Cereal Crops Research Articles

Enhanced wheat productivity in saline soil through the combined application of poultry manure and beneficial microbes.

Soil salinity is one of the major menaces to food security, particularly in dealing with the food demand of the ever-increasing global population. Production of cereal crops such as wheat is severely affected by soil salinity and improper fertilization. The present study aimed to examine the effect of selected microbes and poultry manure (PM) on seedling emergence, physiology, nutrient uptake, and growth of wheat in saline soil. A pot experiment was carried out in research area of Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Saline soil (12 dS m- 1 w/w) was developed by spiking using sodium chloride, and used in experiment along with two microbial strains (i.e., Alcaligenes faecalis MH-2 and Achromobacter denitrificans MH-6) and PM. Finally, wheat seeds (variety Akbar-2019) were sown in amended and unamended soil, and pots were placed following a completely randomized design. The wheat crop was harvested after 140 days of sowing. The results showed a 10-39% increase (compared to non-saline control) in agronomic, physiological, and nutritive attributes of wheat plants when augmented with PM and microbes. Microbes together with PM significantly enhanced seedling emergence (up to 38%), agronomic (up to 36%), and physiological (up to 33%) in saline soil as compared to their respective unamended control. Moreover, the co-use of microbes and PM also improved soil's physicochemical attributes and enhanced N (i.e., 21.7%-17.1%), P (i.e., 24.1-29.3%), and K (i.e., 28.7%-25.3%) availability to the plant (roots and shoots, respectively). Similarly, the co-use of amendments also lowered the Na+ contents in soil (i.e., up to 62%) as compared to unamended saline control. This is the first study reporting the effects of the co-addition of newly identified salt-tolerant bacterial strains and PM on seedling emergence, physiology, nutrient uptake, and growth of wheat in highly saline soil. Our findings suggest that co-using a multi-trait bacterial culture and PM could be an appropriate option for sustainable crop production in salt-affected soil.

Clearfield upland rice intercropped with Urochloa ruziziensis for grain, increased revenue and environmental preservation

AbstractIntercropping perennial forage grasses into cereal crops is an alternative to recover degraded pastures. However, the intercrop of forage grasses, such as Urochloa ruziziensis (R. Germ. and C. M. Evard) Crins (Congo grass), can lead to losses in cereal yield. Therefore, it is necessary to develop management strategies that allow forage grass establishment without major losses in cereal yield in intercropping. The objective was to study the agronomic and economic impacts of intercropping U. ruziziensis into a Clearfield upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar in the state of Goiás, Brazil, in two growing seasons. Treatments included forage grass seeds sowing method (broadcast or incorporation to the soil) and sowing times (at rice sowing, 20 days after emergence [DAE], and 45 DAE of rice). Also, imazapyr + imazapic herbicide was applied to restrict the competitive effect on rice yield. Monocropping control plots were also evaluated. Grain yield was measured on rice. Forage grass dry matter yield was measured at 30, 60, and 90 days after harvesting (DAH) of rice. Crude protein content was analyzed at 90 DAH. Profitability was calculated for each cropping system relative to rice monocropping. Intercropping of rice and U. ruziziensis sowed at 45 DAE provided the highest grain yield relative to other assessed intercropping treatments as well as rice monocropping. Concurrent sowing of rice and incorporated U. ruziziensis seeding provided the greatest economic return. This reformed cropping system improved land and pasture output, which can reduce the pressure to convert more land to agricultural use.

Alternative Splicing Plays a Crucial Role in the Salt Tolerance of Foxtail Millet.

