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In hybrid breeding a high correlation between per se performance of parental lines and hybrid performance can help to reduce the efforts for testcross trials. Our objectives were (i) to investigate the correlation between per se and testcross performance of rye (Secale cereale L.) candidate introgression lines (pre-lLs) for thousand-kernel weight, test weight, failing number, starch, pentosan, and protein content; and (ii) to investigate the consistency of quantitative trait loci (QTL) determined in pre-ILs and their testcross progenies. Eighty pre-ILs carrying donor chromosome segments (DCS) from the Iranian primitive rye Altevogt 14160 in the genetic background of elite line L2053-N, were evaluated at four locations over 2 yr. Genetic correlations between per se and testcross performance were estimated with a bivariate mixed linear model. Putative QTL regions were detected by comparing the performance of pre-ILs carrying certain DCS with the performance of the recurrent parent. Genotypic variances and heritabilities were higher for per se than for testcross performance. Genetic correlations between per se and testcross performance were mostly intermediate. Common QTL regions were observed for test weight, starch, pentosan, and protein content. Our results revealed that a superior per se performance of rye pre-ILs is not indicative for a superior hybrid performance. Consequently, using rye pre-ILs in hybrid breeding programs requires testcross trials. doi: 10.2135/cropsci2009.06.0309

Six hundred and seventy two loci belonging to 275 expressed sequence tag--simple sequence repeats [EST--SSRs, including 93 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) end 182 rye (Secale cereale L.) EST--SSRs] were physically mapped on 21 wheat chromosomes. The mapping involved two approaches, the wet-lab approach involving use of deletion stocks and the in silica approach involving matching with ESTs that were previously mapped. The number of loci per EST--SSR mapped using the in silica approach was almost double the number of loci mapped using the wet-lab approach (using deletion stocks). The distribution of loci on the three subgenomes, on the seven homoeologous groups and on the 21 individual chromosomes was nonrandom (P << 0.01). Long arms had disproportionately (relative to the difference in DNA content) higher number of loci, with more loci mapped to the distal regions of chromosome arms. A fairly high proportion of EST--SSRs had multiple loci, which were largely (81%) homoeoloci. Rye EST--SSRs showed a high level of transferability ([approximately or equal to] 77%) to the wheat genome. Putative functions were assigned to 216 SSR- containing ESTs through homology searches against the protein database. As many as 104 SSR-containing ESTs (a subset of the above ESTs) were also mapped to the 12 rice chromosomes, which corresponded with the known homology between wheat and rice chromosomes. These physical maps of EST--SSRs should prove useful for comparative genomics, gene tagging, fine mapping, and cloning of genes and QTLs. Abbreviations: DT, ditelosomic; EST, expressed sequence tag; NT, nullisomic--tetrasomic; SSR, simple sequence repeat.

Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis L.) and Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus L.), which are native to the USA, were collected from remnant Midwest prairies. The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic variability among the collected accessions for biomass yield and other traits, determine the extent of genotype x environment interactions for these traits across Midwest environments, and to determine the relationship between the geographical location of the collection site and evaluation sites for these accessions for plant biomass yield which can be used as a measure of adaptation. Seed collected from six Midwest states was bulked by collection site to form individual accessions. Space transplanted evaluation nurseries were established at Mead, NE, Ames, IA, and West Lafayette, IN, and accessions were evaluated on a plot basis for 2 yr. There was significant genetic variation among accessions for post-heading forage yield, heading date, height, pre-heading in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and crude protein (CP) concentration, and post-heading CP concentration. Strain x location (S x L) interaction effects were only significant for post-heading IVDMD and height indicating that for the other traits, the relative ranking of the strains was similar at all three locations over the two evaluation years. Regression analyses of the effect of distance of the collection site from the evaluation site (direct, east or west, and north or south) on biomass yield were largely nonsignificant or had very low [R.sup.2] values. These regression results along with the nonsignificant S x L effects from the analysis of variance indicate that longitudinal or latitudinal adaptation gradients for plant biomass yield are lacking for Canada wildrye accessions from Midwest prairies. All but five of the Canada wildrye accessions had higher biomass yield than the only released cultivar, Mandan, indicating that this germplasm can be used to develop improved cultivars that should be adapted to the region represented by the collection and evaluation sites.

