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During stem elongation, wheat (Triticum aestivum) increases its stem carbohydrate content before anthesis as a reserve for grain filling. Hydraulic functioning during this mobilization process is not well understood and contradictory results exist on the direct effect of drought on carbohydrate mobilization. In a dedicated experiment, wheat plants were subjected to drought stress during carbohydrate mobilization. Measurements, important to better understand stem physiology, showed some unexpected patterns that could not be explained by our current knowledge on water transport. Traditional water flow and storage models failed to properly describe the drought response in wheat stems during carbohydrate mobilization. To explain the measured patterns, hypotheses were formulated and integrated in a dedicated model for wheat. The new mechanistic model simulates two hypothetical water storage compartments: one where water is quickly exchanged with the xylem and one that contains the carbohydrate storage. Water exchange between these compartments is turgor-driven. The model was able to simulate the measured increase in stored carbohydrate concentrations with a decrease in water content and stem diameter. Calibration of the model showed the importance of turgor-driven apoplastic water flow during carbohydrate mobilization. This resulted in an increase in stem hydraulic capacitance, which became more important under drought stress.

In this study, the chemical, physical and sensory properties of muffin cakes produced with 100% white wheat flour (WWF), 100% whole grain einkorn flour (EF), a 50/50 blend of whole grain einkorn flour/whole grain wheat flour (E-WGWF), and 100% whole grain wheat flour (WGWF) were determined. The total and insoluble dietary fiber content, Ca, K, P, Mg and Mn content, total antioxidant activity values and total phenolic content of the muffins were increased by using EF and WGWF instead of white wheat flour. The muffins produced with EF had the highest protein content; the crumb color of the control muffin (C) was the lightest and yellowest, while the crumb color of the muffin produced with 100% WGWF (WGM) was the darkest and reddest. Volume index values, specific volumes, symmetry indexes and uniformity indexes of all muffins were similar. Muffins having 100% einkorn flour (EM) had the highest chewiness, gumminess, and hardness values. According to SEM micrographs, the WGM, EM and muffins produced with E-WGWF (E-WGM) had larger sized pores due to the higher amount of dietary fiber. While the C formulation received the highest scores for all sensory characteristics, the odor, flavor, and overall acceptability scores of all muffins were statistically (p>0.05) similar., Bu çalışmada, %100 beyaz buğday unu (WWF), %100 tam tahıllı siyez unu (EF), 50/50 tam tahıllı siyez unu/tam tahıllı buğday unu (EWGWF) ve %100 tam tahıllı buğday unu (WGWF) ile üretilen muffin keklerinin kimyasal, fiziksel ve duyusal özellikleri incelenmiştir. Beyaz buğday unu yerine EF ve WGWF unu kullanılmasıyla muffinlerin toplam ve çözünmeyen diyet lifi, Ca, K, P, Mg, Mn miktarları, toplam antioksidan aktivite değerleri ile toplam fenolik madde içeriklerinin arttığı tespit edilmiştir. EF ile üretilen keklerin en yüksek protein içeriğine sahip olduğu; kontrol kekin (C) iç rengi en açık ve en sarı iken, %100 WGWF (WGM) ile üretilen kekin iç renginin en koyu ve en kırmızı olduğu saptanmıştır. Tüm keklerin hacim indeks değerleri, spesifik hacimleri, simetri ve tekdüzelik indeksleri benzer bulunmuştur. %100 siyez unu (EM) içeren keklerin en yüksek çiğnenebilirlik yapışkanlık ve sertlik değerlerine sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. SEM mikrograflarında;, EM, WGM ve E-WGWF ile üretilen (E-WGM) keklerin, daha yüksek miktarda diyet lifi nedeniyle daha büyük boyutlu gözeneklerine sahip oldukları görülmüştür. Duyusal değerlendirmede, en yüksek puanları C örneği almış olsa da koku, tat ve genel kabul edilebilirlik bakımından tüm kekler istatistiksel olarak benzer (p>0.05) bulunmuştur

With the increase in demand for healthy and safe food, the interest in the wild ancestors of wheat and the demand for einkorn wheat have increased in the last few decades. In Turkey, einkorn wheat is commonly consumed as bulgur. However, due to the higher protein, minerals particularly Zn and Fe, and phenolic compounds it contains, einkorn wheat flour has started to be added to wheat flour at different rates. Aim in this study is to determine the suitability of einkorn wheat for bread making. Einkorn refined flour addition enables lighter and brighter bread production, while the increasing amount of whole wheat flour has brought together darker bread. Due to the higher amount of bran, it contains, whole wheat flour has led to a significant reduction in bread volume value. The ZS, modified Zeleny sedimentation, SDSS and modified sodium dodecyl Sulphate sedimentation values which directly affect the bread structure showed significant decreases as the amount of einkorn flour and wholemeal flour increased. Einkorn can be mixed with bread wheat flour and whole wheat flour in certain proportions and used in the production of bread suitable for consumer demands. Although it causes a certain decrease in bread structure; einkorn has enough potential to be used in making both wheat bread and whole wheat bread.

