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In recent times, there has been a pressing need to discover or manufacture a unique material that can serve as a photocatalyst for organic pollutants that are incapable of degradation. Pure Bi 2 O 3 and Co, Cd co-doped Bi 2 - 2x Co x Cd x O 3 (x = 0.8) nanoparticles were synthesized using the chemical co-precipitation method, but the new approach involves fabricating 10 % reduced graphene oxide Bi 2 - 2x Co x Cd x O 3 /rGO nanocomposites via the ultra-sonication route. This study investigated the effects of Co, Cd, and r-GO doping on the optical, electrochemical, structural, and photocatalytic properties of bismuth oxide. The synthesized nanomaterials were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), photoluminescence (PL), and Raman spectroscopy. The XRD patterns showed the formation of a monophasic monoclinic structure belonging to space group P21/c, with an average crystallite size estimated around 22–41 nm. According to the UV–visible study, the bandgap energy of Bi 2 O 3 NPs, Bi 2 - 2x Co x Cd x O 3 NPs, and Bi 2 - 2x Co x Cd x O 3 /rGO nanocomposites were 2.64 eV, 2.37 eV and 2.06eV respectively. The cyclic voltammetry technique was used to evaluate the functioning electrodes. In contrast to un-doped Bi 2 O 3 , the synergistic effects of Co, Cd, and r-GO on the substituted material increased the specific capacitance. The pure Bi 2 O 3 , doped Bi 2 - 2x Co x Cd x O 3, and Bi 2 - 2x Co x Cd x O 3 /rGO photocatalyst degraded 62 %, 85 %, and 95.4 % respectively of RB-5 dye after 105 min of sunlight. The phytotoxicity analysis examined the germination of Hordeum vulgare seeds in treated and untreated RB-5 dyes. Additionally, scavenging investigations using reactive species trapping to confirm the dominant reactive species were evaluated. Bi 2 - 2x Co x Cd x O 3 /rGO nanocomposites are better at photocatalysis and have a narrow bandgap, which makes them useful as solar-active photocatalysts for getting rid of dyes in wastewater. In future, their composites with conducting polymers may improve their electrochemical and photocatalytic behaviour as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lactic acid (LA) treatment of cereals is known to improve ruminant performance. However, changes in cereal nutrient levels and variations in rumen fermentation remain unclear. Methods: This study was designed to compare the effects of 5% LA treatment on the trophic and morphological characteristics of barley and to discover the differences in rumen fer mentation characteristics and metabolomes between LA-treated and untreated barley. Results: Compared with those of untreated barley (BA), the dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ash and water-soluble carbohydrate contents of barley plants treated with 5% LA for 48 h (BALA) decreased, but the resistant starch (RS) and non-fiber carbohydrate contents increased. Moreover, the amount of proteinaceous matrix in BA decreased in response to LA treatment. During in vitro fermentation, BALA had a greater pH but lower dry matter disappearance and ammonia, methane, and short-chain fatty acid levels than BA. The differential metabolites between BA and BALA were clustered into metabolic pathways such as purine metabolism, lysine degradation, and linoleic acid metabolism. Observable differences in ultrastructure between BALA and BA were noted during fermentation. Conclusion: Lactic treatment altered barley nutrient content, including DM, CP, RS, ash, water-soluble carbohydrates and non-fiber carbohydrates, and affected barley ultrastructure. These variations led to significant and incubation time-dependent changes in the in vitro fermentation characteristics and metabolome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Understanding domestication's impact on crop root traits and interactions with soil microbiomes is vital for improving crop resilience and agricultural sustainability. Using this knowledge to enhance root systems, reduce chemical inputs, and adapt crops to environmental stress will help to increase global food production, promote eco‐friendly farming, and mitigate the effects of climate change. Additionally, identifying microorganisms specific to plant species may help in biodiversity conservation. Advancing scientific understanding and educating future generations on the intricate relationships between plants, soil, and microorganisms is integral to developing innovative, sustainable agricultural practices and improved food security. Summary: Domestication and intensive management practices have significantly shaped characteristics of modern crops. However, our understanding of domestication's impact had mainly focused on aboveground plant traits, neglecting root and rhizospheric traits, as well as trait–trait interactions and root‐microbial interactions.To address this knowledge gap, we grew modern (Hordeum vulgare L. var. Barke) and wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum K. Koch var. spontaneum) in large rhizoboxes. We manipulated the soil microbiome by comparing disturbed (sterilized soil inoculum, DSM) versus non‐disturbed (non‐sterilized inoculum, NSM) microbiome. Results showed that modern barley grew faster and increased organic‐carbon exudation (OCEXU) compared to wild barley.Both barley species exhibited accelerated root growth and enhanced OCEXU under DSM, indicating their ability to partially compensate and exploit the soil resources independently of microbes if need be. Plant trait network analysis revealed that modern barley had a denser, larger, and less modular network of microbes than wild barley indicating domestication's impact on trait–trait coordination. In addition, the relative abundance of bacteria did not vary between wild and modern barley rhizospheres; however, species‐specific unique bacteria were identified, with stronger effects under DSM.Overall, our findings highlight domestication‐driven shifts in root traits, trait coordination, and their modulation by the soil microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Starch is the most abundant constituent (dry weight) in the barley endosperm, followed by protein. Variability of compositional and potentially related physical traits due to genotype and environment can have important implications for the malting and brewing industry. This was the first study to assess the effects of genotype, environment, and their interaction (G × E) on endosperm texture, protein content, and starch traits corresponding to granule size, gelatinization, content, and composition, using a multi‐environment variety trial in California, USA. RESULTS: Overall, environment explained the largest variance for all traits (ranging from 23.2% to 76.5%), except the endosperm texture traits wherein the G × E term explained the largest variance (45.0–86.5%). Our unique method to quantify the proportion of fine and coarse milled barley particles using laser diffraction showed a binomial distribution of endosperm texture. The number of small starch granules varied significantly (P‐value < 0.05) across genotypes and environments. We observed negative correlations between total protein content and each of enthalpy (−0.70), total starch content (−0.54), and difference between offset and onset gelatinization temperature (−0.52). Furthermore, amylose to amylopectin ratio was positively correlated to volume of small starch granules (0.36). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that environment played a larger role in influencing the majority of starch‐related physical and compositional traits. In contrast, variance in endosperm texture was largely explained by G × E. Maltsters would benefit from accounting for environmental contributions in addition to solely genotype when making sourcing decisions, especially with regards to total protein, total starch, enthalpy, and difference between offset and onset gelatinization temperature. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three Hordeum spontaneum-derived resistances (referred to as 145L2, 41T1 and 40Y5) have demonstrated long-term effectiveness against barley scald, caused by Rhynchosporium commune, in western Canada. Genetic mapping of these resistances in three populations, and the use of five barley genome assemblies, revealed they co-located to a narrowly defined 0.58–1.2 Mbp region of chromosome 6HS containing the Rrs13 scald resistance gene. Differential disease reactions among the three resistances and a Rrs13 carrier (AB6) to a panel of 24 scald isolates indicated that the four resistances were unique from one another. A marker created to target the 6HS scald locus was screened across a panel of barley germplasm that included H. vulgare, H. spontaneum and H. bulbosum lines. The marker showed specificity to H. vulgare lines known to carry the 6HS scald resistances and to two H. spontaneum lines that trace their origins to Jordan. Within the 0.58–1.2 Mbp region were 2–7 tandemly repeated leucine-rich repeat receptor-like proteins (LRR-RLP) and one lectin receptor-like kinase (Lec-RLK) genes with abundant sequence variation between them. The well-defined role that RLP and RLK genes play in plant defense responses make them logical candidate resistance genes, with one possible hypothesis being that each unique scald resistance may be encoded by a different RLP that interacts with a common RLK. It is suggested the three scald resistances be temporarily named Rrs13145L2, Rrs1341T1 and Rrs1340Y5 to recognize their co-location to the Rrs13 locus until it is determined whether these resistances represent unique genes or alleles of the same gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress significantly reduces crop yields at all stages of plant development. Barley, known for its abiotic-stress adaptation among cereals was used to examine the genetic basis of drought tolerance. A population of 164 spring barley lines was subjected to polyethylene glycol (PEG) induced drought stress during germination and seedling development. Six traits were measured, including germination percentage and rate, seedling length and weight, and root-to-shoot ratios. Seedling area, volume, and root and shoot diameter was acquired with a flatbed scanner. This population was also subjected to short-term drought during the heading stage in the greenhouse. Root and shoot weight and grain yield data were collected from well watered and droughted plants. Significant variation within traits were observed and several of them exhibited strong correlations with each other. In this population, two genotypes had 100% germination under PEG-induced drought and drought tolerance throughout the heading stage of plant development. A genome-wide association scan (GWAS) revealed 64 significant