Wheat Biomass Research Articles

Impact of the Russian invasion on wheat biomass in Ukraine

Abstract Ukraine was the seventh-biggest worldwide producer of wheat in 2021 before the Russian invasion. The war caused a disruption of the global wheat market but the impact on the different levels of the production chain remains unclear. Here we leverage high resolution satellite imagery and crop modeling to analyze specifically the impact of the war on the evolution of the dry aboveground biomass in wheat fields. We compare the Kherson region, a battlefield occupied by the Russian army in 2022 with the Poltava region which was not invaded. We also compare the wheat biomass in both regions in 2022 with the two previous years before the war. We find that the wheat biomass sharply declined in the Kherson region in 2022 only. We interpret this result as a consequence of the abandonment of invaded land by farmers. The lack of agricultural management, in particular the lack of fertilization and irrigation could explain the reduced crop growth in summer, thereby contributing to shortages in the wheat production chain.

Simulating the exploration of the optimal irrigation of spring wheat in drought areas based on SWAP model

AbstractWater scarcity and low irrigation efficiency are the main factors causing yield losses in spring wheat in arid areas. To propose optimised irrigation scheduling for spring wheat in the arid areas of Ningxia, China, we first calibrated the SWAP (soil–water–atmosphere–plant) model and then utilised the well‐tested SWAP model during three typical rainfall years to evaluate the 542 irrigation schemes. The results showed that the model performed well in simulating the plant height, leaf area index (LAI) and biomass of spring wheat under different water stress conditions. The R2 values of the above three crop growth indicators were all greater than 0.89, and the normalised root mean square error (NRMSE) was less than 18% in the validation period. Additionally, the model achieved a high degree of accuracy in simulating the soil water content, evapotranspiration and yield, with RMSEs of 2%, 31 mm, and 326 kg/ha, respectively. The total irrigation amounts of 290, 320 and 350 mm with five, six and six irrigation times in the wet, average, and dry years, respectively, could achieve relatively high yields as well as improved water use efficiency (WUE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE). The results can provide useful information for the efficient utilisation of irrigation water resources in arid areas.

Synergizing Bacillus halotolerans, Pseudomonas sihuiensis and Bacillus atrophaeus with folic acid for enhanced drought resistance in wheat by metabolites and antioxidants

Drought stress imposes a serious challenge to cultivate wheat, restricting its growth. Drought reduces the capability of plant to uptake essential nutrients. This causes stunted growth, development and yield. Traditional ways to increase wheat growth under drought stress have shortcomings. Using plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has proved feasible and eco-friendly way to enhance wheat growth even under the drought stress. Combining PGPR in consortiums further boosts up their effects. In this study, we have checked the efficacy of drought-tolerant Bacillus halotolerans, Pseudomonas sihuiensis and Bacillus atrophaeus in combination. These strains were allowed to grow on PEG 6000 with concentrations (-0.15, -0.49, -0.73 and − 1.2) Mega Pascal (MPa) alone and in combination. Furthermore, Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used. Their biochemical traits such as solubilization of K, P and Zn and the synthesis of siderophore, indole acetic acid (IAA), protease, amylase, hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase were done. In addition to this, we investigated the optimum folic acid concentration i.e 150 ppm for wheat against drought stress. We conducted a pot experiment to check the growth-enhancing and drought-mitigating effects of consortium and folic acid alone and in combination. As a result, we found a significantly increased wheat biomass, relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content, antioxidants including glutathione reductase and total soluble sugars and protein content under all treatments. However, the combined treatment of bacterial consortium and folic acid showed maximum potential to boost wheat growth and survival even under drought. We also investigated the minerals uptake by wheat after the treatments and found maximum nutrient uptake under the co-effect of folic acid and bacterial consortium We believe this is the first study that has investigated the optimal dose of folic acid for wheat. Our research is also novel in that we seek to investigate the effects of folic acid along with a bacterial consortium comprising Bacillus halotolerans, Pseudomonas sihuiensis and Bacillus atrophaeus on wheat grown under the drought stress.