Wheat is the primary source of nutrition for many, especially those living in developing countries, and wheat proteins are among the most widely consumed dietary proteins in the world. However, concerns about disorders related to the consumption of wheat and/or wheat gluten proteins have increased sharply in the last 20 years. This review focuses on wheat gluten proteins and amylase trypsin inhibitors, which are considered to be responsible for eliciting most of the intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms experienced by susceptible individuals. Although several approaches have been proposed to reduce the exposure to gluten or immunogenic peptides resulting from its digestion, none have proven sufficiently effective for general use in coeliac-safe diets. Potential approaches to manipulate the content, composition, and technological properties of wheat proteins are therefore discussed, as well as the effects of using gluten isolates in various food systems. Finally, some aspects of the use of gluten-free commodities are discussed.

Mycotoxins in small grains are a significant and long-standing problem. These contaminants may be produced by members of several fungal genera, including Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Claviceps, and Penicillium. Interventions that limit contamination can be made both pre-harvest and post-harvest. Many problems and strategies to control them and the toxins they produce are similar regardless of the location at which they are employed, while others are more common in some areas than in others. Increased knowledge of host-plant resistance, better agronomic methods, improved fungicide management, and better storage strategies all have application on a global basis. We summarize the major pre- and post-harvest control strategies currently in use. In the area of pre-harvest, these include resistant host lines, fungicides and their application guided by epidemiological models, and multiple cultural practices. In the area of post-harvest, drying, storage, cleaning and sorting, and some end-product processes were the most important at the global level. We also employed the Nominal Group discussion technique to identify and prioritize potential steps forward and to reduce problems associated with human and animal consumption of these grains. Identifying existing and potentially novel mechanisms to effectively manage mycotoxin problems in these grains is essential to ensure the safety of humans and domesticated animals that consume these grains.

Grain characteristics (hardness, protein content/quality, starch properties, enzymatic activity, etc.) play an important role in the definition of end use quality for wheat-based products. Among them, gluten strength and extensibility, mostly determined by glutenin and gliadin composition, are two of the main factors that determine gluten quality. The complex inheritance of most quality traits has led to the development of indirect tests used in breeding for early and advanced generation selection. The main focus of breeders is adding resistance to biotic stress (fungi, insects, nematodes, etc.) and increasing grain yield while selection for quality often occurs in later generations. This often results in the propagation of poor quality lines that must be later discarded. Evaluation of quality in early generations requires suitable tests, preferably non-destructive. Increasing knowledge of the genes involved in quality will facilitate more precise and effective selection. Recent advances in wheat genome sequencing and the extensive genotyping of mapping populations has led to a precise molecular characterization of high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) glutenins, as well as the discovery of genes associated with quality traits like grain hardness, starch composition (e.g., waxy genes), etc. Massive genomic data will impact in breeding programs allowing quality fine tuning by precise selection of glutenins, starch, hardness and other traits, for specific end uses through marker assisted selection, genomic selection, etc. This chapter will describe different methods used for quality selection in breeding programs and research, and some examples of integration of local breeding programs with the extremely diverse end-uses of wheat based on a series of case-studies. Current and potential approaches to quality evaluation in durum wheat, wild relatives and synthetic wheat breeding programs will be also presented.

Pink ear rot of maize caused by Fusarium verticillioides, Fusariumproliferatum and Fusariumgraminearum can lead to severe yield losses and contamination of grain with a range of mycotoxins. Maize stalks colonized by Fusarium spp. are the main primary inoculum source for Fusarium incited epidemics in maize or other susceptible crops grown in rotation. The colonization of individual maize stalks originating from fields in The Netherlands, Italy and Nigeria by Fusarium spp. was quantified using specific TaqMan-PCR assays. Highest values were found for F. graminearum and Fusariumavenaceum in Dutch samples, for F. graminearum and FUM producing species (F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum) in Italian samples and FUM producing Fusarium spp. in Nigerian samples. The increase in Fusarium spp. colonization under field conditions during a period of 3-6 months after harvest of the maize crops varied considerably between individual stalks. The fungal and bacterial diversity was analyzed for sub-sets of stalks with high versus low increase of Fusarium colonization. Bacterial taxonomic groups such as Bacillus, Curtobacterium, Erwinia, Flavobacterium, Novosphingobium, Pantoea, Sphingomonas, Rahnella and Staphylococcus and fungal taxonomic groups such as Acremomium sp., Cryptococcus flavescens, Cryptococcus zeae, Leptosphaeria sp. and Microdochium bolleyi were more abundant in the stalks with lower increase in pathogen colonization. Such fungal and bacterial groups associated with 'suppressive stalks' may be antagonistic to Fusarium spp. and a source of candidate strains for the selection of new biological control agents.