Foxtail millet is an important cereal crop that is relatively sensitive to salt stress, with its yield significantly affected by such stress. Alternative splicing (AS) widely affects plant growth, development, and adaptability to stressful environments. Through RNA-seq analysis of foxtail millet under different salt treatment periods, 2078 AS events were identified, and analyses were conducted on differential gene (DEG), differential alternative splicing gene (DASG), and overlapping gene. To investigate the regulatory mechanism of AS in response to salt stress in foxtail millet, the foxtail millet AS genes SiCYP19, with two AS variants (SiCYP19-a and SiCYP19-b), were identified and cloned. Yeast overexpression experiments indicated that SiCYP19 may be linked to the response to salt stress. Subsequently, we conducted overexpression experiments of both alternative splicing variants in foxtail millet roots to validate them experimentally. The results showed that, under salt stress, both SiCYP19-a and SiCYP19-b jointly regulated the salt tolerance of foxtail millet. Specifically, overexpression of SiCYP19-b significantly increased the proline content and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in foxtail millet, compared to that in SiCYP19-a. This shows that SiCYP19-b plays an important role in increasing the content of proline and promoting the clearance of ROS, thus improving the salt tolerance of foxtail millet.

Speed Breeding in Cereal Crops: Accelerating Genetic Improvement for Rapid Agricultural Advancement

The global demand for food is rising due to population growth, climate change, and evolving consumer preferences. Traditional plant breeding programs typically require a decade or more to develop and release new crop varieties. Speed breeding is a cutting-edge technique designed to expedite genetic improvement by significantly reducing the seed-to-seed cycle. This review explores the principles, applications, and potential of this method in accelerating agricultural advancement. Originating from NASA's experiments for food production in space, the approach has evolved into a highly efficient strategy for speeding up breeding cycles in cereal crops. By manipulating light, photoperiodic regimes, temperature, and humidity within controlled environments, it is possible to achieve up to six generations of photo-insensitive crops and two to three generations of other crops per year. This rapid generation turnover provides a unique opportunity for accelerated genetic mapping, trait stacking, and enhanced genomic selection. Speed breeding complements modern breeding technologies such as genome editing, high-throughput genotyping, and CRISPR, facilitating quicker development of crop varieties with improved traits. Its applications extend to boosting transgenic pipelines and understanding critical physiological traits in crops. Furthermore, it aligns with breeding methods like single plant selection and single seed descent, offering a more efficient path to desirable outcomes. However, challenges remain, including the need for specialized infrastructure, the impact of genotypic variations, and potential stress responses due to accelerated conditions. Despite these hurdles, speed breeding represents a promising tool in the quest for food security and resilient agricultural systems. This review examines its potential to transform plant breeding, reduce cultivar development times, and contribute to rapid agricultural advancement in a changing world.

Genome-Wide Identification and Hormone Response Analysis of the COBL Gene Family in Barley

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), a diverse cereal crop, exhibits remarkable versatility in its applications, ranging from food and fodder to industrial uses. The content of cellulose in barley is significantly influenced by the COBRA genes, which encode the plant glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein (GAP) that plays a pivotal role in the deposition of cellulose within the cell wall. The COBL (COBRA-Like) gene family has been discovered across numerous species, yet the specific members of this family in barley remain undetermined. In this study, we discovered 13 COBL genes within the barley genome using bioinformatics methods, subcellular localization, and protein structure analysis, finding that most of the barley COBL proteins have a signal peptide structure and are localized on the plasma membrane. Simultaneously, we constructed a phylogenetic tree and undertook a comprehensive analysis of the evolutionary relationships. Other characteristics of HvCOBL family members, including intraspecific collinearity, gene structure, conserved motifs, and cis-acting elements, were thoroughly characterized in detail. The assessment of HvCOBL gene expression in barley under various hormone treatments was conducted through qRT-PCR analysis, revealing jasmonic acid (JA) as the predominant hormonal regulator of HvCOBL gene expression. In summary, this study comprehensively identified and analyzed the barley COBL gene family, aiming to provide basic information for exploring the members of the HvCOBL gene family and to propose directions for further research.