marker-trait associations across all seven barley chromosomes. Candidate genes related to abiotic stress and germination were identified within a 0.5Mbp interval around these SNPs. In silico analysis indicated a high frequency of differential expression of the candidate genes in response to stress. This study enabled identification of barley lines useful for drought tolerance breeding and pinpointed candidate genes for enhancing drought resiliency in barley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the impact of varying concentrations of PVC microplastics (PVC–MPs) – specifically 0 (no PVC–MPs), 2, and 4 mg L− 1 –alongside different arsenic (As) levels of 0 (no As), 150, and 300 mg kg− 1 in the soil, with the concurrent application of copper oxide–nanoparticles (CuO–NPs) at 0 (no CuO –NPs), 25 and 50 µg mL− 1 to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants. This research primarily aims to assess plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments and gas exchange characteristics, oxidative stress indicators, as well as the response of various antioxidants (both enzymatic and non-enzymatic) and their relevant genes expression, proline metabolism, the AsA–GSH cycle, and cellular fractionation within the plants. The findings showed that increased levels of PVC–MPs and As stress in the soil significantly reduced plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, and gas exchange characteristics. Additionally, PVC–MPs and As stress increased oxidative stress in the roots and shoots, as evidenced by elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and electrolyte leakage (EL), which in turn stimulated the production of various enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, gene expression, and sugar content. Furthermore, a notable increase in proline metabolism, the AsA–GSH cycle, and cellular pigmentation was observed. Conversely, the application of CuO–NPs resulted in a substantial improvement in plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, and the activity of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, along with a reduction in oxidative stress. Additionally, CuO–NPs enhanced cellular fractionation while decreasing proline metabolism and the AsA-GSH cycle in H. vulgare plants. These outcomes provide new insights into sustainable agricultural practices and offer significant potential in addressing the critical challenges of heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present studies investigate the dielectric properties (dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor) of three low moisture flours (barley, chickpea and wheat) in the moisture content range 2%–10% (w. b.) and temperatures 10°C–60°C at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz. Measurements were taken using cavity perturbation method in conjunctions with Vector Network Analyzer. Results show that dielectric constant and loss factor increased with temperature as well as moisture content both at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz but decreased with increase in frequency. Change in mass of all flours during heating does not affect dielectric properties at both frequencies. A second order regression equation is generated to predict dielectric properties at both frequencies for entire temperature and moisture. Penetration depths of all flours decreased with increase in moisture content and temperature at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz. These studies provide valuable insights to heating protocol of flours in view of recent flours-related disease outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Barley grains contain a variable amount of biologically active compounds such as β-glucans (BGs) which are important in nutrition due to their relationship with improvements of the immune system and resistance against pathogens. Although barley is a cereal widely used in the diet of ruminants, to our best knowledge, there are no studies on the effect of using barley BG as a functional feed ingredient for modulating the immune system in ruminants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term immune responses of dairy ewes supplemented with barley BG when submitted to an intramammary lipopolysaccharide challenge. The results showed the potentiality of barley BG as a biological agent to induce immune activation of dairy ewes against E. coli endotoxin. However, further studies should be performed to support our findings. This study evaluated short-term immune responses of dairy ewes supplemented with barley β-glucan (BG) following an intramammary Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. In the adaptation period, 36 ewes were fed an alfalfa hay diet ad libitum and barley grain cv. Hispanic (3.8% BG). Then, ewes were assigned into three experimental groups: (1) Control (CON), the same previous diet (13.3 g BG/d); (2) high β-glucans barley (HBG), new barley (cv. Annapurna) containing 10% BG (35 g BG/d); (3) intraperitoneally injected (INP) with a 1.4% BG solution dose (2 g BG/ewe). At d 9, all ewes were infused with an E. coli LPS or saline solution in each udder half. After the challenge, rectal temperature (RT), milk yield and composition, somatic cell count (SCC), and plasma interleukins (IL-1α and IL-1β) were monitored daily. The INP treatment revealed a transitory increase in RT and decreased milk yield by 38%. Milk fat, protein, and SCC increased in LPS-treated udders but not by BG treatment. The IL-1α plasma concentration was similar among groups but INP ewes showed a lower IL-1β concentration suggesting a lower inflammatory response. The BG administration appears more effective intraperitoneally than orally, which needs additional study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of total polyphenol content (TPC) in the grain could provide insights into the conditions during maturation and might also serve as an indicator of the grain's ability to germinate in the malting process or as seeds in the field. Varieties with higher natural TPC content might exhibit better germination parameters both in the field and in the malt house. This study investigates the relationship between TPC and seed germination characteristics i.e. seed vigour in four spring barley varieties over two years, considering diverse environmental conditions and exposure to drought conditions. The evaluation of seed germination characteristics in barley, with a focus on the root length and average diameter under drought conditions (−0.5 MPa) and suboptimal temperature (10 °C), was conducted. Drought conditions were induced using polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000). After durations of seven and fourteen days, the germinated seeds from the Petri dishes were scanned and subjected to analysis using WinRHIZO software following the metrics: Len 7, Len 14 (root length after seven and fourteen days in cm) and AvgD 7, AvgD 14 (root diameter after seven and fourteen days in mm). The findings support our initial hypothesis, indicating a variety-specific relationship between seed germination characteristics and increased TPC, where higher germination parameters might be associated with elevated TPC levels in some barley varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractChemical synthesis of rhynchosporosides that cause scald diseases in barley has been summarized in this review. The synthesis features two different strategies, namely, two-stage activation and one-pot glycosylation. Comparing with the stepwise synthesis, the one-pot assembly strategy based on glycosyl ortho-(1-phenylvinyl)benzoates can highly streamline carbohydrates synthesis, avoiding such problems as aglycone transfer associated with traditional one-pot glycosylation based on thioglycosides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley is the third most important cereal crop in terms of production in Canada, and Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the main fungal diseases of barley. FHB is caused by a species complex of Fusaria, of which Fusarium graminearum Schwabe is the main causal species of FHB epidemics in Canada. Field surveys show that two or more Fusarium species often co-exist within the same field or grain sample, and F. poae is reported as another important species in barley. This study aimed to determine the pathogenicity of F. graminearum, F. poae, and a co-inoculation of both species causing FHB in barley. Two susceptible barley cultivars were spray-inoculated at 10 to 14 days after heading. Phenotypic disease severity was rated on a scale of 0–9 at 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after inoculation. There was a significant difference in FHB severity between F. graminearum and F. poae, where infection with F. graminearum produced more severe disease ratings. F. poae generated lower disease ratings and was not statistically different from the control. When heads were co-inoculated with both Fusarium species, the resulting FHB severity was unchanged relative to heads inoculated with F. graminearum only. The ratio of F. graminearum to F. poae genomic DNA was also no different than when heads were inoculated with F. graminearum alone, as quantified with ddPCR using markers specific to each species. The metabolomic analysis of sample extracts showed that F. graminearum-associated metabolites dominated the mycotoxin profile of co-inoculated samples, which corroborated our other findings where F. graminearum appeared to outcompete F. poae in barley. No significant effect on visual FHB disease ratings or fungal DNA detection was observed between the cultivars tested. However, there were some metabolome differences between cultivars in response to the challenge by both F. graminearum and F. poae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sowing density and row spacing of barley affect the crop efficiency, resource use and final yield, with different genotypes likely to respond differently to this agrotechnical factor. The effect of sowing density on the barley yield, as shaped by structural yield elements such as the number of ears, number of grains per ears and thousand grain weight, depends on the interaction of this factor with the genotype and the growing conditions. Two spring barley genotypes with a black grain color (H. vulgare L. var. nigricans and H. vulgare L. var. rimpaui), differing in ear structure and affiliation to the original wild forms, were studied. Two independent, two-year field experiments were conducted in 2019–2020 and 2021–2022 at two locations with contrasting soil conditions. The effects of genotype and sowing density interactions on the yield, harvest index and structural elements of the yield were assessed. The arley yield was dependent on the interaction