International audience; Field morpho-physiological characterization of barley is essential for selecting salt-tolerant genotypes and for predicting yield reduction. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive, growing seasons (2012-13 and 2013-14) in Kairouan (semi arid, Central Tunisia) and in Medenine (arid, South-East Tunisia), where 4 widely grown varieties, 23 local landraces originated from saline and non-saline agro-ecosystems, and 13 genotypes from the Near East North Africa (NENA) region, were tested. In each location, saline groundwater and drinking water were used. Grain yield, plant ion content (Na+, K+ and Ca2+), flag leaf chlorophyll content index (CCI), relative water content (RWC), specific leaf area (LA) and plant earliness at heading (E60) were measured for each genotype. Grain yield reduction ratio (YRR) was calculated for all genotypes to estimate their tolerance to salinity.

High-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping arrays are a powerful tool for studying genomic patterns of diversity, inferring ancestral relationships between individuals in populations and studying marker-trait associations in mapping experiments. We developed a genotyping array including about 90 000 gene-associated SNPs and used it to characterize genetic variation in allohexaploid and allotetraploid wheat populations. The array includes a significant fraction of common genome-wide distributed SNPs that are represented in populations of diverse geographical origin. We used density-based spatial clustering algorithms to enable high-throughput genotype calling in complex data sets obtained for polyploid wheat. We show that these model-free clustering algorithms provide accurate genotype calling in the presence of multiple clusters including clusters with low signal intensity resulting from significant sequence divergence at the target SNP site or gene deletions. Assays that detect low-intensity clusters can provide insight into the distribution of presence-absence variation (PAV) in wheat populations. A total of 46 977 SNPs from the wheat 90K array were genetically mapped using a combination of eight mapping populations. The developed array and cluster identification algorithms provide an opportunity to infer detailed haplotype structure in polyploid wheat and will serve as an invaluable resource for diversity studies and investigating the genetic basis of trait variation in wheat. © 2014 The Authors Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

International audience; Triticale and wheat are similar crops, but triticale represents a valuable alternative to wheat due to its greater biomass production and grain yield in Mediterranean-type growing conditions. However, despite the higher yield potential and increasing importance of this crop, there are no dynamic crop models available to assist triticale adaptation via simulation experiments. In a previous study, the APSIM-Nwheat model was parameterized for triticale resulting in a new APSIM-Triticale model but the new model was never compared with detailed experimental triticale data in a one-to-one comparison. Here, the new model was tested with detailed field experimental observations. APSIM-Triticale was able to reproduce phenology, biomass, grain yields and soil water dynamics. The model performed well over several years and management options that included different sowing densities, sowing dates and a short and tall cultivar. The tested model was then used to explore management options to maximize triticale yield across the Mediterranean Basin. The response to sowing density was cultivar and rainfall-environment dependent. The simulation analysis indicated that there was no yield advantage with higher sowing densities with a tall cultivar type in high yielding environments, despite its higher biomass growth rates. The highest yields were achieved at the early sowing date at the sowing densities between 100 and 300 plants/m(2) in the high rainfall regions for both short and the tall cultivars. The simulation study suggests that sowing a short cultivar with a reduced radiation use efficiency but early vigour growth could increase current yields across different regions, seasons and management options in the Mediterranean climate. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved mapping, multi-environment quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis and dissection of allelic effects were used to define a QTL associated with grain yield, thousand grain weight and early vigour on chromosome 3BL of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under abiotic stresses. The QTL had pleiotropic effects and showed QTL x environment interactions across 21 diverse environments in Australia and Mexico. The occurrence and the severity of water deficit combined with high temperatures during the growing season affected the responsiveness of this QTL, resulting in a reversal in the direction of allelic effects. The influence of this QTL can be substantial, with the allele from one parent (RAC875) increasing grain yield by up to 12.5 % (particularly in environments where both heat and drought stress occurred) and the allele from the other parent (Kukri) increasing grain yield by up to 9 % in favourable environments. With the application of additional markers and the genotyping of additional recombinant inbred lines, the genetic map in the QTL region was refined to provide a basis for future positional cloning.