The transcription factor TaFDL2-1A functions in auxin metabolism mediated by abscisic acid to regulate shoot growth in wheat.

Genetic strategies can be effective in improving wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) drought stress tolerance, but accumulating evidence suggests that overexpressing drought-resistance genes, especially genes related to the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway, can retard plant growth. We previously characterized the positive roles of the wheat bZIP transcription factor TaFD-Like2-1A (TaFDL2-1A) in drought stress tolerance and ABA biosynthesis and response, whereas a dwarfing shoot exhibited under normal conditions. This study determined the underlying mechanisms that allow TaFDL2-1A to affect shoot growth. Overexpressing TaFDL2-1A decreased cell length, cell width, leaf size, shoot length, and biomass in wheat. The results of RNA-seq showed that multiple differently expressed transcripts are enriched in the auxin signaling pathway. Further analysis indicated higher expression levels of Gretchen Hagen3 (GH3) genes and lower indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) concentrations in the TaFDL2-1A overexpression lines. Exogenous IAA treatment restored the phenotypes of the TaFDL2-1A overexpression lines to wild-type levels. Transcriptional regulation analysis suggested that TaFDL2-1A enhances the expression of auxin metabolism genes, such as TaGH3.2-3A, TaGH3.2-3B, TaGH3.8-2A, and TaGH3.8-2D, by directly binding to ACGT core cis-elements. Furthermore, tafdl2 knock-out plants had lower expression levels of these GH3 genes and higher IAA levels than Fielder wheat. These GH3 gene expression and IAA levels were induced and reduced in Fielder wheat and tafdl2 knock-out plants treated with exogenous ABA. Our findings elucidate mechanisms underlying the functional redundancy of TaFDL2-1A in the crosstalk between ABA and IAA to affect shoot growth and provide insights into the balance between drought resistance and yield in wheat.

Wheat genetic progress in biomass allocation and yield components: A global perspective

BackgroundWheat is an essential food source and is subjected to intense breeding efforts for increased grain yield, but stagnation in grain yield improvements has been reported in many regions. The identification of genetically linked factors impeding further progress in wheat grain yield improvement is therefore urgently required. MethodA comparative meta-analysis of data from 66 publicly available field experiments involving multiple wheat genotypes was performed to identify traits altered in breeding programs, their relationship with grain yield, and their past and current impact on grain yield increases. ResultsWheat grain yield can be increased by increasing either the aboveground biomass (ABM) or the harvest index (HI). However, there was no correlation between these traits since a reduction in plant height can occur with increases in the HI and overall grain yield, but with no reduction in the ABM. The combined data from 32 global datasets revealed a substantial increase in wheat grain yield from 1860 to 2017, accompanied by improvement in HI and yield components. When considering only the genotypes introduced from the 1960s to 2017, there was a linear increase observed in both grain yield and HI until the mid-1980s. However, genetic progress in HI and GY has slowed down since then. Before the mid-1980s, there was a decreasing trend observed in plant height which remained relatively static thereafter. While ABM did not exhibit significant increases during this period. After the mid-1980s, significant improvements have been observed in ABM; however, no obvious increase were observed in other yield components. ConclusionsSince the 1980s, there has been an increase in the aboveground biomass of wheat, while grain weigth and grains per m2 increases trending slowly, and both harvest index and grain yield have almost stagnated. Therefore, increasing grains per m2 and/or grain weight should be the major research direction to further improve the wheat harvest index and grain yield in the future. ImplicationsThe systematic study of changes in wheat traits in past breeding efforts for improved grain yields has provided useful indicators for the direction of wheat breeding in the future.