Alkylresorcinols (ARs) are phenolic lipids present in whole grain and bran of wheat and we. Chemically, they comprise 1,3dihydroxy-5-alkylbenzene homologs with odd-numbered, mainly saturated hydrocarbon side chains in the range of 17-25 carbon atoms. ARs are evaluated both for physiological effects and for their potential use as biomarkers of whole-grain wheat and we intake. In this study, plasma kinetics and relative bioavailability of ARs in humans were investigated after a single intake of we bran 120 g (190 mg ARs). The shapes of plasma concentration time curves were similar in the subjects (n = 6) with 2 peaks at ~2.8 and 6.5 h and maximum concentrations (mean [+ or -] SEM) of 1253 [+ or -] 125 and 3365 [+ or -] 309 nmol/L, respectively. The relative bioavailability of different homologs increased with increasing length of the AR side chain (r = 0.97, P < 0.001), indicating differences in metabolism. The apparent half-lives were rather short, ~5 h for all homologs, which suggests that the AR concentration in plasma could be used as a short- to medium-term biomarker of regular intake of whole-grain wheat and rye.

Winter cereals are increasingly adopted for their use as cover crops in several cropping systems. This study was conducted to measure the effect of two barley (Hordeum vulgate L.) and six triticale (x Triticosecale) cultivars and three rye (Secale cereale L.) populations, used as cover crops, on the emergence and growth of barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.], bristly foxtail [Setaria verticillata (L.) P. Beauv.], large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.], and sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris subsp, vulgaris). Also, bioassay studies were conducted to assess allelopathic potential of the winter cereal extracts on large crabgrass and sugarbeet. Large crabgrass and sugarbeet growth were reduced more by rye extracts than by triticale or barley. In the field, barnyardgrass, bristly foxtail, and large crabgrass emergence in mulched plots was 39 to 69%, 0 to 34%, and 0 to 78% lower, respectively, as compared with that in mulchfree plots. Sugarbeet yield in no-herbicide and herbicide subplots mulched with barley or rye was greater than that of triticale or mulchfree subplots. In particular, sugar yield in no-herbicide subplots mulched with 'Athinaida' barley or rye from Albania were about 7 and 26% less, respectively, than those obtained in the respective herbicide-treated subplots. These results suggest that Athinaida barley and the rye from Albania could be used as cover crops for annual grass weed suppression in sugarbeet.

The detailed dose-response experiments. Large differences in the dose-response characteristics of diclofop-methyl selected and unselected lines of five Lolium rigidum populations confirmed that high initial levels of survival to field recommended rates of diclofop-methyl were the result of heritable variations in herbicide sensitivity.

The present investigation was undertaken to study the gastrointestinal and physiologic properties of diets based on soft and crisp wheat and rye breads similar in dietary fiber (DF; 230-235 g/kg dry matter) but with different proportions of the main DF polymers: in wheat, cellulose, and in rye, arabinoxylans (AX). The 2 diets provided all macronutrients; consequently, they had lower fat and sugar contents and a higher DF content than human mixed diets. The nutritional properties were studied in experiments in which pigs with cannulated ilea and catheterized portal veins and mesenteric arteries served as models for humans. The characteristics studied were degradation of nutrients, flow at the ileum, fecal output, absorption of nutrients deriving from the assimilation of cereal carbohydrates, and the insulin response. Apparent viscosity at the terminal small intestine, the ileal flow of water, flow and digestibility of noncarbohydrate constituents, but not of carbohydrates at the terminal ileum or the plasma concentrations of glucose and insulin, were higher when pigs consumed the rye compared with the wheat diet. The 2 diets provided approximately equal amounts of carbohydrates available for fermentation in the large intestine but because AX from the rye diet was more degradable than cellulose from the wheat diet, the quantitative degradation in the large intestine was more than twice as high when pigs consumed the former compared with the latter diet. The consequences included moister feces and significantly enhanced gut production and plasma concentrations of butyrate when pigs consumed the rye diet compared with the wheat diet. J. Nutr. 135: 1696-1704, 2005. KEY WORDS: * carbohydrates * catheterized pigs * glucose * short-chain fatty acids * butyrate