Analyses of stable metal isotope ratios constitute a novel tool in order to improve our understanding of biogeochemical processes in soil-plant systems. In this study, we used such measurements to assess Cd uptake and transport in wheat grown on three agricultural soils under controlled conditions. Isotope ratios of Cd were determined in the bulk C and A horizons, in the Ca(NO3)2-extractable Cd soil pool, and in roots, straw, and grains. The Ca(NO3)2-extractable Cd was isotopically heavier than the Cd in the bulk A horizon (Δ(114/110)Cdextract-Ahorizon = 0.16 to 0.45‰). The wheat plants were slightly enriched in light isotopes relative to the Ca(NO3)2-extractable Cd or showed no significant difference (Δ(114/110)Cdwheat-extract = -0.21 to 0.03‰). Among the plant parts, Cd isotopes were markedly fractionated: straw was isotopically heavier than roots (Δ(114/110)Cdstraw-root = 0.21 to 0.41‰), and grains were heavier than straw (Δ(114/110)Cdgrain-straw = 0.10 to 0.51‰). We suggest that the enrichment of heavy isotopes in the wheat grains was caused by mechanisms avoiding the accumulation of Cd in grains, such as the chelation of light Cd isotopes by thiol-containing peptides in roots and straw. These results demonstrate that Cd isotopes are significantly and systematically fractionated in soil-wheat systems, and the fractionation patterns provide information on the biogeochemical processes in these systems.

Construction of genetic linkage maps for lily was achieved using two populations, LA and AA that share one parent ‘Connecticut King’. Three different molecular marker systems (AFLP™, DArT and NBS profiling) were used in generating linkage maps for ‘Connecticut King’. The LA and the AA populations consist of 20 and 21 linkage groups (LGs), respectively. Average density between markers was 3.9 cM for the LA and 5 cM for the AA population. Several horticultural traits were mapped for the first time in Lilium and showed to be single gene based. We propose to name these genes as LFCc for flower colour, lfs for flower spots, LSC for stem colour, lal for antherless phenotype and lfd for flower direction whereby upper and lower case names refer to dominant and recessive genes, respectively. Additionally, resistance to Lily mottle virus (LMoV) was mapped as a locus on LG AA10. For Fusarium resistance, the Kruskal–Wallis test identified six putative quantitative trait loci (QTL) in the AA population of which one QTL (explaining 25% of the variation in resistance) could be confirmed by interval mapping

Tetraploid wheat (durum wheat) is mainly used for the preparation of pasta. As a result of breeding, thousands of tetraploid wheat varieties exist, but also tetraploid landraces are still maintained and used for local food preparations. Gluten proteins present in wheat can induce celiac disease, a T-cell mediated auto-immune disorder, in genetically predisposed individuals after ingestion. Compared to hexaploid wheat, tetraploid wheat might be reduced in T-cell stimulatory epitopes that cause celiac disease because of the absence of the D-genome. We tested gluten protein extracts from 103 tetraploid wheat accessions (obtained from the Dutch CGN genebank and from the French INRA collection) including landraces, old, modern, and domesticated accessions of various tetraploid species and subspecies from many geographic origins. Those accessions were typed for their level of T-cell stimulatory epitopes by immunoblotting with monoclonal antibodies against the a-gliadin epitopes Glia-alpha 9 and Glia-alpha 20. In the first selection, we found 8 CGN and 6 INRA accessions with reduced epitope staining. Fourteen of the 57 CGN accessions turned out to be mixed with hexaploid wheat, and 5 out of the 8 selected CGN accessions were mixtures of two or more different gluten protein chemotypes. Based on single seed analysis, lines from two CGN accessions and one INRA accession were obtained with significantly reduced levels of Glia-alpha 9 and Glia-alpha 20 epitopes. These lines will be further tested for industrial quality and may contribute to the development of safer foods for celiac patients.

According to general consensus, the global climate is changing, which may also affect agricultural and livestock production. The potential impact of climate change on food security is a widely debated and investigated issue. Nonetheless, the specific impact on safety of food and feed for consumers has remained a less studied topic. This review therefore identifies the various food safety issues that are likely to be affected by changes in climate, particularly in Europe. Amongst the issues identified are mycotoxins formed on plant products in the field or during storage; residues of pesticides in plant products affected by changes in pest pressure; trace elements and/or heavy metals in plant products depending on changes in their abundance and availability in soils; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in foods following changes in long-range atmospheric transport and deposition into the environment; marine biotoxins in seafood following production of phycotoxins by harmful algal blooms; and the presence of pathogenic bacteria in foods following more frequent extreme weather conditions, such as flooding and heat waves. Research topics that are amenable to further research are highlighted.