Spatial Heterogeneity of Soil Nutrient in Principal Paddy and Cereal Production Landscapes of Fengtai County within the Huai River Basin, Eastern China

The problem of cultivated land soil quality in the Huaihe River Basin has become increasingly prominent. How to accurately and quantitatively evaluate the soil quality of regional cultivated land and realize its efficient use has become an urgent problem. In order to explore the spatial autocorrelation and variation in soil nutrients in cultivated land in the plain of Fengtai County in the Huaihe River Basin, a total of 306 soil samples and mature wheat samples were collected in the study area to analyze soil pH, total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK) and slow-release potassium (SK) content and wheat biomass, and combined with geostatistical methods and GIS technology. The Kriging interpolation method and Moram‘s I index method were systematically analyzed. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation analysis were used to establish the minimum data set (MDS) of soil quality, which was used to calculate the soil quality index (SQI) and determine the key factors affecting soil quality. The results showed that the soil pH was in weak variation, and the other nutrient indexes were in medium variation. The spatial variability of soil-available potassium nutrients was affected by random factors such as human activities and structural factors such as soil parent materials. The spatial autocorrelation of organic matter, total nitrogen, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium and mitigation potassium was weak, which was mainly affected by random factors such as human activities. An unequivocal positive spatial nexus was discerned across all nutrients. Cumulatively, the nutrient dispersion across the investigated territory was somewhat diffuse, manifesting in a mosaic pattern with pronounced zonal nutrient allocation disparities in the meridional, median, and septentrional segments. An explicit latitudinal dichotomy delineating zones of nutrient opulence and paucity was also observed. These insights can pave the way for tailored fertilization strategies and judicious pedological stewardship in Fengtai County.

Thermal Catalytic Production of Potassium Humate Fertilizer from Tobacco Straw and Its Performance in Wheat Hydroponics

Production of artificial humic acid (AHA) from waste biomass will contribute to environmental protection and agricultural productivity. However, there is still a lack of a faster, more efficient and eco-friendly way for sustainable production. In this study, potassium humate was prepared from agricultural waste tobacco straw by thermal catalysis using environmentally friendly Fe2O3 as a catalyst. The yield of potassium humate was successfully increased to 68.77 %. In the present study, using characterization methods such as TG-DTG and UV, it was found that the potassium humate prepared from tobacco straw had lower aromaticity, smaller molecular weight, as well as better solubility and better quality. In addition, the effect of potassium humate fertilizer on wheat biomass was also investigated in this experiment by wheat hydroponics. The results showed that the germination rate of wheat increased by 17 % and the fresh and dry weights increased by 6.94 % and 19.31 %, respectively, with the addition of potassium humate prepared with iron catalyst. This study provides a green and simple technology for the resourceful utilization of tobacco straw to produce high value-added potassium humate, and enriches the source of raw materials for potassium humate, expanding its application in the field of crop growth.

Understanding the role of pig manure, rice straw, and calcium carbonate on the cadmium pollution in soil–wheat system

AbstractTo explore the specific effects of pig manure and rice straw on cadmium‐contaminated soils and the effect of different mass fractions of calcium carbonate on cadmium efficacy, a pot experiment was conducted with different rates of pig manure, rice straw, and calcium carbonate. The results showed that pig manure addition increased the soil humic acid/fulvic acid ratio, thereby reducing the available Cd. The addition of calcium carbonate increased the soil pH and reduced the available Cd. The addition of pig manure and calcium carbonate significantly reduced the Cd content of wheat grains by 51.96% and 45.95%, respectively, at 3% and 5% application rates. Rice straw application reduced the soil pH, improved the soil Cd availability, and increased the accumulation of Cd in wheat grains. Compared with that in the control, the grain biomass increased significantly with 3% pig manure and 3% rice straw application, and the grain biomass increased significantly, by 58.86% and 39.11%, and 93.3% and 75.08%, respectively, in 2020 and 2021. With the application of calcium carbonate, the grain biomass of wheat first decreased and then increased. Additionally, the grain biomass significantly increased by 26.36% and 71.22%, respectively, at the 5% calcium carbonate application rate. Therefore, high application rates of pig manure (3% and 5%) have potential application in the safe production of wheat in Cd‐contaminated soils.

