artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) models are new and powerful tools for predicting product resilience. Considering the research gap in the use of molecular markers in predicting abiotic stresses, this paper introduces a new approach called GenPhenML that combines molecular markers and phenotypic traits to predict the resistance of barley genotypes to drought and salinity stresses by ML models. GenPhenML uses feature selection algorithms to determine the most important molecular markers. It then identifies the best model that predicts atmospheric resistance with lower MAE, RMSE, and higher R2. The results showed that GenPhenML with a neural network model predicted the salinity stress resistance score with MAE, RMSE and R2 values of 0.1206, 0.0308 and 0.9995, respectively. Also, the NN model predicted drought stress scores with MAE, RMSE and R2 values of 0.0727, 0.0105 and 0.9999, respectively. The GenPhenML approach was also used to classify barley genotypes as resistant and stress-sensitive. The results showed that the accuracy, accuracy and F1 score of the proposed approach for salinity and drought stress classification were higher than 97%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is the second most important macro-element for plant growth, and its low availability in soil is a major obstacle to crop production. Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is the least available form in the soil, while organic phosphate (Po) is the most dominant one, up to 80% of which exists as inositol hexakisphosphate, also known as phytic acid (PA) that cannot be absorbed by plant roots unless hydrolyzed by microbial phytases. Similar to phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, many plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can play a relevant role in phosphate turnover. In our study, we screened a series of PGPR strains for phytase activities using PA as a sole source of P. Three strains (named C2, N4, and S10) with relatively high phytase activities ranging from 42.84 to 100.55 Units g−1 were selected for barley growth assays. When barley plants grown in poor sandy soil and irrigated with a PA-containing solution were inoculated with each of these PGPR isolates, a significant growth enhancement was observed. This positive effect was well illustrated by an increase in root growth, plant height, and chlorophyll contents. In addition, the inoculated barley plants accumulated significantly higher Pi contents in leaves and roots compared to non-inoculated plants. Finally, the expression of a number of high-affinity Pi transporter genes (PHT1.1, PHT1.4, PHT1.8, and PHT1.6) in inoculated barley plants was downregulated especially in roots, compared to non-inoculated plants. This difference is most likely due to the bacterial phytases that change the P availability in the rhizosphere. In summary, these three strains can improve barley growth under phosphate-limited conditions and should be considered in developing eco-friendly biofertilizers as an alternative to conventional P fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY The advanced model of floral morphogenesis is based largely on data from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa), but this process is less well understood in the Triticeae. Here, we investigated a sterile barley (Hordeum vulgare) mutant with malformed floral organs (designated mfo1), of which the paleae, lodicules, and stamens in each floret were all converted into lemma‐like organs, and the ovary was abnormally shaped. Combining bulked‐segregant analysis, whole‐genome resequencing, and TILLING approaches, the mfo1 mutant was attributed to loss‐of‐function mutations in the MADS‐box transcription factor gene HvAGL6, a key regulator in the ABCDE floral morphogenesis model. Through transcriptomic analysis between young inflorescences of wild‐type and mfo1 plants, 380 genes were identified as differentially expressed, most of which function in DNA binding, protein dimerization, cell differentiation, or meristem determinacy. Regulatory pathway enrichment showed HvAGL6 associates with transcriptional abundance of many MADS‐box genes, including the B‐class gene HvMADS4. Mutants with deficiency in HvMADS4 exhibited the conversion of stamens into supernumerary pistils, producing multiple ovaries resembling the completely sterile multiple ovaries 3.h (mov3.h) mutant. These findings demonstrate that the regulatory model of floral morphogenesis is conserved across plant species and provides insights into the interactions between HvAGL6 and other MADS‐box regulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochratoxin A (OTA), which is one of the most important mycotoxins in terms of human health, can be found in cereal products such as bread, “bazlama” (traditional flatbread), and pita bread, as well as cereals such as wheat, barley, and corn. This study aimed to determine the effect of different fermentation times, baking, and storage for various periods on the presence of OTA in sourdough bazlama. Bazlama flour was contaminated with OTA concentrations of 5 and 10 μg/kg. After two different fermentation times (1.5 and 3 h), baking at 300 ± 5°C, and storage at room temperature (25 ± 2°C) for 0, 5, and 10 days, the change in OTA levels of bazlama samples was determined by the high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC‐FLD) method. The effect of different storage periods on the presence of OTA is insignificant. Although a general decrease in OTA level has been determined, it has been found that long‐term fermentation (at least 3 h) was more effective, especially in flours with a high concentration (10 μg/kg) of OTA contamination. It has been determined that bazlama made from contaminated flours with OTA levels of 5 and 10 μg/kg contained OTA levels exceeding 3 μg/kg when long‐term fermentation was not used. This is the maximum permitted limit set by the Turkish Food Codex and the European Commission, indicating that it is not suitable for consumption in this position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of escalating environmental challenges, understanding crop responses to abiotic stress is pivotal for sustainable agriculture. The present studymeticulously investigates the intricate interplay between drought and salinity stress in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Employing three distinct barley genotypes--Traveller, Prunella, and Zahna--we scrutinize their physiological, biochemical, and molecular adaptations under stress conditions. Our findings underscore genotype-specific responses, unravelling the multifaceted mechanisms that govern stress tolerance. Chlorophyll content, a vital indicator of photosynthetic efficiency, exhibits significant variations across genotypes. Salinity stress induces a decline in chlorophyll levels, while drought stress triggers a more nuanced response. Stomatal conductance, a key regulator of water loss, also diverges among the genotypes. Traveller displays remarkable stomatal closure under drought, conserving water, whereas Prunella and Zahna exhibit contrasting patterns. Antioxidant enzyme activities, crucial for combating oxidative stress, fluctuate significantly. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) surge under salinity stress, while drought predominantly impacts SOD. Gene expression profiling reveals genotype-specific signatures, with stress-responsive genes modulating adaptive pathways. Correlation analyses revealed the intricate interplay of the physiological and biochemical parameters. Genotype-specific adaptations, coupled with dynamic physiological and molecular responses, underscore the plasticity of barley's stress tolerance mechanisms. Throughout the study, the Zahna genotype demonstrated notable tolerance in terms of performance. These insights hold promise for breeding resilient cultivars, bolstering food security in an increasingly unpredictable climate. By deciphering the barley stress symphony, we contribute to the harmonious orchestration of sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]