The ability to assess green biomass is of particular interest in a number of wheat breeding environments. However, the measurement of this and similar traits is either tedious and time-consuming or requires the use of expensive, sophisticated equipment, such as field-based spectroradiometers to measure vegetation indices (VIs). Here, conventional digital cameras are proposed as affordable and easy-to-use tools for gathering field data in wheat breeding programmes. Using appropriate software, a large set of images can be automatically processed to calculate a number of VIs, based on the performance of simple colour operations on each picture. The purpose of this study was to identify a set of picture-derived vegetation indices (picVIs) and to evaluate their performance in durum wheat trials growing under rainfed and supplementary irrigation conditions. Here, zenithal pictures of each plot were obtained roughly 2 weeks after anthesis, and the picVIs that were calculated were compared with the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), an index derived from spectroradiometrical measurements, and with the grain yield (GY) from the same plots. The picVIs that performed best were the Hue, CIE-Lab a* and CIE-Luv u* components of the average colour of each picture, the relative green area (GA) and the 'greener area', similar to GA but excluding the more yellowish-green pixels. Our results showed a high correlation between all these picVIs and the NDVI. Moreover, in rainfed conditions, each picVI provided an estimation of GY similar to or slightly better than that provided by the NDVI. However, in irrigated conditions during anthesis, neither these picVIs nor the NDVI provided a good estimation of GY, apparently because of the saturation of the VI response in conditions of complete soil cover and high plant density.

International audience; Wild emmer wheat, Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccoides, (2n = 49x = 28; genome BBAA), the progenitor of domesticated wheat, is genetically closely related to durum and common wheat. This wild taxon has characteristics that would be valuable if transferred to domesticated wheat. A series of chromosome-arm substitution lines (CASLs) of wild emmer wheat were produced in the background of an Israeli common wheat cultivar. These CASLs were evaluated in a pot experiment and in field trials in Israel and California for their grain yield (GY) and its components and for grain protein percentage. In addition, the extent of genetic interactions (epistatic effects) between "wild" and "domesticated" alleles, within and between homoeologous groups 1 and 7 as expressed in grain and protein yields and other quantitative traits, were determined. The research has shown that wild emmer wheat harbors genetic variability for quantitative traits and that the "wild" genes interact among themselves in a non-additive way in the common genetic background. Several chromosome arms improve GY and protein percentage in common wheat, but their effects will be presumably enhanced when combination of genes from several "wild" arms are integrated into a single "domesticated" genotype. Hence, the interaction between these genes and those in the recipient common wheat must be accounted for when higher yield or protein content is desired. The results of this study indicate on the potential of this material for breeding and genetic analysis, and support the idea of pyramiding genes from a wild species.

Since the dawn of wheat cytogenetics, chromosome 3B has been known to harbor a gene(s) that, when removed, causes chromosome desynapsis and gametic sterility. The lack of natural genetic diversity for this gene(s) has prevented any attempt to fine map and further characterize it. Here, gamma radiation treatment was used to create artificial diversity for this locus. A total of 696 radiation hybrid lines were genotyped with a custom mini array of 140 DArT markers, selected to evenly span the whole 3B chromosome. The resulting map spanned 2,852 centi Ray with a calculated resolution of 0.384 Mb. Phenotyping for the occurrence of meiotic desynapsis was conducted by measuring the level of gametic sterility as seeds produced per spikelet and pollen viability at booting. Composite interval mapping revealed a single QTL with LOD of 16.2 and r 2 of 25.6 % between markers wmc326 and wPt-8983 on the long arm of chromosome 3B. By independent analysis, the location of the QTL was confirmed to be within the deletion bin 3BL7-0.63-1.00 and to correspond to a single gene located ~1.4 Mb away from wPt-8983. The meiotic behavior of lines lacking this gene was characterized cytogenetically to reveal striking similarities with mutants for the dy locus, located on the syntenic chromosome 3 of maize. This represents the first example to date of employing radiation hybrids for QTL analysis. The success achieved by this approach provides an ideal starting point for the final cloning of this interesting gene involved in meiosis of cereals.

Ion homeostasis is considered to be one of the most important mechanisms underlying salt stress tolerance. We used the Steptoe × Morex barley doubled haploid population to screen for genetic variation in response to salinity stress at an early development stage in a hydroponics system, focusing on ion homeostasis. Salinity induced a strong adverse effect on growth of the parents and their derived population, with Steptoe as the more tolerant parent. Steptoe maintained higher concentrations of K+, Na+ and Cl− in the roots and a similar shoot/root ion ratio (

There is a need to predict trace metal concentration in plant organs at given development stages. The aim of this work was to describe the Cd hyperaccumulation kinetics in the different plant organs, throughout the complete cultivation cycle, independently of a possible soil effect. Plants of Noccaea caerulescens were exposed in aeroponics to three constantly low Cd concentrations and harvested at 6 to 11 dates, until siliquae formation. Dry matter allocation between roots and shoots was constant over time and exposure concentrations, as well as Cd allocation. However 86 % of the Cd taken up was allocated to the shoots. Senescent rosette leaves showed similar Cd concentrations to the living ones, suggesting no redistribution from old to young organs. The Cd root influx was proportional to the exposure concentration and constant over time, indicating that plant development had no effect on this. The bio-concentration factor (BCF), i.e. [Cd](plant)/[Cd2+](solution) for the whole plant, roots or shoots was independent of the exposure concentration and of the plant stage. Cadmium uptake in a given plant part could therefore be predicted at any plant stage by multiplying the plant part dry matter by the corresponding BCF and the Cd2+ concentration in the exposure solution.