Is the boom in staple crop production attributed to expanded cropland or improved yield? A comparative analysis between China and India

The characteristics of cropland development and the dynamics of food production in China and India, the world's largest agricultural and most populous countries, are of great importance to global food security. However, there is a notable lack of a thorough comparison between China and India in this regard. Here, we systematically compare the differences between China and India using cropping intensity and crop production data, including cropland area, harvested area, total staple crop (i.e., cereal crops, tuber crops and pulse crops) production and yield capacity. The results are mainly as follows: (1) Both China and India experienced an increasing trend in cropland area and harvested area from 2001 to 2021, especially notable in India. In China, the cropland area and harvested area increased by 11.76 % and 14.36 %, respectively, while in India, they witnessed a more substantial increase of 31.10 % and 49.32 %, respectively. (2) The cropping intensity underwent significant transformations, primarily shifting between non-cropland, single-cropping, and double-cropping. Northwestern China exhibited a clear trend of non-cropland converting to single-cropping, whereas northeastern China showed a distinct pattern of single-cropping changing to non-cropland. The interconversion between single-cropping and double-cropping was also frequently observed in the main food-producing regions. In India, the cropland expansion and the adoption of double-cropping are highly pronounced, extending widely across most of the country. (3) From 2001 to 2021, the total staple crop production in China and India increased by 34.12 % and 55.81 %, respectively. Despite the rapid growth in India's total staple crop production, it still amounts to only about half of China's. The major crops production also showed different trends, China's cereal crops production increased significantly, while tuber and pulse crops production declined, and India's production of cereal, tuber, and pulse crops has all increased (4) China's yield capacity has increased by 17.28 %, while India's has only grown by 4.35 %. Despite the rapid increase in India's total staple crop production, the yield gap with China has widened. The boost in China's total staple crop production mainly resulted from improved yield capacity, whereas India relied more on the cropland area expansion, especially the increase in harvested area. Our comprehensive comparison of China and India in cropland development and staple crop production contributes to a deep understanding of the differences in agricultural production between the two countries, and provides lessons for global food security and sustainable agricultural development.

Optimizing Wheat Yield: A Comprehensive Study on the Impact of Inorganic Fertilizer Rates and Varietal Selection in Kofele, Ethiopia

Wheat is one of the globally produced and marketed cereal crops which cover 15% of the total sowing areas of cereal crops in the world. The low productivity of wheat in Ethiopia is mainly attributed to lack of improved agronomic practices. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the major important elements for crop yield. But there is lack of information on optimum fertilizer rate for wheat production in this area (Kofele district of West Arsi zone). Therefore the objective of this research was to determine the optimum nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer rate for wheat at Kofele district. This experiment was conducted for two consecutive years in 2016 and 2017 main cropping season. The treatment has two factors (three bread wheat varieties:- Digalu, Dendea and Didase and fertilizer rates: - 73kg/ha of nitrogen and 69kg /ha of P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>, 109.5kg/ha of nitrogen and 103.5kg/ha of P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>, 146kg/ha of nitrogen and 138kg/ha of P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5 </sub>and 46kg/ha of nitrogen and 181kg/ha of NPS:-19:38:7). The analyzed data indicated that plant height and seeds per spike of bread wheat was highly significantly affected by main effect of variety. Highest plant height (128.33cm) and seeds per spike (42.1) were recorded from variety Dendea. Spike length was significantly affected by main effect of variety. The longest spike length (8.3) was recorded from variety Hidase. Wheat grain yield was significantly affected by interaction effect at (p<0.05). Variety Hidase produced the highest grain yield of 6904.4kg/ha at 146kg/ha of nitrogen and 138kg/ha of P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>. Above ground dry weight of wheat was significantly affected by interaction effect. The highest above ground dry weight 18.9 ton/ha of wheat was produced from variety Digalu at 73kg/ha of nitrogen and 69kg/ha of P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>. Therefore, to get the highest benefit farmers should grow variety Hidase by applying 146kg/ha of nitrogen and 138kg/ha of P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5 </sub>at this area.

Overexpression of a pearl millet WRKY transcription factor gene, PgWRKY74, in Arabidopsis retards shoot growth under dehydration and salinity-stressed conditions.

Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus) is a cereal crop that can tolerate high temperatures, drought, and low-fertility conditions where other crops lose productivity. However, genes regulating this ability are largely unknown. Transcription factors (TFs) regulate transcription of their target genes, regulate downstream biological processes, and thus are candidates for regulators of such tolerance of pearl millet. PgWRKY74 encodes a group IIc WRKY TF in pearl millet and is downregulated by drought. PgWRKY74 may have a role in drought tolerance. The objective of this study was to gain insights into the physiological and biochemical functions of PgWRKY74. Yeast one-hybrid and gel shift assays were performed to examine transcriptional activation potential and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-binding ability, respectively. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants overexpressing PgWRKY74-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion gene were generated and tested for growth and stress-responsive gene expression under mannitol and NaCl-stressed conditions. A construct with PgWRKY74 enabled yeast reporter cells to survive on test media in the yeast one-hybrid assays. The electrophoretic mobility of DNA with putative WRKY TF-binding motifs was lower in the presence of a recombinant PgWRKY74 protein than its absence. The PgWRKY74-GFP-overexpressing Arabidopsis plants exhibited smaller rosette areas than did wild-type plants under mannitol-stressed and NaCl-stressed conditions, and exhibited weaker expression of RD29B, which is induced by the stress-related phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), under the mannitol-stressed condition. PgWRKY74 have transcriptional activation potential and DNA-binding ability, and can negatively regulate plant responses to mannitol and NaCl stresses, possibly by decreasing ABA levels or ABA sensitivity.

A Comparative Analysis of Neural Network Architectures for Predicting Indian Rice Production

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal crops in World and feeds more than a third of the world’s population. In Asian region, rice is a main source of nutrition and provides 30% to 70% of the daily calories for half of the world’s population. Here, in this study two different neural network models were used in prediction of rice production of India. It was observed that the accuracy score of Multi-layer perceptron neural network is better than Radial basis function in prediction of rice production. The loss/error value for Multi-layer perceptron (MLP) model is lower than Radial basis function (RBF) model. The relative error is found to be high for MLP.

Characterizing stay-green in barley across diverse environments: unveiling novel haplotypes

Key messageThere is variation in stay-green within barley breeding germplasm, influenced by multiple haplotypes and environmental conditions. The positive genetic correlation between stay-green and yield across multiple environments highlights the potential as a future breeding target.Barley is considered one of the most naturally resilient crops making it an excellent candidate to dissect the genetics of drought adaptive component traits. Stay-green, is thought to contribute to drought adaptation, in which the photosynthetic machinery is maintained for a longer period post-anthesis increasing the photosynthetic duration of the plant. In other cereal crops, including wheat, stay-green has been linked to increased yield under water-limited conditions. Utilizing a panel of diverse barley breeding lines from a commercial breeding program we aimed to characterize stay-green in four environments across two years. Spatiotemporal modeling was used to accurately model senescence patterns from flowering to maturity characterizing the variation for stay-green in barley for the first time. Environmental effects were identified, and multi-environment trait analysis was performed for stay-green characteristics during grain filling. A consistently positive genetic correlation was found between yield and stay-green. Twenty-two chromosomal regions with large effect haplotypes were identified across and within environment types, with ten being identified in multiple environments. In silico stacking of multiple desirable haplotypes showed an opportunity to improve the stay-green phenotype through targeted breeding. This study is the first of its kind to model barley stay-green in a large breeding panel and has detected novel, stable and environment specific haplotypes. This provides a platform for breeders to develop Australian barley with custom senescence profiles for improved drought adaptation.

Integrating fall‐planted cereal rye cover crop with herbicides for reducing Palmer amaranth seed production in soybean under planting green conditions

AbstractCover crops are usually terminated prior to planting the cash crop; however, “planting green” is an alternative approach that allows growers to plant cash crop into an actively growing, green cover crop, which is then terminated after the establishment of the cash crop. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine whether planting soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) into a standing cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop provides superior weed suppression compared to terminating cereal rye 2 weeks before soybean planting and (2) to evaluate an integrated effect of herbicide programs and cereal rye termination timing on Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) control, biomass, seed production, soybean grain yield, and benefit/cost ratio. Field experiments were conducted in southcentral Nebraska from 2020 to 2022. Preemergence (PRE) herbicide with 2 weeks after planting (WAP) termination of cereal rye provided >95% Palmer amaranth control in 2021 and varied from 88% to 98% in 2022 at 28 days after PRE. A PRE herbicide followed by (fb) late‐postemergence (LPOST) herbicide with 2 WAP termination of cereal rye controlled Palmer amaranth 85%–92% in 2021 compared with 97%–99% control 28 days after LPOST herbicide application in 2022. Palmer amaranth density was higher with 2 WBP cereal rye termination compared with 2 WAP termination regardless of the herbicide program. PRE fb LPOST herbicide programs integrated with 2 WAP termination of cereal rye reduced Palmer amaranth seed production to less than 9100 seeds plant−1 in 2021 and no seed production in 2022. In 2021, terminating cereal rye 2 WAP played an integral role in controlling and reducing the density of Palmer amaranth; however, it had noticeable impact on soybean yield compared to terminating 2 WBP. In 2022, hail and windstorm had a confounding effect on soybean stand and yield.