Whole-grain rye and wheat products are rich in lignans, the precursors of enterolactone (ENL) and alkylresorcinols (ARs), which are phenolic lipids. In this crossover trial, we examined the effect of whole-grain rye bread compared with low-fiber wheat bread on plasma AR levels. Women (n = 39) aged 59 [+ or -] 0.94 y (mean [+ or -] SEM) were advised to consume rye (214 [+ or -] 7.1 g/d) or wheat (178 [+ or -] 6.5 g/d) bread (20% of total daily energy intake) in random order for 8 wk. The test periods were separated by an 8-wk washout period. ARs with different homologues and ENL were measured in plasma collected at the beginning (habitual diet) and end of the test bread periods. AR concentrations were higher (P < 0.001) after the rye bread (352 [+ or -] 24.7 nmol/L) and habitual diet (97.7 [+ or -] 12.1 and 88.3 [+ or -] 8.7 nmol/L) periods than after the wheat bread period (36.6 [+ or -] 4.2 nmol/L). Plasma AR concentrations were correlated with intake of rye bread (r = 0.34, P = 0.037), and with insoluble fiber from the whole diet during the rye (r = 0.39, P = 0.013) and wheat (r = 0.32, P = 0.047) bread periods. The plasma AR 17:0/21:0 ratio differed after the rye (0.84 [+ or -] 0.04) and wheat (0.53 [+ or -] 0.08) bread diet periods (P < 0.001). These data strongly suggest that plasma ARs could be used as specific biomarkers for whole-grain rye intake, and their homologue pattern could be used as an indicator of the bread type consumed. KEY WORDS: * alkylresorcinols * biomarkers * rye bread

Russian wildrye [Psathyrostachys juncea Nevski] is potentially useful as a cool-season forage grass for the southern Great Plains. Our objective was to determine the effect of acidic and limed soils on seedling growth of tetraploid and diploid Russian wildrye germplasm. Seedlings of Mandan R1983 and Tetra-1 (tetraploids), as well as 'Bozoisky Select' and 'Mankota' (diploids), were grown in limed and nonlimed acidic sand, sandy loam, and silt loam soils in the greenhouse at Ardmore, OK. Seedlings were harvested following approximately 60 d of growth in soil. Root-bound Al was extracted with a solution of 0.5 M citric acid. Regardless of soil type, seedling shoots grew significantly (P < 0.05) larger because of lime application, averaging 13.1 cm taller and 100% heavier for limed versus nonlimed acidic soils. Tiller number, root length, and root weight also increased with lime application, though not as consistently. Root-bound Al did not differ between tetraploids and diploids. In most cases, tetraploids and diploids had an equally favorable response to liming, indicating that Russian wildrye seedlings are susceptible to soil acidity regardless of ploidy level. Because of consistency of response and ease of measurement, seedling shoot weight should be useful for screening Russian wildrye germplasm for possible tolerance to soil acidity. Russian wildrye cultivars with improved seedling tolerance to acidic soils, which occur extensively in the southern Great Plains, might well be needed., FORAGE NEEDS during the fall to spring months in the southern Great Plains are primarily met by feeding hay or grazing cool-season annual grasses. Use of cool-season perennial forages in [...]