of genotype and sowing density but also varied by location. H. v. var. nigricans yielded better at higher densities, while H. v. var. rimpaui showed greater tillering potential at low densities. Environmental factors such as rainfall, temperature and soil composition affected the number of fertile ears, number of grains per ear and thousand grain weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recommended List (RL) is the UK plant variety recommendation system introduced in 1944 for supporting growers in making decisions on variety choices. The current RL system is heavily focused on single-trial analyses developed in the 1980s without making full use of information across varieties and trial sites. Given the statistical advances that have been developed and adopted elsewhere, it is timely to review and update the methods for data analysis in RL. In addition, threats from climate change challenge the prediction of variety performance in future environments. Better variety recommendations, particularly for matching varieties to specific environments can be achieved through the improved modeling of effects from genetics, environments, and genetic-by-environment interactions. Here, we evaluate grain yield data from 153 spring barley varieties that were trialed for RL from 2002 to 2019. Our results show that the current RL system produces poor and inconsistent predictions on variety performance across environments. Improvement in RL can be achieved by using mixed models that account for genetic relationships among varieties, and additional improvement is possible if genetic-by-environment interaction can be modeled accurately. We highlight the relevance and importance of genomics in both variety registration and recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley, an ancient crop, was vital for early civilizations and has historically been served as food and beverage. Today, it plays a major role as feed for livestock. Breeding modern barley varieties for high yield and quality has created significant genetic erosion. This highlights the importance of tapping into genetic and genomic resources to develop new improved varieties that can overcome agricultural bottlenecks and increase barley yield. In the current study, 75 barley genotypes were evaluated for agro-morphological traits. The relationships among these traits were determined based on genotype by trait (GT) biplot analysis for two cropping years (2021 and 2022). This study was designed as a randomized complete block experiment with four replications. The variation among genotypes was found to be significant for all traits. The correlation coefficient and GT biplot revealed that grain yield (GY) was positively correlated with the number of grains per spike (NGS), the grain weight per spike (GW), and the thousand kernel weight (1000 KW). However, the test weight (TW) was negatively correlated with the heading date (HD). Hierarchical analysis produced five groups in the first year, four groups in the second year, and four groups over the average of two years. Genotypes by trait biplot analysis highlighted G25, G28, G61, G73, and G74 as promising high-yielding barley genotypes. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the GT biplot as a valuable approach for identifying superior genotypes with contrasting traits. It is considered that this approach could be used to evaluate the barley genetic material in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem rust of barley and wheat is caused by the obligate pathogen Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt) and stem rust of oat is caused by P. graminis f. sp. avenae (Pga). Stem rust can be a very destructive disease of cereal crops and, until the development of resistant host varieties, was responsible for millions of dollars of losses to producers. Genetic host resistance is the most common and effective method to control stem rust on cereals. Knowledge of the virulence genes and races present in the pathogen population is important to identify effective host resistance genes for use by cereal plant breeders. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence and severity of P. graminis in wheat, barley and oat in Manitoba, Canada, and assess the virulence frequencies and races of isolates collected from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario, Canada during 2020 to 2022. Stem rust incidence and severity was very light in Manitoba in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Virulence was not observed on resistance genes Sr30, Sr24 and Sr31 from Canadian collections of Pgt isolates made during 2020 to 2022. Race QFCSC was the most common race of Pgt in Canada, and races MCCFC and TPMKC were also common in Manitoba in 2022. Virulence to resistance genes Pg6, Pg10 and Pg16 was not observed among Pga isolates. The most common race of Pga from Manitoba and Saskatchewan was TGN, followed by SGB and TJS. The most frequent Pga races were TDJ, TDD and TGN in Ontario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch degradation in malted barley produces yeast-fermentable sugars. In this study, we compared the amylolytic enzymes and composition of the malt starch hydrolysates of two barley cultivars, Hokudai 1 (the first cultivar established in Japan) and Kitanohoshi (the currently used cultivar for beer production). Hokudai 1 malt contained lower activity of amylolytic enzymes than Kitanohoshi malt, although these cultivars contained α-amylase AMY2 and β-amylase Bmy1 as the predominant enzymes. Malt starch hydrolysate of Hokudai 1 contained more limit dextrin and less yeast-fermentable sugars than that of Kitanohoshi. In mixed malt saccharification, a high Hokudai 1 malt ratio increased the limit dextrin levels and decreased the maltotriose and maltose levels. Even though Kitanohoshi malt contained more amylolytic enzymes than Hokudai 1 malt, addition of Kitanohoshi extract containing the amylolytic enzymes did not enhance malt starch degradation of Hokudai 1. Hokudai 1 malt starch was less degradable than Kitanohoshi malt starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Seeds host microbes that function in plant growth and phytopathogen resistance. The aim of the work was to investigate total bacterial community in malting barley seeds and whether their bacterial seed endophytes have dual functional roles in plant growth-promotion and inhibition of Fusarium graminearum, the causative agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) in barley. We used culture dependent and culture independent methods. Results: Phylogenetic classification of seed endophytic bacteria based on sequencing data identified B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and B. pumilis as predominant subgroups. Location driven divergence in bacterial endophytic communities was evident based on a clear separation of the samples from Crookston and other location samples. The bio-primed seeds using one hundred and seventy bacterial isolates showed that 3.5% (6/170) of the bacterial isolates conferred greater than 10% increase in both root length (RL) and shoot length (SL), while 19.4% (33/170) and 26.5% (45/170) showed RL and SL specific growth effects, respectively, relative to controls. Among the six bacterial isolates that increased RL and SL, five (#29, #63, #109, #124 and #126) also significantly inhibit the growth of F. graminearum based on in vitro assays. This study identified novel seed bacterial endophytes that could be further exploited for promoting growth during seedling establishment and as biocontrol for combating the devastating scab disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley production is severely affected by drought caused by the unpredictable Mediterranean weather patterns, which include uneven rainfall and extreme temperatures. This leads to a decrease in crop yield. However, to tackle this issue, landraces and wild species are crucial sources of variation for stress adaptive traits. By incorporating these traits into improved varieties, we may see an increase in yield and stability under drought conditions. Seventy‐six quantitative traits loci (QTLs) identified traits were mapped using recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population Arta × Harmal‐2//Esp/1808‐4L, evaluated at six dry and semi‐dry areas over 3 years. The study investigated traits such as grain yield, biological yield, harvest index, kernel weight, seed per head, days to heading, kernel filling duration, growth vigour, growth habit, lodging and plant height. Numerous QTLs were discovered that are associated with various phenotypic traits related to grain yield, kernel yield, duration of filling period and days to heading. For areas with less than 250 mm/annum of rainfall, QTLs were identified on chromosome 2H for biological yield, days to heading, and kernel weight, on 1H for harvest index, and on 2H, 4H, and 5H for kernel weight. For semi‐dry areas with rainfall less than 450 mm, QTLs were found on chromosome 6H for grain yield, 2H and 5H for kernel weight, 1H and 6H for seed per head, and 2H for days to heading. Notably, these QTLs significantly explain more than 10% of phenotypic variation. The 2H chromosome was found to have the most important QTL and pleiotropic effect for yield and its components, such as kernel weight, days to heading, and biological yield. The cross Arta/Harmal was adapted, and mechanisms were developed to cope with drought stress, reflected by the significant and positive correlation of biological yield and harvest index with grain yield. Chromosomes 1H, 2H, 4H and 5H harbour more than 60% of mapped QTLs for dry areas. It is worth noting that the QTLs mentioned earlier, along with the kernel weight QTLs (QKW 1.5, QKW2.7b, QKW4.1, QKW6.7, QKW6.9), have consistently exhibited positive effects on crop yield in semi‐dry and dry areas, making them potential candidates for breeding drought‐tolerant crops. Genomic co‐localisation of the QTL for Arta/Harmal population suggested that selection for drought through linked markers can be an option for drought tolerance selection for barley in dry areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The barley mutant xan-h.chli-1 shows phenotypic features, such as reduced leaf chlorophyll content and daily transpiration rate, typical of wild barley accessions and landraces adapted to arid climatic conditions. The pale green trait, i.e. reduced chlorophyll content, has been shown to increase the efficiency of photosynthesis and biomass accumulation when photosynthetic microorganisms and tobacco plants are cultivated at high densities. Here, we assess the effects of reducing leaf chlorophyll content in barley by altering the chlorophyll biosynthesis pathway (CBP). To this end, we