Harnessing UAVs and deep learning for accurate grass weed detection in wheat fields: a study on biomass and yield implications

Weeds are undesired plants competing with crops for light, nutrients, and water, negatively impacting crop growth. Identifying weeds in wheat fields accurately is important for precise pesticide spraying and targeted weed control. Grass weeds in their early growth stages look very similar to wheat seedlings, making them difficult to identify. In this study, we focused on wheat fields with varying levels of grass weed infestation and used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to obtain images. By utilizing deep learning algorithms and spectral analysis technology, the weeds were identified and extracted accurately from wheat fields. Our results showed that the precision of weed detection in scattered wheat fields was 91.27% and 87.51% in drilled wheat fields. Compared to areas without weeds, the increase in weed density led to a decrease in wheat biomass, with the maximum biomass decreasing by 71%. The effect of weed density on yield was similar, with the maximum yield decreasing by 4320 kg·ha− 1, a drop of 60%. In this study, a method for monitoring weed occurrence in wheat fields was established, and the effects of weeds on wheat growth in different growth periods and weed densities were studied by accurately extracting weeds from wheat fields. The results can provide a reference for weed control and hazard assessment research.

Hormetic responses to cadmium exposure in wheat seedlings: insights into morphological, physiological, and biochemical adaptations.

Cadmium is commonly recognized as toxic to plant growth, low-level Cd has promoting effects on growth performance, which is so-called hormesis. Although Cd toxicity in wheat has been widely investigated, knowledge of growth response to a broad range of Cd concentrations, especially extremely low concentrations, is still unknown. In this study, the morphological, physiological, and biochemical performance of wheat seedlings to a wide range of Cd concentrations (0-100 µΜ) were explored. Low Cd treatment (0.1-0.5µM) improved wheat biomass and root development by enhancing the photosynthetic system and antioxidant system ability. Photosynthetic rate (Pn) was improved by 5.72% under lower Cd treatment (1 µΜ), but inhibited by 6.05-49.85% from 5 to 100 µΜ. Excessive Cd accumulation induced oxidative injury manifesting higher MDA content, resulting in lower photosynthetic efficiency, stunted growth, and reduction of biomass. Further, the contents of ascorbate, glutathione, non-protein thiols, and phytochelatins were improved under 5-100 µΜ Cd treatment. The ascorbate peroxidase activity in the leaf showed a hormetic dose-response characteristic. Correlation analysis and partial least squares (PLS) results indicated that antioxidant enzymes and metabolites were closely correlated with Cd tolerance and accumulation. The results of the element network, correlation analysis, and PLS showed a crucial role for exogenous Cd levels in K, Fe, Cu, and Mn uptake and accumulation. These results provided a deeper understanding of the hormetic effect of Cd in wheat, which would be beneficial for improving the quality of hazard and risk assessments.

Determining Optimal Nitrogen Level and Soil test-based Phosphorus Calibration study for Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Dugda District, East Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Nutrient mining due to sub-optimal fertilizer use on one hand and unbalanced fertilizer use on the other have favored the emergence of multi-nutrient deficiency in Ethiopian soils. Therefore, the study was conducted on twenty-six farmers' fields in Dugda District of East Shewa Zone of Oromia, during the main cropping seasons of 2018-2020. These studies were conducted to determine the economically optimum rate of nitrogen fertilizer in the first year Phosphorus critical (Pc) and phosphorus requirement factor (Pf) in the second year respectively. The treatments consisted of factorial combinations of three levels of TSP (0, 100, and 200) kg ha-1 with six levels of nitrogen (0, 23, 46, 69 92, and 115) kg ha-1 that gave a total of eighteen treatments. However, in the second two consecutive years, the experiment was conducted to determine phosphorus critical (Pc) and phosphorus requirement factor (Pf), and the treatments consisted of six levels of phosphorus (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50) kg ha-1 combined with a single level of nitrogen (69 kg ha-1) that gave a total of seven treatments. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two replications and the gross plot size was 4 m x 5 m (20 m2) were used to determine optimum nitrogen in the first year and 4m x 5m (20 m2) and phosphorus critical (Pc) and also harvested from 4m2 plot areas. The analysis of variance indicated that Plant height, spike length, number of seeds per spike, biomass yield, and grain yield were highly significantly (p <0.01) influenced by the main effect of nitrogen fertilizer rates. However except for the number of seed per spike, TSP fertilizer significantly (p<0.05) affect plant height and the number of seed per spike as well as highly significantly (p <0.01) biomass and grain yield of bread wheat. The highest (68.76 cm) plant height, the highest (41.02) seed per spike, the highest (8867 kg ha-1) biomass, and the highest (3293 kg ha-1) grain yield were recorded by 200