Most forage grasses grown in the northeastern USA are introduced species. Interest in native plant species for conservation and production has increased because of new federal policies. We evaluated northeastern accessions of the native cool-season grass Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus L.) for yield, persistence, and plant morphological traits. Thirteen accessions, one cultivar (Omaha), and one commercial ecotype of Elymus were transplanted into single-row field plots in late summer of 2000 at Beltsville, MD, Rock Springs, PA, and Big Flats, NY. Two orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) cultivars were the checks. Yield and morphology (leaf width, length, mass, area, and tillers per plant) data were collected during 2001 and 2002. The Elymus accessions produced as much dry matter (28-57 g per plant) as the cultivar and commercial ecotype. Orchardgrass yielded more than twice as much dry matter than the mean of all Elymus entries (94 vs. 34 g per plant averaged fur years and locations). The difference in productivity was related to reduced tillering in Elymus especially during regrowth. Yield per plant was strongly correlated (r = 0.62-0.81, P < 0.01) with the number of tillers per plant. Differences in productivity were also reflected in leaf blade traits, with Elymus having a lower leaf area and mass than orchardgrass. Leaf traits were positively correlated (r = 0.35-0.56, P < 0.05) with plant yield. Some northeastern Elymus accessions would probably perform as well as the commercial sources of Elymus in conservation plantings., INTRODUCED SPECIES, such as orchardgrass, account for nearly all of the highly productive forage grasses grown in the northeastern USA. The most frequently grown native grasses in forage systems arc [...]

Byline: Minobu Kasai (1), Kyoko Sato (1), Tsuyoshi Ono (1), Takako Ono (1), Kanji Kasai (1), Sachio Tsuruta (1), Miho Kikuchi (1), Junichi Yamazaki (1), Nobuyuki Kanazawa (1), Shinichi Sawada (1) Keywords: Keywords: C-terminal Region, Plasma membrane H+ pump activity, Rye leaf, Sucrose Abstract: + pump activity is unclear. In the plasma membrane vesicles from rye leaves high concentrations of sucrose had significant inhibitory effects on the plasma membrane H.sup.+ pump activity. Fusicoccin and trypsin treatment experiments suggest that the C-terminal region of the H.sup.+ pump may partially but significantly be involved in the sucrose effect. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Biofunctional Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, 036--8561 Japan, JP Article note: Received 20 August 1999/ Accepted in revised form 27 December 1999

Byline: S. Weidner (1), R. Amarowicz (2), M. Karamac (2), G. DAbrowski (1) Keywords: Key wordsaPhenolic acids; Wheat; Rye; Triticale; Dormancy Abstract: aThis study confirmed the significant role of phenolics in the dormancy of cereal caryopses. Investigations were conducted on two cultivars of wheat (Elena and Alba), rye (Amilo and DaAkowskie ZAote), and triticale (Ugo and Bogo), with characteristic deeper or shallow dormancy, respectively. In germination studies, cultivars susceptible to sprouting (Alba, DaAkowskie ZAote and Bogo) displayed higher germination percentages than those resistant to sprouting (Elena, Amilo and Ugo). The phenolic acid contents (i.e. free, liberated from soluble esters, and liberated from soluble glycosides) in caryopses were determined by an HPLC method. Caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic and sinapic acids were the dominant phenolic acids detected. The majority of phenolic acids were found in the form of soluble esters. For all species examined, the levels of phenolic acids liberated from soluble esters and the total phenolic acid contents in caryopses showing shallow dormancy were higher than in those showing deeper dormancy. Slight differences in the UV spectra of extracts of phenolic compounds from caryopses showing shallow or deeper dormancy were noted. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Agriculture and Technology, Kortowo, Pl. Aodzki 3, PL-10--718 Olsztyn, Poland, PL (2) Division of Food Science, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Tuwima 10, P.O. Box 55, PL-10-718 Olsztyn 5, Poland, PL Article note: Received: 6 April 1999

Evaporation from vegetative, bare soil and plant residue surfaces is a variable and dynamic process. Evaporation rates from different surfaces are dependent upon the amount of available energy, soil water [...]

Cover crops provide soil erosion protection, increase soil organic matter, reduce nitrate leaching, and suppress weed growth (Lal et al. 1991). Cover crops extend plant growth beyond the normal cropping [...]

The presence and distribution of three highly repetitive sequences from rye and the 5S rDNA are investigated in three rye cultivars and ten wild-related species of the genus Secale. A possible evolutionary trend that accounts for the present day Secale species is presented.

The incompatibility system in eight grass samples are examined. The results show that the L. perenne S and Z show conserved synteny with the equivalent loci in rye( Secale cereale L.)