have isolated and characterised the pale green barley mutant xan-h.chli-1, which carries a missense mutation in the Xan-h gene for subunit I of Mg-chelatase (HvCHLI), the first enzyme in the CBP. Intriguingly, xan-h.chli-1 is the only known viable homozygous mutant at the Xan-h locus in barley. The Arg298Lys amino-acid substitution in the ATP-binding cleft causes a slight decrease in HvCHLI protein abundance and a marked reduction in Mg-chelatase activity. Under controlled growth conditions, mutant plants display reduced accumulation of antenna and photosystem core subunits, together with reduced photosystem II yield relative to wild-type under moderate illumination, and consistently higher than wild-type levels at high light intensities. Moreover, the reduced content of leaf chlorophyll is associated with a stable reduction in daily transpiration rate, and slight decreases in total biomass accumulation and water-use efficiency, reminiscent of phenotypic features of wild barley accessions and landraces that thrive under arid climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of suitable genetic resources for saline regions and the complexity of the traits involved impede the progress in crop breeding for salt tolerance. The present investigation was carried out using 27 diverse barley genotypes chosen based on the assessment of salt tolerance potential within the barley mini‐core collection at the National Genebank of India. The genotypes were exposed to salinity stress (200 mM NaCl) and were examined for morpho‐agronomic, physiological traits and salt uptake parameters. Exposure to salt stress resulted in a significant decline in all parameters ranging from 5.94% in relative water content to 80.04% in shoot K+/Na+ ratio compared to the control in the evaluated accessions. Moreover, the grain yield and its key attribute hundred‐grain weight decreased substantially by 65.35% and 48.62%, respectively, under saline treatment. The majority of the resilient accessions managed to uphold a higher K+/Na+ ratio ranging from 0.51 in EC0578359 to 1.19 EC0578251 in contrast to vulnerable germplasm (<0.56) under saline circumstances. The analysis of haplotype variants disclosed allelic diversity linked with two promising candidate genes, HVA1 and HvHKT2, recognised for conferring salt tolerance. Examination of nucleotide sequences revealed that the HVA1 remained considerably conserved among the evaluated genotypes as the majority of the SNPs (single‐nucleotide polymorphisms) were synonymous. Conversely, for HvHKT2, a significant level of genetic variation led to the identification of two primary haplotypic clusters—Hap1 associated with sensitivity to salinity and Hap2 linked with tolerant traits. Hap2 predominantly consisted of In/Dels which caused a modification in the overall protein length alongside the phospho‐variant allelic form of the HKT2 gene, further enhancing the biological specificity and functional stress response in a spatiotemporal fashion. These haplotype clusters correlated with favourable traits could be utilised for trait integration into breeding populations, thereby expediting the enhancement of superior salt‐tolerant barley cultivars. [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. Dietary carbohydrate manipulation can be used to reduce enteric CH 4 emission, but few studies have focused on the interaction of the different types of carbohydrates that can affect feed intake and ruminal fermentation. Understanding this interaction is necessary to make the most out of CH 4 mitigation feeding strategies using different dietary carbohydrates. The aim of this study was to test the effect on enteric CH 4 emission, feed intake, and milk production response when cows were fed either grass-clover silage (GCS) or corn silage (CS) as the sole forage source (55% of dry matter, DM), in combination with either barley (BAR) or dried beet pulp (DBP) as a concentrate (21.5% of DM). A total of 24 (half first-parity and half second-parity) cows were used in a crossover design with 2 periods of 21 d each, receiving 2 of 4 diets obtained from a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of the experimental diet. Feed intake, CH 4 emission metrics, and milk production were recorded at the end of the experimental periods. The diets had NDF concentrations between 258 and 340 g/kg of DM and starch concentrations between 340 and 7.45 g/kg of DM (CS-BAR and GCS-DBP, respectively). The effects of silage and concentrate on dry matter intake (DMI) were additive, with the highest feed intake in cows fed CS-BAR, followed by cows fed CS-DBP, GCS-BAR, and GCS-DBP (21.2, 19.9, 19.1, and 18.3 kg/d, respectively). Energy corrected milk (ECM) yield was not affected by silage source in first parity cows, but it was higher for cows fed CS than cows fed GCS in second parity. The effects of silage and concentrate on CH 4 production (g/d), yield (g/kg of DMI), and intensity (g/kg of ECM) were not additive, as cows fed GCS had similar responses regardless of the concentrate used, but cows fed CS had lower CH 4 production, yield, and intensity when fed BAR instead of DBP. The lower CH 4 production, yield, and intensity in cows fed CS-BAR compared with other diets could be partially explained by the nonlinear relationship between ruminal VFA and carbohydrates (NDF and starch) concentration reported in the literature; however, we observed a linear relationship between the acetate/propionate ratio and CH 4 yield, suggesting possible other effects. The effects of silage and concentrate on the ruminal VFA were additive in first parity cows, but not in second parity cows. The interaction between dietary carbohydrate type and parity might indicate an effect of feed intake or the energy balance of the cow. Feeding cows silage and concentrate both rich in starch can result in the lowest enteric CH 4 emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by different Fusarium species, is the most devastating disease of small cereal grains, including barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) This study aimed to investigate the influence of N fertilization rates (0 kg N ha-1 - N0, 50 kg N ha-1 - N50, and 100 kg N ha-1 - N100) on Fusarium and mycotoxin (deoxynivalenol - DON and zearalenone - ZEA) contamination and some agronomic traits (plant height - PH, spike length - SL and thousand kernel weight - TKW) in two barley cultivars, NS 565 and Etincel, harvested in 2019 and 2020. Climatic conditions during two successive seasons were favourable for Fusarium infection, providing a high incidence of FHB-causing species, of which F. graminearum species complex (FGSC) strains were the most frequent (on average > 34% per treatment). The N rates and barley cultivars had nonsignificant effects on the incidence of FGSC strains. However, N rates significantly influenced mycotoxin levels in 2019, with the highest DON at N100 (5209.67 μg kg-1 ) and ZEA levels at N50 (47.11 μg kg-1). In 2020, there were nonsignificant differences between N rates for DON levels, while ZEA was not detected. In both years, the sixrow barley ‘Etincel’ had significantly higher DON and ZEA levels than the two-row barley ‘NS 565’. Agronomic traits, PH and SL, were affected by barley cultivars, and TKW was affected by N rates and barley cultivars. The highest TKW was at N100, followed by N50 and N0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of natural plant growth regulators (PGRs) as ecofriendly agrochemicals is gaining much attention, but the fate of these compounds once they enter the soil environment is poorly understood. In this work, we compared the plant growth inhibitory activity of the phytohormone S-abscisic acid (S-ABA) in the presence of three soils with that observed in soilless (Petri dish) conditions and related the differences in activity to the sorption and dissipation processes of the phytohormone in the soils. In Petri dishes, S-ABA inhibited the germination of Eruca sativa, Allium porrum, Lactuca sativa, and Hordeum vulgare with mean inhibitory concentration values (IC50) in the range of 0.5–8.2 mg/L. Eruca sativa was selected for subsequent studies based on its high sensitivity to S-ABA (IC50 = 0.5 mg/L). The inhibition of germination of E. sativa by S-ABA was fully reversible at a low phytohormone concentration (5 mg/L) and partially reversible at a higher phytohormone concentration (60 mg/L). S-ABA also inhibited the growth of pre-germinated seedlings of E. sativa, albeit at higher concentrations than those at which it inhibited germination. The three soils used in the study weakened the inhibitory activity of S-ABA by soil factors in the range of 0.008–0.380. As S-ABA displayed low or even negative sorption in the soils tested, the decrease in the activity of S-ABA was attributed to its biodegradation in the soils, rather than to a decrease in its bioavailability due to sorption. Despite the reduction in the activity of S-ABA observed in the presence of the soils, the phytohormone still expressed its activity at quite low soil concentrations (0.3–20 mg/kg), showing higher activity in soils where the compound degraded more slowly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an important global cereal crop and a model in genetic studies. Despite advances in characterising barley genomic resources, few mutant studies have identified genes controlling root architecture and anatomy, which plays a critical role in capturing soil resources.Our phenotypic screening of a TILLING mutant collection identified line TM5992 exhibiting a short‐root phenotype compared with wild‐type (WT) Morex background. Outcrossing TM5992 with barley variety Proctor and subsequent SNP array‐based bulk segregant analysis, fine mapped the mutation to a cM scale. Exome sequencing pinpointed a mutation in the candidate gene HvPIN1a, further confirming this by analysing independent mutant alleles.Detailed analysis of root growth and anatomy in Hvpin1a mutant alleles exhibited a slower growth rate, shorter apical meristem and striking vascular patterning defects compared to WT. Expression and mutant analyses of PIN1 members in the closely related cereal brachypodium (Brachypodium distachyon) revealed that BdPIN1a and BdPIN1b were redundantly expressed in root vascular tissues but only Bdpin1a mutant allele displayed root vascular defects similar to Hvpin1a.We conclude that barley PIN1 genes have sub‐functionalised in cereals, compared to Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), where PIN1a sequences control root vascular patterning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover Legend Vascular patterning phenotype of young barley roots with altered PIN activity. Radial cross sections were obtained by vibratome sectioning, cleared using the ClearSee method, and stained with Calcofluor White (blue) and Fuschin (yellow). Image courtesy of Riccardo Fusi (Fusi et al., pp. 104–115).. [Extracted from the article]