CO2 Response Screen in Grass Brachypodium Reveals Key Role of a MAP Kinase in CO2-Triggered Stomatal Closure.

Plants respond to increased CO2 concentrations through stomatal closure, which can contribute to increased water use efficiency. Grasses display faster stomatal responses than eudicots due to dumbbell-shaped guard cells flanked by subsidiary cells working in opposition. However, forward genetic screening for stomatal CO2 signal transduction mutants in grasses has yet to be reported. The grass model Brachypodium distachyon is closely related to agronomically important cereal crops, sharing largely collinear genomes. To gain insights into CO2 control mechanisms of stomatal movements in grasses, we developed an unbiased forward genetic screen with an EMS-mutagenized Brachypodium distachyon M5 generation population using infrared imaging to identify plants with altered leaf temperatures at elevated CO2. Among isolated mutants, a "chill1" mutant exhibited cooler leaf temperatures than wildtype Bd21-3 parent control plants after exposure to increased [CO2]. chill1 plants showed strongly impaired high CO2-induced stomatal closure despite retaining a robust abscisic acid-induced stomatal closing response. Through bulked segregant whole-genome-sequencing analyses followed by analyses of further backcrossed F4 generation plants and generation and characterization of sodium-azide and CRISPR-cas9 mutants, chill1 was mapped to a protein kinase, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 5 (BdMPK5). The chill1 mutation impaired BdMPK5 protein-mediated CO2/HCO3- sensing together with the High Temperature 1 (HT1) Raf-like kinase in vitro. Furthermore, AlphaFold2-directed structural modeling predicted that the identified BdMPK5-D90N chill1 mutant residue is located at the interface of BdMPK5 with the BdHT1 Raf-like kinase. BdMPK5 is a key signaling component that mediates CO2-induced stomatal movements and is proposed to function as a component of the primary CO2 sensor in grasses.

Evaluation of aluminum tolerance diversity in Avena sativa L. from the VIR collection

Background. Oat is an important food and feed cereal crop in Russia. The area under oats is 10 million ha worldwide, and 3 million ha in Russia. Acid soils with excessive content of exchangeable aluminum occupy almost every third hectare in the exUSSR territory. Oats are relatively resistant to unfavorable soil factors. Among cereal crops, oat is second only to rye and triticale in terms of resistance to exchangeable Al forms. Despite the crop’s high environmental plasticity, an important condition for obtaining sustainable oat yields is the development of new cultivars with resistance to adverse environmental factors, including metal toxicity and high soil acidity.The objective of this work was to search for oat cultivars resistant to soil stressors (excess of Н+ and Al3+) for use in breeding for edaphic resistance.Materials and methods. The research material included 687 oat accessions from the VIR global plant genetic resources collection. The accessions underwent laboratory evaluation of their aluminum tolerance at the initial growth and development stages using the method of measuring radicle growth after the exposure to aluminum stress. Reproducibility of the used modification of the method was mathematically proved.Results and discussion. Significant variation in the resistance to the studied stressor was observed among the accessions. The regions acting as sources of valuable aluminum resistance genes were identified for the crop. The accessions selected for their high resistance to exchangeable aluminum can be used in breeding programs to develop high-yielding oat cultivars with edaphic resistance.