Monitoring aboveground organs biomass of wheat and maize: A novel model combining ensemble learning and allometric theory

Accurate monitoring of crop organ biomass facilitates optimizing agronomic strategies to maximize yield or economic benefit. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is extensively employed for aboveground biomass (AGB) monitoring at the farm scale, but previous studies have mostly concentrated on total AGB rather than individual organ biomass. Furthermore, film-mulched crops, a widely used cropping pattern in northwest China, have received less attention for AGB monitoring. We aim to develop a novel model to precisely estimate the AGB of leaf (AGBLeaf), stem (AGBStem), and reproductive organs (AGBR) by UAV for film-mulched wheat and maize. The maize-wheat rotation field experiments with treatments of five nitrogen application amounts and three planting densities were conducted from 2021 to 2023, respectively. Firstly, we constructed allometric models at jointing, heading (tasseling), and grain filling stages by ground sampling data in 2021–2022. Next, the input feature set was obtained by feature selection methods (Lasso and Boruta) using UAV image data, and three traditional methods (partial least squares, ridge regression, and support vector machine) and three ensemble learning models (random forest, extreme gradient boosting, and local cascade ensemble (LCE)) were trained for AGBLeaf inversion based on the physically-based PROSAIL model simulation dataset. Finally, the optimal AGBLeaf inversion hybrid model was coupled with the allometric model to estimate the AGBStem and AGBR in 2022–2023. The results indicated that both wheat and maize organ biomass conformed to the allometric pattern. While feature selection helped reduce computation and complexity, but didn’t improve monitoring accuracy. The normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of the optimal hybrid model (PROSAIL + Boruta + LCE) on the measured wheat and maize AGBLeaf datasets were 12.72 %–24.93 % and 19.65 %–25.16 %, respectively. After coupling the allometric model, the coefficient of determination (R2) of wheat and maize AGBStem were 0.64–0.85 and 0.63–0.68, and the NRMSE were 15.05 %–25.28 % and 24.10 %–27.06 %, respectively; and the corresponding R2 of AGBR was 0.67–0.76 and 0.72, and the NRMSE were 16.81 %–22.12 % and 21.66 %, for wheat and maize, respectively. Overall, the novel model performed well in film-mulched wheat and maize, providing a cost-effective approach for organ biomass monitoring. In the future, further validation of the model’s transferability is necessary to increase the potential for generalization in production practice.

Effect of Nano-Zinc Oxide, Rice Straw Compost, and Gypsum on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yield and Soil Quality in Saline-Sodic Soil.

The salinity and alkalinity of soils are two fundamental factors that limit plant growth and productivity. For that reason, a field study conducted at Sakha Agric. Res. Station in Egypt during the 2022-2023 winter season aimed to assess the impact of gypsum (G), compost (C), and zinc foliar application in two images, traditional (Z1 as ZnSO4) and nanoform (Z2 as N-ZnO), on alleviating the saline-sodic conditions of the soil and its impact on wheat productivity. The results showed that the combination of gypsum, compost, and N-ZnO foliar spray (G + C + Z2) decreased the soil electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) by 14.81%, 40.60%, and 35.10%, respectively. Additionally, compared to the control, the G + C + Z2 treatment showed improved nutrient content and uptake as well as superior wheat biomass parameters, such as the highest grain yield (7.07 Mg ha-1), plant height (98.0 cm), 1000-grain weight (57.03 g), and straw yield (9.93 Mg ha-1). Interestingly, foliar application of N-ZnO was more effective than ZnSO4 in promoting wheat productivity. Principal component analysis highlighted a negative correlation between increased grain yield and the soil EC and SAR, whereas the soil organic matter (OM), infiltration rate (IR), and plant nutrient content were found to be positively correlated. Furthermore, employing the k-nearest neighbors technique, it was predicted that the wheat grain yield would rise to 7.25 t ha-1 under certain soil parameters, such as EC (5.54 dS m-1), ESP (10.02%), OM (1.41%), bulk density (1.30 g cm-3), infiltration rate (1.15 cm h-1), and SAR (7.80%). These results demonstrate how adding compost and gypsum to foliar N-ZnO can improve the soil quality, increase the wheat yield, and improve the nutrient uptake, all of which can support sustainable agriculture.