There is increasing adoption of winter cover crops (WCCs) in corn and soybean production in Canada, primarily to reduce erosion and increase soil organic matter content. WCCs have the potential to influence nematode communities by increasing free-living nematodes and decreasing plant-parasitic nematodes or vice versa. However, the mechanism by which WCCs change nematode community assemblages still remains a key question in soil food web ecology. We tested the hypothesis that the long-term use of rye (Secale cereale), barley (Hordeum vulgare) and oat (Avena sativa) as monocultures or mixtures promotes nematode communities and improves overall soil health conditions compared to winter fallow. The results from this study revealed that the use of WCCs generally promoted a higher abundance and diversity of nematode communities, whereas plant parasitic nematodes were the most abundant in winter fallow. Moreover, the mixtures of WCCs had more similar nematode communities compared to rye alone and winter fallow. The structure and enrichment indices were higher with WCCs, indicating higher nutrient cycling and soil suppressiveness, which are signs of healthy soil conditions. Furthermore, WCCs significantly reduced the populations of root lesion nematode Pratylenchus, although their numbers recovered and increased during the main crop stages. Additionally, mixtures of WCCs promoted the highest abundance of the stunt nematode Tylenchorhynchus, whereas winter fallow had a higher abundance of the spiral nematode Helicotylenchus during the fallow period and the main crop stages. The results show that the long-term use of cover crops can have a positive impact on nematode communities and the soil food web, but these changes depend on the type of WCCs and how they are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictive information on plant diseases could help to reduce and optimize the usage of pesticides in agriculture. This research presents classification procedures with linear discriminant analysis to predict three possible severity levels of net blotch in spring barley in Finland. The weather data utilized for classification included mathematical transformations, namely features of outdoor temperature and air humidity with calculated dew point temperature values. Historical field observations of net blotch density were utilized as a target class for the identification of classifiers. The performance of classifiers was analyzed in sliding data windows of two weeks with selected, cumulative, summed feature values. According to classification results from 36 yearly data sets, the prediction of net blotch occurrence in spring barley in Finland can be considered as a linearly separable classification task. Furthermore, this can be achieved with linear discriminant analysis by combining the output probabilities of separate binary classifiers identified for each severity level of net blotch disease. In this case, perfect classification with a resolution of three different net blotch severity levels was achieved during the first 50 days from the beginning of the growing season. This strongly suggests that real-time classification based on a few weather variables measured on a daily basis can be applied to estimate the severity of net blotch in advance. This allows application of the principles of integrated pest management (IPM) and usage of pesticides only when there is a proven need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), which is a key enzyme in the starch biosynthesis pathway, plays a critical role in barley grain development. Despite its importance, the regulatory mechanisms governing AGPase expression, particularly the influence of plant hormones, remain poorly understood in barley. To address this, we identified and characterized the HvAGPS2b gene, which encodes the AGPase small subunit. The full-length HvAGPS2b gene was cloned from the barley database and expressed as a recombinant protein using the pET-30a system. Polyclonal antibodies were prepared against HvAGPS2b to facilitate detailed analysis. Our findings revealed that HvAGPS2b, as a small subunit of the rate-limiting enzyme AGPase, is integral to the later stages of grain development. Furthermore, RT-qPCR and Western blotting analyses showed that the phytohormones ABA, GA, ETH, and BR significantly upregulated the expression of AGPase small subunits. These results underscore the vital role of plant hormones in modulating AGPS2b expression, thereby influencing grain development. This study provides significant insights into the hormonal regulation of starch biosynthesis and establishes a foundation for further investigation into the functional dynamics of AGPase in barley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability and yield of barley grain are affected by several factors, such as climatic conditions, fertilisation, and the different barley varieties. In a long-term experiment in Prague, Czech Republic, established in 1955, we analysed the weather trends and how weather, fertilisation (10 treatments in total), and different barley varieties affected grain yield and stability. A total of 44 seasons were evaluated. Trends in mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures from 1953 to 2023, as well as sunshine duration from 1961 to 2022, showed statistically significant increases. The trend for annual precipitation from 1953 to 2023 was not significant, but changes in precipitation were recorded via seasonal precipitation concentration indexes. The unfertilised Control and farmyard manure (FYM) provided the lowest mean yields. Mineral fertilisers (NPK) and FYM+NPK increased grain yield, ranging from 4.9 t ha−1 to 5.5 t ha−1. Three notable correlations between weather conditions and yields were observed: (1) June precipitation (r = 0.4), (2) minimal temperature in July (r = 0.3), and (3) sunshine duration in May (r = −0.5). According to the linear–plateau response model, the reasonable N dose is 55 kg ha−1, resulting in a mean yield of 6.7 t ha−1 for the contemporarily used barley variety Sebastián. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Water shortage has become a global problem and has caused many problems in agriculture and food supply for the growing world. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as the fourth mostly-cultivated cereal, is one of the most strategic crop plants which is produced almost all over the world as a source of and important staple food and animal feed (Thabet et al., 2020). Food uncertainty is a comprehensive obstacle becomes more serious hazard all over the world in particular in developing countries for the sake of overpopulation and dwindling accessibility of croplands, water and other resources related to agricultural scopes. Water scarcity, results in plenty of disturbances in plant functions like cell division and elongation, water and nutrients relations, photosynthesis, enzymes activity, stomata movement, assimilate partitioning, respiration, oxidative damage, growth, and productivity, as several types of researches show that water shortage in the soil cause many disorders in plant tissues, which in turn leads to a punctual diminish in the photosynthesis rate (Todorova et al., 2022). In such a trouble circumstances, most of the plants are not capable to absorb abundant water, which is required for optimized growth (Danish et al., 2020). Materials and methods: To investigate the impact of different irrigation regimes as well as foliar application of methyl jasmonate on growh, physiological and biochemical characteristics of barley varieties, an experimental research using factorial split plot design in 3 replications was carried out in experimental farm of the faculty of agriculture at the University of Zanjan in 2021-2022 cultivation season. In this experiment, irrigation regimes as the main factor, including complete irrigation as the control, withholding water in flowering stage, withholding water in grain filling period and complete dry farming, varieties as the secondary factor including Bahman, Sahand, Jolgeh, Abidar as well as Ansar, and foliar application of methyl jasmonate including without spraying (control) and spraying 50 μmol of methyl jasmonate were investigated. Results showed that the effect of irrigation regime had significant impact on almost all of the characteristics except chlorophyll a/b. Results and discussion: Varieties showed considerable difference from the aspect of height, concentration of soluble sugar and grain yield. Effect of Methyl jasmonate on the relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugar content, proline content, Malondialdehyde (MDA) and grain yield was significant. The highest grain yield (4762 kg ha-1) was detected when variety of Jolgeh was irrigated normally and was sprayed by 50 μmol of Methyl jasmonate and the lowest grain yield (432 kg ha-1) was seen when variety of Bahman was dry-farmed without foliar application of methyl jasmonate. Conclusion: The current study illustrated that barley can be grown in drought stress conditions if the right management is set on its cultivation. Methyl jasmonate showed a significant impact on the growth characteristics, biochemical and physiological attributes of the barley, despite the fact that drought had substantial adverse effects on the studied parameters of barley. However, drought resulted in different properties in barley varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The combination of the effects of drought stress and soil salinity causes a severe limitation in the production of agricultural crops. Irrigation with saline water has caused the expansion of more saline lands. Salt tolerant genotypes are very important in the development of agricultural systems suitable for saline lands. Soil salinity through soil amendment and or the cultivation of tolerant crops can be adjusted. Of course, soil amendment is a costly process and the cultivation of tolerant species and varieties is the most practical solution in conditions where soil salinity is low. It is clear that the genotypes show a significant difference in response to salinity stress. One of the ways to deal with salinity is to select and find salinity-tolerant cultivars through the use of breeding methods. It is also possible to select and modify salinity-tolerant species in some fodder plants of temperate regions. This research was modified, with the aim of evaluation of selected barley genotypes from past years' experiments, under salinity stress conditions and identification and introduction of tolerant genotypes and direct and indirect use of