International audience; Practically all human populations are environmentally exposed to cadmium (Cd), mostly through plant-derived food. A growing body of epidemiological evidence suggests that there is no margin of safety between current Cd exposure levels and the threshold for adverse health effects and, hence, there is an urgent need to lower human Cd intake. Here we review recent studies on rice (Oryza sativa) and Cd-hyperaccumulating plants that have led to important insights into the processes controlling the passage of Cd from the soil to edible plant organs. The emerging molecular understanding of Cd uptake, root retention, root-to-shoot translocation and grain loading will enable the development of low Cd-accumulating crops.

This study was conducted on the testing fields of Uludag University Research and Application center. The lines belonging to the combinations of spring wheat and winter wheat examined during testing period were selected from backcross program conducted for supplying semi-tolerant to Puccinia spp. Some agronomic traits of lines such as plant height, spike length, spikelet per spike, seed number per spike, seed weight per spike in BC,, BC, and BC, generations were examined. As a result of testing, the plant height, spike length, spikelet per spike, seed number per spike and seed weight per spike increased in the proceeding backcross generations of winter wheat and spring wheat lines.

In wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) drought-induced pollen sterility is a major contributor to grain yield loss and is caused by the downregulation of the cell wall invertase gene IVR1. The IVR1 gene catalyses the irreversible hydrolysis of sucrose to glucose and fructose, the essential energy substrates which support pollen development. Downregulation of IVR1 in response to drought is isoform specific and shows variation in temporal and tissue-specific expression. IVR1 is now prompting interest as a candidate gene for molecular marker development to screen wheat germplasm for improved drought tolerance. The aim of this study was to define the family of IVR1 genes to enable: (1) individual isoforms to be assayed in gene expression studies; and (2) greater accuracy in IVR1 mapping to the wheat genetic map and drought tolerance QTL analysis. Using a cell wall invertase-specific motif as a probe, wheat genomics platforms were screened for the presence of unidentified IVR1 isoforms. Wheat genomics platforms screened included the IWGSC wheat survey sequence, the wheat D genome donor sequence from Aegilops tauschii Coss, and the CCG wheat chromosome 3B assembly: contig506. Chromosome-specific sequences homologous to the query motif were isolated and characterised. Sequence annotation results showed five previously unidentified IVR1 isoforms exist on multiple chromosome arms and on all three genomes (A, B and D): IVR1–3A, IVR1–4A, IVR1–5B, IVR1.2–3B and IVR1-5D. Including three previously characterised IVR1 isoforms (IVR1.1–1A, IVR1.2–1A and IVR1.1–3B), the total number of isoform gene family members is eight. The IVR1 isoforms contain two motifs common to cell wall invertase (NDPN and WECPDF) and a high degree of conservation in exon 4, suggesting conservation of functionality. Sequence divergence at a primary structure level in other regions of the gene was evident amongst the isoforms, which likely contributes to variation in gene regulation and expression in response to water deficit within this subfamily of IVR1 isoforms in wheat.

Construction of genetic linkage maps for lily was achieved using two populations, LA and AA that share one parent ‘Connecticut King’. Three different molecular marker systems (AFLP™, DArT and NBS profiling) were used in generating linkage maps for ‘Connecticut King’. The LA and the AA populations consist of 20 and 21 linkage groups (LGs), respectively. Average density between markers was 3.9 cM for the LA and 5 cM for the AA population. Several horticultural traits were mapped for the first time in Lilium and showed to be single gene based. We propose to name these genes as LFCc for flower colour, lfs for flower spots, LSC for stem colour, lal for antherless phenotype and lfd for flower direction whereby upper and lower case names refer to dominant and recessive genes, respectively. Additionally, resistance to Lily mottle virus (LMoV) was mapped as a locus on LG AA10. For Fusarium resistance, the Kruskal–Wallis test identified six putative quantitative trait loci (QTL) in the AA population of which one QTL (explaining 25% of the variation in resistance) could be confirmed by interval mapping