Влияние предпосевной обработки семян и агрохимикатов на урожайность озимой пшеницы

High yields cannot be achieved without the use of fertilizers, but how much they can pay off in modern economic realities and in drought conditions is unknown. In this regard, it is important to have new knowledge about effective systems of application of mineral fertilizers and agrochemicals in winter wheat cultivation in the zone of chestnut soils of the Lower Volga region. Therefore, the purpose of our research was to study the effect of growth stimulants in pre-sowing seed treatment and leaf fertilization with liquid fertilizers on the productivity of winter wheat in the Volgograd region. On average for 2021-2023 years, the minimum photosynthetic potential of winter wheat - 1288 thousand m2 day/ha was formed on plots without UAN 32 and growth regulators, and the highest - 2063 thousand m2 day/ha on plots with two fertilizers UAN 32 and growth regulator Emistim. Autumn fertilization with UAN 32 increased dry aboveground biomass of winter soft wheat in the variety Kamyshanka 6 at earing phase by 13%, two and three fertilizations by 26 and 27%, respectively. Growth regulator Polidon increased dry aboveground biomass of winter wheat at earing phase by 4%, Alfastim by 7%, Emistim by 12%. In the phase of milk ripeness dry biomass from growth regulator Polidon increased by 6%, Alfastim by 11%, Emistim by 14%. The lowest plant height of the variety Kamyshanka 6 was formed on the control - 0.89 m, the highest was on plots with two fertilizers and all variants on factor B and averaged 0.94 m, which is 0.05 m higher than the control. Spikelet length in the experiment was maximum in plots with two fertilizers and growth regulator Emistim. The minimum biological yield of winter wheat Kamyshanka 6 - 4.04 t/ha was obtained in the control variant, the maximum yield - 5.66 t/ha was observed in plots with two fertilizers UAN 32 and application of Emistim.

Unveiling influences of metal-based nanomaterials on wheat growth and physiology: From benefits to detriments

Metal-based nanomaterials (MNs) are widely used in agricultural production. However, our current understanding of the overall effects of MNs on crop health is insufficient. A global meta-analysis of 144 studies involving approximately 2000 paired observations was conducted to explore the impacts of MNs on wheat growth and physiology. Our analysis revealed that the MN type plays a key role in influencing wheat growth. Ag MNs had significant negative effects on wheat growth and physiology, whereas Fe, Ti, and Zn MNs significantly increased wheat biomass and photosynthesis. Our study also observed a clear dose-specific effect, with a decrease in wheat shoot biomass with increasing MN concentrations. Meanwhile, MNs with small sizes (<25 nm) have no significant impacts on wheat growth. Furthermore, both the root and foliar applications significantly improved wheat growth, with no considerable differences. Using a machine learning approach, we found that the MN type was the main driving factor affecting wheat shoot biomass, followed by MN dose and size. Overall, wheat growth and physiology can be negatively influenced by specific MNs, for which a high dose and small size should be avoided in practical applications. Therefore, our study can provide insights into the future design and safe use of MNs in agriculture and increase the public acceptance of nano-agriculture.

Design and implementation of a portable snapshot multispectral imaging crop-growth sensor.