them in breeding programs. Materials and methods: In this experiment, the genotypes were evaluated during two crop years in the form of a rectangular lattice design with three replications at the research station of South Khorasan Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center, Birjand. The experiment was conducted under normal conditions and salt stress separately. In order to compare these genotypes with modified cultivars, six cultivated barley cultivars, including two salinity-tolerant controls, including Mehr and Khatam cultivars and the semisensitive Yusuf control, were also included in the experiments (Table 1). In addition to evaluating the phenological traits of days to flowering and days to maturity, the traits of plant height, seed yield, and 1,000-seed weight were recorded. Stress indices including stress tolerance index (STI) were calculated based on grain yield in barley genotypes. Results and discussion: The combined analysis of phenological, morphological and agronomic traits in the evaluated genotypes in two cropping years and two normal conditions and salinity stress showed that the interaction effect of year, salinity stress and genotype on the traits is significant. This showed that the reaction of genotypes was different in different years and different salinity conditions, so the results in different years were analyzed separately. In the salt research station in the first year of the experiment, genotypes number 31 (TN4006), 30 (TN3947), 50 (TN5008) and 28 (TN3646) along with Yusuf, Nusrat and Gohran cultivars, in terms of agronomic traits and stress indices were superior. While in the second year, the top genotypes were genotypes No. 44 (TN4904), 25 (TN3477), 23 (TN3470) and 32 (TN4104) along with Nimroz and Mehr cultivars. Conclusion: The information related to the trend of temperature changes and rainfall in different months in Birjand showed that the amount of rainfall was significantly higher in the first year of the experiment. In addition to reducing the salinity of the soil by adjusting the temperature, it reduces the amount of evaporation and transpiration and the intensity of the salinity stress. Therefore, it seems that the level of salinity stress was milder in the first year and more intense in the second year, and this was also observed in the stress intensity index. Based on this, the difference in the results in the two years of the experiment can be justified, in other words, in the first year, tolerant genotypes were introduced in mild stress and in the second year, tolerant genotypes were introduced in severe stress. Overall, these results showed that climate changes in different years have a great impact on the response of genotypes to salinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a major cereal grain with uses in the feed, food, and malting industries. Growth habit, seed dormancy, and disease resistance are important considerations when selecting germplasm for production or release. With the ever-increasing availability of sequencing technologies, a deeper understanding of the genes underlying these key traits is within reach. In the present case study, the VRN-H1 (HvBM5A), SD2 (HvMKK3), and the novel stem and stripe rust resistance quantitative trait locus (QTL) described by Hernandez et al. (Hernandez et al. Phytopathology 110:1082–1092, 2020b) were investigated. These loci in three advanced barley inbred genotypes were the focus of the present study using next-generation sequencing. The intent behind the study was the identification and exploration of possible causal sequence variation in the genotypes within the context of the whole gene or QTL region. The sequence data was used to identify an intron one deletion in the HvBM5A sequence of the spring genotype that was conserved in the winter and facultative genotypes. Interestingly, a tandem duplication of the HvMKK3 sequence was identified in one of the genotypes, Thunder, that merits further investigation. Finally, 13 high confidence genes were identified within the Morex V3 reference genome in proximity to the rust QTL identified previously. Sequence variation between all tested genotypes was identified for 11 of the genes. This study explored structural and sequence variation of key genes in barley development and outlined directions for future research. The remaining, unexplored genome sequence will be a resource for identifying allelic variation and will contribute to the growing barley pangenome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is one of the major environmental factor that can greatly impact the growth, development, and productivity of barley. Our study aims to detect the natural phenotypic variation of morphological and physiological traits under both salinity and potassium nanoparticles (n-K) treatment. In addition to understanding the genetic basis of salt tolerance in barley is a critical aspect of plant breeding for stress resilience. Therefore, a foliar application of n-K was applied at the vegetative stage for 138 barley accessions to enhance salt stress resilience. Interestingly, barley accessions showed high significant increment under n-K treatment compared to saline soil. Based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) analysis, causative alleles /reliable genomic regions were discovered underlying improved salt resilience through the application of potassium nanoparticles. On chromosome 2H, a highly significant QTN marker (A:C) was located at position 36,665,559 bp which is associated with APX, AsA, GSH, GS, WGS, and TKW under n-K treatment. Inside this region, our candidate gene is HORVU.MOREX.r3.2HG0111480 that annotated as NAC domain protein. Allelic variation detected that the accessions carrying C allele showed higher antioxidants (APX, AsA, and GSH) and barley yield traits (GS, WGS, and TKW) than the accessions carrying A allele, suggesting a positive selection of the accessions carrying C allele that could be used to develop barley varieties with improved salt stress resilience.Key message: Highlighting the importance of the role of potassium nanoparticles in plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, including salinity is the potential for genetic improvement of barley crop resilience through the enhancement of antioxidant defense systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In order to investigate the impact of L-cysteine (L-Cys) on starch and protein degradation during barley germination. The amylase activities, degradation of macromolecules during germination were determined in this study. Methods: Barley was germinated in petri dish for 0 to 5 days with different levels of L-Cys (0 mM, 2.5 mM, 5 mM, 10 mM). Results: L-Cys addition increased the total limit dextrinase (LD) activities and decreased the LD inhibitor activities during whole germination stage. The activities of α-amylase, β-amylase and free LD were increased with the addition of 2.5, 5 mM L-Cys at germination days 1 to 4. Due to higher amylase in malt with the addition of L-Cys, the non-fermentable sugars were reduced and the glucose, maltotriose were improved. Furthermore, the protein degradation analysis showed that low molecular weight protein increased and middle molecular weight protein decreased obviously in wort from the malt germinated with L-Cys, demonstrating that the L-Cys promote the protein degradation. Lastly, the filtration performance of malt with the addition of L-Cys during malting was better than the control. Conclusion: In conclusion, L-Cys can promote the degradation of storage material (starch, protein) during barley germination, leading to a better green malt quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of agricultural sustainability, the utilization of plant genetic resources for enhanced disease resistance is paramount. Preservation efforts in genebanks are justified by their potential contributions to future crop improvement. To capitalize on the potential of plant genetic resources, we focused on a barley core collection from the German ex situ genebank and contrasted it with a European elite collection. The phenotypic assessment included 812 plant genetic resources and 298 elites, with a particular emphasis on four disease traits (Puccinia hordei , Blumeria graminis hordei , Ramularia collo-cygni , and Rhynchosporium commune). An integrated genome-wide association study, employing both Bayesian-information and linkage-disequilibrium iteratively nested keyway (BLINK) and a linear mixed model, was performed to unravel the genetic underpinnings of disease resistance. A total of 932 marker–trait associations were identified and assigned to 49 quantitative trait loci. The accumulation of novel and rare resistance alleles significantly bolstered the overall resistance level in plant genetic resources. Three plant genetic resources donors with high counts of novel/rare alleles and exhibiting exceptional resistance to leaf rust and powdery mildew were identified, offering promise for targeted pre-breeding goals and enhanced resilience in future varieties. Our findings underscore the critical contribution of plant genetic resources to strengthening crop resilience and advancing sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waterlogging is expected to become a more prominent yield restricting stress for barley as rainfall frequency is increasing in many regions due to climate change. The duration of waterlogging events in the field is highly variable throughout the season, and this variation is also observed in experimental waterlogging studies. Such variety of protocols make intricate physiological responses challenging to assess and quantify. To assess barley waterlogging tolerance in controlled conditions, we present an optimal duration and setup of simulated waterlogging stress using image-based phenotyping. Six protocols durations, 5, 10, and 14 days of stress with and without seven days of recovery, were tested. To quantify the physiological effects of waterlogging on growth and greenness, we used top down and side view RGB (Red-Green-Blue) images. These images were taken daily throughout each of the protocols using the PSI PlantScreen™ imaging platform. Two genotypes of two-row spring barley, grown in glasshouse conditions, were subjected to each of the six protocols, with stress being imposed at the three-leaf stage. Shoot biomass and root imaging data were analysed to determine the optimal stress protocol duration, as well as to quantify the growth and morphometric changes of barley in response to waterlogging stress. Our time-series results show a significant growth reduction and alteration of greenness, allowing us to determine an optimal protocol duration of 14 days of stress and seven days of recovery for controlled