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer represents a significant cost for the grower and may also have environmental impacts through nitrate leaching and N2O (a greenhouse gas) emissions associated with denitrification. The objectives of this study were to analyze the genetic variability in N-use efficiency (grain dry matter (DM) yield per unit N available from soil and fertilizer; NUE) in winter wheat and identify traits for improved NUE for application in breeding. Fourteen UK and French cultivars and two French advanced breeding lines were tested in a 2 year/four site network comprising different locations in France and in the UK. Detailed growth analysis was conducted at anthesis and harvest in experiments including DM and N partitioning. Senescence of either the flag leaf or the whole leaf canopy was assessed from a visual score every 3-4 days from anthesis to complete canopy senescence. The senescence score was fitted against thermal time using a five parameters monomolecular-logistic equation allowing the estimation of the timing of the onset and the rate of post-anthesis senescence. In each experiment, grain yield was reduced under low N (LN), with an average reduction of 2.2 t ha(-1) (29%). Significant N x genotype level interaction was observed for NUE. Crop N uptake at harvest on average was reduced from 227 kg N ha(-1) under high N (HN) to 109 kg N ha(-1) under LN conditions while N-utilization efficiency (grain DM yield per unit crop N uptake at harvest; NUtE) increased from 34.0 to 52.1 kg DM kg(-1) N. Overall genetic variability in NUE under LN related mainly to differences in NUtE rather than N-uptake efficiency (crop N uptake at harvest per unit N available from soil and fertilizer; NUpE). However, at one site there was also a positive correlation between NUpE and NUE at LN in both years. Moreover, across the 2 year/four site network, the N x genotype effect for NUpE partly explained the N x genotype effect for grain yield and NUE. Averaging across the 16 genotypes, the timing of onset of senescence explained 86% of the variation in NUtE amongst site-season-N treatment combinations. The linear regression of onset of senescence on NutE amongst genoytpes was not significant under HN, but at three of the four sites was significant under LN explaining 32-70% of the phenotypic variation amongst genotypes in NutE. Onset of senescence amongst genotypes was negatively correlated with the efficiency with which above-ground N at anthesis was remobilized to the grain under LN. It is concluded that delaying the onset of post-anthesis senescence may be an important trait for increasing grain yield of wheat grown under low N supply. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We present a simple generic framework to quantify source–sink relationships during grain filling, by using a determinate growth function which has a unique property, namely being able of explicitly describing the time for the end of a growth process. This model framework was applied to analyze these relationships in plants of six wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes grown in pots in climate-controlled greenhouses under two temperature regimes (day/night: 20/15 and 25/20 °C). The function accurately described the sigmoid pattern of grain growth (sink activity), as its modified form did for the reversed sigmoid shape of flag-leaf area (source capacity), during grain filling. The six genotypes differed significantly in grain number as well as in grain yield, ranging from 54 to 81 grains and from 2.67 to 4.52 g DM per culm, respectively, when grown at 20/15 °C. Biomass and grain yield were significantly reduced by a rise of 5 °C. Grain nitrogen contents raised from 2.1 to 2.6% as a consequence of less carbon accumulation resulting in lower grain weights at the high temperature. On average, a rise of 5 °C in temperature reduced the duration of grain growth by 12 days (>30%), and increased the growth rate from 1.32 to 1.67 mg grain−1 d−1 (20%). Genotypic differences in grain-filling duration were also larger than in rate of grain growth. The genetic variation in the flag-leaf area duration (a proxy for the capacity for intercepting radiation and photosynthesis) was positively associated with sink size. Model analysis showed that whether or not the timing for the cessation of grain filling and for the end of post-anthesis source activity was synchronized depended on temperature. The quantitative approach yielded parameters that characterize genotypic differences of post-anthesis source and sink capacity in responding to environmental variables.

International audience; Cereals are an important source of sterols and stanols in the human diet. The present study underlines the effect of genotype and weather conditions in bread wheat, on total sterol and stanol content (TSS), agronomic traits, proteins and ash content under organic conditions. Variations in TSS as well as other characters between two sowing dates were observed. A broad genotypic variability was also reported since extreme genotypes differed by more than 30 mg 100 g(-1) DW for TSS, with total stanol content varying twofold. Moreover, two groups of genotypes that differed in agronomic production, ash and protein content were depicted, based on their response to an increase in temperature. This result suggests that the genotypic factor prevails over the sowing date factor for determining sterol and stanol traits in wheat cultivated under organic conditions. Nevertheless, a strong interaction exists between the two factors, which can be used to drive bioaccumulation of these molecules.

Six varieties of barley ( Hordeum vulgare ), five of which were provided by ICARDA, were tested in a green house experiment for their salt tolerance. Afterwards the ICARDA variety Melusine, selected from this experiment for its combination of high yield and salt tolerance, was compared in a lysimeter experiment with the variety ISABON3, a very salt tolerant land race originally from Afghanistan. The variety ISABON3 showed a larger grain and straw yield under non-saline and saline conditions. The higher salt tolerance expressed itself during the growth period in: • a higher stomatal conductance during the irrigation interval; • a higher maximum osmotic potential; • a more vigorous growth, less affected by salinity; • no salinity effect on plant height and number of productive stems; • less salinity effect on water use efficiency. The less tolerant variety Melusine showed a better grain quality, expressed by its protein content that even slightly increased at increasing salinity against a decrease of the protein content of ISABON3. The varietal salt tolerance clearly affects the water use efficiency and the salt tolerance classification.