The timely and accurate acquisition of crop-growth information is a prerequisite for implementing intelligent crop-growth management, and portable multispectral imaging devices offer reliable tools for monitoring field-scale crop growth. To meet the demand for obtaining crop spectra information over a wide band range and to achieve the real-time interpretation of multiple growth characteristics, we developed a novel portable snapshot multispectral imaging crop-growth sensor (PSMICGS) based on the spectral sensing of crop growth. A wide-band co-optical path imaging system utilizing mosaic filter spectroscopy combined with dichroic mirror beam separation is designed to acquire crop spectra information over a wide band range and enhance the device's portability and integration. Additionally, a sensor information and crop growth monitoring model, coupled with a processor system based on an embedded control module, is developed to enable the real-time interpretation of the aboveground biomass (AGB) and leaf area index (LAI) of rice and wheat. Field experiments showed that the prediction models for rice AGB and LAI, constructed using the PSMICGS, had determination coefficients (R²) of 0.7 and root mean square error (RMSE) values of 1.611 t/ha and 1.051, respectively. For wheat, the AGB and LAI prediction models had R² values of 0.72 and 0.76, respectively, and RMSE values of 1.711 t/ha and 0.773, respectively. In summary, this research provides a foundational tool for monitoring field-scale crop growth, which is important for promoting high-quality and high-yield crops.

Prediction accuracy and repeatability of UAV based biomass estimation in wheat variety trials as affected by variable type, modelling strategy and sampling location

BackgroundThis study explores the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for estimating wheat biomass, focusing on the impact of phenotyping and analytical protocols in the context of late-stage variety selection programs. It emphasizes the importance of variable selection, model specificity, and sampling location within the experimental plot in predicting biomass, aiming to refine UAV-based estimation techniques for enhanced selection accuracy and throughput in variety testing programs.ResultsThe research uncovered that integrating geometric and spectral traits led to an increase in prediction accuracy, whilst a recursive feature elimination (RFE) based variable selection workflowled to slight reductions in accuracy with the benefit of increased interpretability. Models, tailored to specific experiments were more accurate than those modelling all experiments together, while models trained for broad-growth stages did not significantly increase accuracy. The comparison between a permanent and a precise region of interest (ROI) within the plot showed negligible differences in biomass prediction accuracy, indicating the robustness of the approach across different sampling locations within the plot. Significant differences in the within-season repeatability (w2) of biomass predictions across different experiments highlighted the need for further investigation into the optimal timing of measurement for prediction.ConclusionsThe study highlights the promising potential of UAV technology in biomass prediction for wheat at a small plot scale. It suggests that the accuracy of biomass predictions can be significantly improved through optimizing analytical and modelling protocols (i.e., variable selection, algorithm selection, stage-specific model development). Future work should focus on exploring the applicability of these findings under a wider variety of conditions and from a more diverse set of genotypes.

Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp. capable of metabolizing aromatics displays multifarious plant growth promoting traits: Insights on strategizing consortium-based application to agro-ecosystems

The persistence and slow rate of natural attenuation of genotoxic and endocrine-disrupting aromatic pollutants has impacted the soil heath of agro-ecologies leading to various health and environmental issues. Ecotoxic-xenobiotic compounds degradation property along with plant growth promoting traits of microbes are beneficial for devising strategies for improved agricultural soil health and its clean-up. Present study assessed the multipartite plant growth promoting-, biocontrol- and niche adaptive- traits of five aromatic degrading soil bacteria viz. Pseudomonas bharatica CSV86T, Pseudomonas sp. C5pp, Pseudomonas sp. PP4, Pseudomonas sp. PPD and Acinetobacter sp. ISP4. Solubilization of rock phosphate (P) and feldspar (K), production of plant growth hormone (auxin; IAA), ammonia, siderophores and ACC deaminase by strain CSV86T, C5pp and PP4 were observed. Similarly, high fusaric acid resistance (MIC: 1–1.2 mg mL−1) and tolerance to salinity (5–7.5 %) was observed. In vitro application of CSV86T, C5pp, PP4 and ISP4 as consortium resulted in significant increase (P < 0.05) in the seedling shoot length (15–37 %), root length (65–150 %) and biomass (30–40 %) of wheat, mung bean and fenugreek. In-soil microcosm assay confirmed the plant growth promoting and phytoprotective ability of this consortium against toxicity of aromatics in contaminated soil. Antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi Magnaporthe oryzae and Aspergillus spp., ability to produce lytic enzymes and HCN suggests their biocontrol potential. Four aromatic degrading bacteria (as a consortium) exhibiting plant growth promotion and biocontrol activity could be used as an eco-friendly bioremediator-biofertilizer-biocontrol agent (bioformulation) for restoration of agricultural soil with improved crop productivity.