conditions. Moreover, to confirm the reproducibility of this protocol, we conducted the same experiment in a different facility equipped with RGB and chlorophyll fluorescence imaging sensors. Our results demonstrate that the selected protocol enables the assessment of genotypic differences, which allow us to further determine tolerance responses in a glasshouse environment. Altogether, this work presents a new and reproducible image-based protocol to assess early stage waterlogging tolerance, empowering a precise quantification of waterlogging stress relevant markers such as greenness, Fv/Fm and growth rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley is rich in β-glucan, which can alter gut microbiota and metabolome profiles, potentially affecting host metabolism. However, the microbiota and metabolites increased by barley β-glucan remain unclear. In this study, we focused on the gut-microbiota-derived metabolite succinate and investigated the microbiome and metabolome profiles altered by barley β-glucan intake. C57BL/6 J mice were fed a standard or middle-fat diet containing barley flour rich in β-glucan or barley flour without β-glucan, and their gut microbiota and metabolome profiles were analyzed. The results showed increased Bacteroides, Parasutterella, and succinate due to barley β-glucan intake independent of diet differences. Next, we used mice lacking slc13a2, a gene that is involved in the cellular uptake of succinate. Wild-type mice showed improved glucose tolerance after the intake of barley β-glucan, but this effect was attenuated in the slc13a2-deficient mice. These results suggest that barley β-glucan intake increases succinate and succinate-producing bacteria and affects glucose metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographical traceability of food products is crucial for quality assurance and consumer confidence. The chemical profile and taste quality of hulless barley vary considerably across different production areas, making the determination of its geographical origin and the identification of relevant geographical biomarkers essential. In this study, the quality traits, volatile compounds, and metabolites of 20 hulless barley cultivars from four primary producing areas were investigated. Multivariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in hulless barley from different regions (p < 0.05). The orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA) models exhibited good performance in terms of origin discrimination, identifying 27 volatiles and 86 metabolites that could be used as candidate markers for separation. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and correlation matrix analysis revealed that numerous candidate markers were closely related to soil chemical and climate parameters. The results demonstrate that quality traits, volatile compounds, and metabolites can be used to effectively distinguish the geographical origins of hulless barley, thereby confirming that there is a robust link between metabolite expression and environmental factors. This work highlights that chemical profiling, combined with chemometric techniques (the application of statistical and mathematical methods to chemical data), provides a valuable tool for the geographical discrimination of hulless barley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Drought is an important abiotic factor constricting crop production globally. Although the roles of JAZ proteins in regulating jasmonic acid signalling and plant responses to environmental stress are well documented, their specific functions and underlying mechanisms remain little known. In this study, JAZ proteins in barley were thoroughly analyzed, revealing a total of 11 members classified into three phylogenetic subgroups. HvJAZ2, based on its distinct expression patterns, is considered a key candidate gene for regulating drought tolerance in barley. Using the HvJAZ2 knockout mutants, we revealed that the gene negatively regulates drought tolerance by inhibiting barley root growth. Notably, the jaz2 mutants upregulated the expression of root development genes, including SHR1, PLT1, PLT2 and PLT6. plt2 and plt1/plt2 mutants exhibited suppressed root development and reduced drought tolerance. Analysis of interactions between HvJAZ2 and other proteins showed that HvJAZ2 does not directly interact with HvPLT1/2/6, but interacts with some other proteins. BIFC and LCA assays further confirmed the nuclear interaction between HvJAZ2 and HvMYC2. Y1H and Dual‐Luciferase experiments demonstrated that HvMYC2 can bind to and activate the HvPLT2 promoter. In summary, HvJAZ2 negatively regulates root development and drought tolerance in barley by suppressing HvPLT2 expression through interacting with HvMYC2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant AT-rich sequence and zinc-binding proteins (PLATZs) are a novel category of plant-specific transcription factors involved in growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, the PLATZ gene family has not been identified in barley. In this study, a total of 11 HvPLATZs were identified in barley, and they were unevenly distributed on five of the seven chromosomes. The phylogenetic tree, incorporating PLATZs from Arabidopsis, rice, maize, wheat, and barley, could be classified into six clusters, in which HvPLATZs are absent in Cluster VI. HvPLATZs exhibited conserved motif arrangements with a characteristic PLATZ domain. Two segmental duplication events were observed among HvPLATZs. All HvPLATZs were core genes present in 20 genotypes of the barley pan-genome. The HvPLATZ5 coding sequences were conserved among 20 barley genotypes, whereas HvPLATZ4/9/10 exhibited synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs); the remaining ones showed nonsynonymous variations. The expression of HvPLATZ2/3/8 was ubiquitous in various tissues, whereas HvPLATZ7 appeared transcriptionally silent; the remaining genes displayed tissue-specific expression. The expression of HvPLATZs was modulated by salt stress, potassium deficiency, and osmotic stress, with response patterns being time-, tissue-, and stress type-dependent. The heterologous expression of HvPLATZ3/5/6/8/9/10/11 in yeast enhanced tolerance to salt and osmotic stress, whereas the expression of HvPLATZ2 compromised tolerance. These results advance our comprehension and facilitate further functional characterization of HvPLATZs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhyzopertha dominica causes significant economic losses in stored cereals. Insects' digestive tract microbiome is crucial for their development, metabolism, resistance, and digestion. This work aimed to test whether the different chemical properties of different wheat and barley grain cultivars cause disturbances in insect foraging and rearrangements of the structure of the R. dominica microbiome. The results indicated that grain cultivars significantly influence the microbiome, metabolism, and insect foraging. Most observed traits and microbiome structures were not correlated at the species level, as confirmed by ANOSIM (p = 0.441). However, the PLS-PM analysis revealed significant patterns within barley cultivars. The study found associations between C18:2 fatty acids, entomopathogenic bacteria, an impaired nitrogen cycle, lysine production of bacterial origin, and insect feeding. The antioxidant effects also showed trends towards impacting the microbiome and insect development. The findings suggest that manipulating grain chemical properties (increasing C18:2 and antioxidant levels) can influence the R. dominica microbiome, disrupting their foraging behaviours and adaptation to storage environments. This research supports the potential for breeding resistant cereals, offering an effective pest control strategy and reducing pesticide use in food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Grains make up a large proportion of both human and animal diets. With threats to food production, such as climate change, growing sustainable and successful crops is essential to food security in the future. Germination is one of the most important stages in a plant's lifecycle and is key to the success of the resulting plant as the grain undergoes morphological changes and the development of specific organs. Micro-computed tomography is a non-destructive imaging technique based on the differing x-ray attenuations of materials which we have applied for the accurate analysis of grain morphology during the germination phase. Results: Micro Computed Tomography conditions and parameters were tested to establish an optimal protocol for the 3-dimensional analysis of barley grains. When comparing optimal scanning conditions, it was established that no filter, 0.4 degrees rotation step, 5 average frames, and 2016 × 1344 camera binning is optimal for imaging germinating grains. It was determined that the optimal protocol for scanning during the germination timeline was to scan individual grains at 0 h after imbibition (HAI) and then the same grain again at set time points (1, 3, 6, 24 HAI) to avoid any negative effects from X-ray radiation or disruption to growing conditions. Conclusion: Here we sought to develop a method for the accurate analysis of grain morphology without the negative effects of possible radiation exposure. Several factors have been considered, such as the scanning conditions, reconstruction, and possible effects of X-ray radiation on the growth rate of the grains. The parameters chosen in this study give effective and reliable results for the 3-dimensional analysis of macro structures within barley grains while causing minimal disruption to grain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Developmental leaf senescence (DLS) is an irreversible process followed by cell death. Dark-induced leaf senescence (DILS) is a reversible process that allows adaptations to changing environmental conditions. As a result of exposure to adverse environmental changes, plants have developed mechanisms that enable them to survive. One of these is the redirection of metabolism into the senescence pathway. The plant seeks to optimise resource allocation. Our research aims to demonstrate how epigenetic machinery regulates leaf senescence, including its irreversibility. Results: In silico analyses allowed the complex identification and characterisation of 117 genes involved in epigenetic processes in barley. These genes include those responsible for DNA methylation, post-translational histone modifications, and ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling complexes. We then performed RNAseq analysis after DILS and DLS to evaluate their expression in senescence-dependent leaf metabolism. Principal component analysis revealed that evaluated