Soil salinity and plant genotype may affect bioavailability of Cd and Zn to wheat. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between concentrations of Zn and Cd in saline soil solutions and in different wheat genotypes. A greenhouse experiment with four bread wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Rushan, Kavir, Cross, and Falat), and a durum wheat (Triticum durum L. cv. Durum), at four salinity levels of irrigation water (0, 60, 120, and 180 mM NaCl) in triplicate was conducted. After 45 d of growth, the shoots were harvested, and Zn and Cd concentrations were determined in the shoots. Speciation of Cd and Zn in saturation paste extract was modeled using MINTEQA2. A significant (P

The importance of the soluble fraction in flour in determining the rheological properties of dough subjected to large deformations and its possible consequence for breadmaking performance was investigated by measuring shear and extensional viscosities of native wheat flour and reconstituted doughs using creep–recovery tests and lubricated squeezing flow tests. Standard French breadmaking wheat flour was fractionated into water-soluble and insoluble fractions. Flour defatting and puroindoline additions were also tested. The large strain properties of doughs made from these fractions were studied in shear and biaxial extension by creep–recovery and lubricated squeezing flow tests, respectively. Shear viscosity η exhibited a Newtonian plateau at low shear rate γ ˙ and a shear thinning behaviour at higher γ ˙ in the range 10−6–1 s−1. Apparent viscosity versus shear rate data could be fitted by Cross model. The results elucidated the lubricating role of the soluble fraction, and were confirmed by the bi-extensional test, although obtained over a narrower strain rate range ( e ˙ b = 10 − 3 − 1 s − 1 ), for strain values in the range (0.1–1). The specific volume of bread was found to be inversely related to bi-extensional viscosity, whereas crumb fineness could be related to the strain hardening index, in agreement with gas retention and bubble growth phenomena during proofing.

Salinity and Zn deficiency in soils are two factors that may change the phytoavailability of Zn and Cd. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of salinity and Zn application on soil Cd and Zn solubility and their concentration in wheat shoots. A greenhouse experiment with wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Rushan) consisting of two levels of Zn (0 and 15 mg Zn kg¿1, in the form of ZnSO4), and five salinity levels of irrigation water (0, 60, 120, and 180 mM NaCl, and 120 mM NaNO3) in triplicate was conducted. Wheat was seeded in pots. After 45 d of growth, the shoots were harvested, and Zn and Cd concentrations were determined. After harvesting, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and concentrations of anions and cations were determined in soil saturation extracts. Concentrations of Cd and Zn species in soil solution were predicted using the speciation program MINTEQA2. Increasing salinity increased total Cd (CdT), Cd2+, CdCl+, CdHCO3+, and CdCl20 concentrations in the soil solution, whereas no such effect was found for the NaNO3 treatment. Higher salinity decreased the total Zn (ZnT) and free Zn2+ concentrations in the soil solution and decreased Zn concentrations in the wheat shoots. With application of Zn fertilizer, shoot Cd concentrations decreased by 11 to 90%, whereas Zn concentration increased by 75 to 103%. Increasing salinity of irrigation water decreased shoot dry matter, especially if no ZnSO4 was applied. Application of Zn had a positive effect on salt tolerance of plant and increased dry matter of shoot

Flours from the F4 progeny of a cross between the bread wheat cultivar Cheyenne and a line lacking gliadin components and low molecular weight subunits of glutenin controlled by the tightly linked genes at the Gli-DI and Glu-D3 loci were examined electrophoretically. Quality relationships were established using the SDS-sedimentation test. The results showed a large detrimental effect due to the lack of the above protein components, which was even larger than the negative effect observed when the null allele was compared with the 2* allele at the Glu-AI locus. The present results also indicated that the alleles of Cheyenne at the Gli-B1 locus were superior to those contributed by MG 27116. They also indicated the possible presence of effects due to gene interactions, which should be considered carefully in breeding programmes aimed at improving wheat technological properties.

Wheat is the primary source of nutrition for many, especially those living in developing countries, and wheat proteins are among the most widely consumed dietary proteins in the world. However, concerns about disorders related to the consumption of wheat and/or wheat gluten proteins have increased sharply in the last 20 years. This review focuses on wheat gluten proteins and amylase trypsin inhibitors, which are considered to be responsible for eliciting most of the intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms experienced by susceptible individuals. Although several approaches have been proposed to reduce the exposure to gluten or immunogenic peptides resulting from its digestion, none have proven sufficiently effective for general use in coeliac-safe diets. Potential approaches to manipulate the content, composition, and technological properties of wheat proteins are therefore discussed, as well as the effects of using gluten isolates in various food systems. Finally, some aspects of the use of gluten-free commodities are discussed.