Effects of dry bio-slurry and nitrogen fertilizer on potato and wheat yields under rotation cropping system.

Integrated nutrient management and crop rotation are important farming practices, which enhance the nutrient use efficiency of crops and reduce the incidence of diseases and insect pests. The study was carried out to address the gap in using integrated nutrient management in crop rotation systems for soil qualities and crop yield improvement. That was done by adjusting the balance ratio of dry bio-slurry and nitrogen fertilizers. The experiment was containing ten levels; Control (0,0), recommended nitrogen, 50% dry-bio slurry, 100% dry-bio slurry, 75% dry-bio slurry, 75% dry-bio slurry+25% recommended nitrogen, 50% dry-bio slurry+50% recommended nitrogen, 25% dry-bio slurry+75% recommended nitrogen, 100% dry-bio slurry + 25% recommended nitrogen and 100% dry-bio slurry + 50% recommended nitrogen that was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications for three years. The data on soil properties and yield components of potatoes and wheat were collected and analyzed using statistical analysis system software 9.4. An application of dry bio-slurry with nitrogen fertilizer was significantly affected both crop yield and soil properties in the rotation system. The application of 25% dry bio-slurry with 75% recommended nitrogen gave the highest tuber yield of potato (27.6 tha-1) as compared to control. Similarly, using 100% and 75% sole dry bio-slurry resulted in the highest grain yield (3.85 tha-1) and above-ground biomass (9.59 tha-1) of wheat. The combination of 25% dry bio-slurry with 75% recommended nitrogen scored the highest net benefit (2889.2 US$) with an acceptable marginal return (4463.3%) via by improving crops yield in the system. So, an application of 25% dry bio-slurry with 75% recommended nitrogen could be promoted for yield-soil improvement in the study area and similar agroecology.

Lignin, extractives and structural carbohydrate characteristics of Thinopyrum intermedium biomass reveal additional valorization opportunities for dual-crop utilization.

Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey, or intermediate wheat grass (IWG), is being developed as the first widely-available perennial grain candidate. However, because the crop is still in development, grain yields are lower than those of traditional cereals. Utilization of its non-grain biomass (e.g. for biofuel production and as a source of fine chemicals) would increase the economic value of its cultivation. The present study provides a structural characterization of the lignin and cell wall carbohydrates in IWG biomass and qualitative profiling of biomass extractives and compares them to those of annual wheat (Triticum aestivum) biomass grown in the same location and growing season. The monosaccharide composition and ester-linked phenolic acid contents of vegetative biomass material from annual wheat and IWG were similar. IWG vegetative biomass is rich in feruloylated arabinoxylans (AX) with a very low substitution rate, whereas the AX from IWG bran have a slightly higher substitution rate. The structure of IWG lignin was investigated using both the quantitative derivatization followed by reductive cleavage method and 2D-NMR analysis, revealing an H:G:S lignin that incorporates tricin and is acylated with coumaric acid and smaller amounts of ferulates. IWG and wheat extractives contained fatty acids, various free phenolic compounds (tricin, monolignols and phenolic acids), phenolic conjugates and phytosterols. The present study provides firm support for the further exploration of T. intermedium biomass as a carbohydrate feedstock (e.g, abundant in lightly substituted AX and cellulose polymers) for biofuel production and source of high-value fine chemicals, such as tricin. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.