gene expression in developmental senescence was similar to controls, while induced senescence displayed a distinct profile. Western blot experiments revealed that senescence engages senescence-specific histone modification. During DILS and DLS, the methylation of histone proteins H3K4me3 and H3K9me2 increased. H3K9ac acetylation levels significantly decreased during DILS and remained unchanged during DLS. Conclusions: The study identified different epigenetic regulations of senescence types in barley leaves. These findings are valuable for exploring epigenetic regulation of senescence-related molecular mechanisms, particularly in response to premature, induced leaf senescence. Based on the results, we suggest the presence of an epigenetically regulated molecular switch between cell survival and cell death in DILS, highlighting an epigenetically driven cell survival metabolic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Barley development from seedling to flowering involves both external and internal changes, the latter requiring microscopic observation. Internal changes allow for the classification of preflowering development into three phases: vegetative, early reproductive, and late reproductive. Genetic and environmental factors influence the duration of these phases, impacting grain yield. Photoperiod-sensitivity genes PPD-H1 play amajor role in flowering time, affecting adaptation; however, the effect might also be direct (beyond affecting phenology). In this paper, we aimed to assess how PPD-H1 alleles affect barley development, including the progression of growth phases, leaf emergence, tillering dynamics, and spikelet development. Two experiments (field and controlled conditions) were conducted with a factorial combination of (i) four near-isogenic lines (NILs) for PPD-H1 alleles (ppd-H1 or Ppd-H1) under two contrasting PHYC genetic backgrounds (PhyC-l and PhyC-e) and (ii) two photoperiod conditions (short and long days). As expected, longer photoperiods led to a shorter growth cycle. All subphases of time to flowering, final leaf number, and phyllochron were affected by photoperiod. The effects of PPD-H1 on flowering time depended on the PHYC genetic backgrounds and photoperiod conditions. PPD-H1 effects on flowering time were associated with leaf number and phyllochron; the interplay between leaf number and phyllochron affected mainly the late reproductive phase. We also found that although PPD-H1 did not affect the phyllochron of the first six leaves, the phyllochron of leaves appearing later, when grown under a short photoperiod, was consistently increased in lines carrying the ppd-H1 allele. Tillering dynamics exhibited variability, but PPD-H1 did not affect the final spike number under a 24-h photoperiod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microspore embryogenesis is a process that produces doubled haploids in tissue culture environments and is widely used in cereal plants. The efficient production of green regenerants requires stresses that could be sensed at the level of glycolysis, followed by the Krebs cycle and electron transfer chain. The latter can be affected by Cu(II) ion concentration in the induction media acting as cofactors of biochemical reactions, indirectly influencing the production of glutathione (GSH) and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and thereby affecting epigenetic mechanisms involving DNA methylation (demethylation—DM, de novo methylation—DNM). The conclusions mentioned were acquired from research on triticale regenerants, but there is no similar research on barley. In this way, the study looks at how DNM, DM, Cu(II), SAM, GSH, and β-glucan affect the ability of green plant regeneration efficiency (GPRE). Results: The experiment involved spring barley regenerants obtained through anther culture. Nine variants (trials) of induction media were created by adding copper (CuSO4: 0.1; 5; 10 µM) and silver salts (AgNO3: 0; 10; 60 µM), with varying incubation times for the anthers (21, 28, and 35 days). Changes in DNA methylation were estimated using the DArTseqMet molecular marker method, which also detects cytosine methylation. Phenotype variability in β-glucans, SAM and GSH induced by the nutrient treatments was assessed using tentative assignments based on the Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The effectiveness of green plant regeneration ranged from 0.1 to 2.91 plants per 100 plated anthers. The level of demethylation ranged from 7.61 to 32.29, while de novo methylation reached values ranging from 6.83 to 32.27. The paper demonstrates that the samples from specific in vitro conditions (trials) formed tight groups linked to the factors contributing to the two main components responsible for 55.05% of the variance (to the first component DNM, DM, to the second component GSH, β-glucans, Cu(II), GPRE). Conclusions: We can conclude that in vitro tissue culture conditions affect biochemical levels, DNA methylation changes, and GPRE. Increasing Cu(II) concentration in the IM impacts the metabolism and DNA methylation, elevating GPRE. Thus, changing Cu(II) concentration in the IM is fair to expect to boost GPRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The frequency and severity of abiotic stress events, especially drought, are increasing due to climate change. The plant root is the most important organ for water uptake and the first to be affected by water limitation. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to include root traits in studies on drought stress tolerance. However, phenotyping under field conditions remains a challenging task. In this study, plants were grown in a hydroponic system with polyethylene glycol as an osmotic stressor and in sand pots to examine the root system of eleven spring barley genotypes. The root anatomy of two genotypes with different response to drought was investigated microscopically. Results: Root diameter increased significantly (p < 0.05) under polyethylene glycol treatment by 54% but decreased significantly (p < 0.05) by 12% under drought stress in sand pots. Polyethylene glycol treatment increased root tip diameter (51%) and reduced diameter of the elongation zone (14%) compared to the control. Under drought stress, shoot mass of plants grown in sand pots showed a higher correlation (r = 0.30) with the shoot mass under field condition than polyethylene glycol treated plants (r = -0.22). Conclusion: These results indicate that barley roots take up polyethylene glycol by the root tip and polyethylene glycol prevents further water uptake. Polyethylene glycol-triggered osmotic stress is therefore unsuitable for investigating root morphology traits in barley. Root architecture of roots grown in sand pots is more comparable to roots grown under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological methods for creating nanoparticles utilizing plant‐based extracts have generated considerable interest due to their desirable ecological characteristics when compared to chemical methods. In this, TiO2 NPs were synthesized from the waste of the Hordeum vulgare L. We employed various methods for characterizing our sample, including Ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, AFM, Dynamic light scattering and Zeta‐potential to confirm the TiO2 NPs (Titanium dioxide Nanoparticles) synthesis followed by biological applications such as anti‐microbial, and anti‐oxidant assays to confirm TiO2 NPs biological properties. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanoparticles was also studied followed by a full factorial method to understand the consequences of time, pH, and concentration on the dye degradation. Apart from this, the synthesized nanoparticles were also used to check the agricultural efficacy on Phaseolus vulgaris plant seed, where it was seen that the TiO2 nanoparticles not only enhanced the growth of the plant at lower concentrations but also enhanced the photosynthetic activity and chlorophyll, phenol and flavonoid content of it when compared to higher concentration and control. The molecular aspects (DNA) were also analyzed by gel electrophoresis to check the effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on the DNA of plants at different concentrations. Our study focuses on making the best use of the waste of Hordeum vulgare L. to synthesize biogenic TiO2 nanoparticles that can prove themselves to be one of the significant options for the industrial, agricultural, and biological world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of drought events worldwide emphasizes the importance of screening and cultivating drought-adapted crops. In this study, 206 germplasm resources were used as materials, dry weight as target trait, and two genotyping methods as criteria to evaluate drought adaptability at the seedling establishment stage. The results showed a significant decrease in average dry weight of the tested germplasm resources (from 746.90 mg to 285.40 mg) and rich variation in the responses of dry weight among each genotype to drought (CV=61.14%). In traditional evaluation method, drought resistance coefficient (DC), geometric mean productivity index (GMP), mean productivity index (MP), stress susceptibility index (SSI), stress tolerance index (STI), and tolerance index (TOL) also exhibited diversity in tested genotypes (CV>30%). However, these indices showed varying degrees of explanation for dry weight under stress and nonstress environments and failed to differentiate drought adaptability among genotypes clearly. In new evaluation method, four stress indices were developed to quantify barley seedling production and stability capacities. Compared to traditional stress indices, the stress production index (SI) explained dry weight more comprehensively under stress conditions (R² = 0.98), while the ideal production index (II) explained dry weight better under non-stress conditions (R² = 0.89). Furthermore, the potential index (PI) and elasticity index (EI) eliminated disparities in traditional stress indices and comprehensively clarified the contribution of elasticity and potential to production capacity under drought stress. Ultimately, through grading evaluation and cluster analysis, the tested germplasm resources were effectively categorized, and 11 genotypes were identified as suitable for cultivation in arid areas. Overall, the comprehensive evaluation method based on the newly developed stress indices surpasses the traditional method in screening drought adaptability of crops and serves as a vital tool for identifying high-stability and high-production capacities genotypes in various environments, which is expected to provide practical guidance for barley planting and breeding in arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]