Effectiveness of ISSR markers for detecting genomic variability in <I>Panicum miliaceum</I> L. accessions

Background. Millet is one of the main cereal crops with a wide area of cultivation. Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the consumption of millet and its processed products. As a result, the breeding of cultivars with high consumer properties is becoming relevant, requiring knowledge of the genetic diversity of germplasm accessions to identify donors of valuable agronomic traits and select parental forms using ISSR markers.Materials and methods. The analysis with 8 ISSR primers included 21 accessions of Panicum miliaceum L. of various origin from the VIR collection. The DNA of each accession was isolated by the CTAB method, and ISSR analysis was performed in a ­BioRad T100 Thermal Cycler. Statistical processing was made in the DARwin program (version 6.0.21).Results and conclusion. Eight primers were used to amplify 116 fragments, 62 (53.4%) of which turned out to be polymorphic. To assess the effectiveness of the analyzed primers and identify the polymorphism of millet, basic indicators of their informativeness were calculated and assessed by quantifying four marker parameters. Average PIC (0.27–0.36), EMR (1.38–14.5) and MI (0.12–4.87) values were obtained for most ISSR primers. Four ISSR primers had high Rp values (3.52–6.76) and were the most informative for genotyping. The selected ISSR markers were used to assess the genetic variability of the accessions and identify them. The values of genetic distances (GD) were 0.05–0.21. It was shown that four ISSR markers with the best informativeness values provided sufficient polymorphism to assess the genetic diversity of the analyzed P. miliaceum genotypes and could be recommended for identification of the variability in the genome of millet accessions.

Climate change and crop yield of oats (Avena sativa L.) in Yakutia

Background. Yakutia lies within a risky farming region, where both low temperatures and insufficient moisture are the limiting factors. Oat is the main cereal fodder crop in Yakutia. Climate warming observed in recent decades has been affecting oat cultivation in different climatic areas of Yakutia. The objective of the study was to analyze weather and climate factors affecting oat yield in the republic during the past decade.Materials and methods. The study covered the data of 2014–2021 on the yield of zoned oat cultivars in three Yakutian variety trial sites located in the Central, Transfluvial and Middle Lena agroclimatic zones, and agronomic characteristics of three oat cultivars in the Central zone in 1999–2021. Variance, correlation, and regression analyses were applied.Results and conclusion. The study showed that in 2014–2021 there was a decrease in oat yields in Yakutia. The correlation analysis showed that this was due to climate changes: active warming, and a tendency towards a decrease in precipitation during the oat growing season. The regression analysis of the oat crop structure in the Central Zone in 1999–2021 confirmed that all yield components depended on the moisture availability, and it was the decrease in precipitation that led to a reduction in such indicators as 1000 grain weight, plant height, panicle length, and yield. A significant dependence on humidification conditions indicates the need to continue breeding work towards the development of drought-resistant oat cultivars adapted to the specific agroclimatic environments of Yakutia.

Environmental changes impact on vegetables physiology and nutrition – Gaps between vegetable and cereal crops

Projected changes in climate patterns, increase of weather extreme, water scarcity, and land degradation are going to challenge agricultural production and food security. Currently, studies concerning effects of climate change on agriculture mainly focus on yield and quality of cereal crops. In contrast, there has been little attention on the effects of environmental changes on vegetables that are necessary and key nutrition component for human beings, but quite sensitive to these climatic changes. Therefore, we reviewed the main changes of environmental factors under the current scenario as well as the impacts of these factors on the physiological responses and nutritional alteration of vegetables and the key findings based on modelling. The gaps between cereal crops and vegetables were pinpointed and the actions to take in the future were proposed. The review will enhance our understanding concerning the effects of environmental changes on production, physiological responses, nutrition, and modelling of vegetable plants.

Cereal rye cover crop termination at or before soybean planting has minimal effect on soybean yield across the midwestern US

ContextInterest is growing among farmers in the Midwestern US region in the potential benefits of establishing cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) as a cover crop. However, they are concerned about the implications and potential trade-offs due to this practice. ObjectiveWe aimed to evaluate the effects of cereal rye cover crop termination at or before soybean planting on soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) seed yield. MethodsField experiments were conducted from 2019 to 2021 across 28 location-years in the Midwestern US. Treatments consisted of no cereal rye, cereal rye termination before soybean planting, and termination at planting. Cereal rye was chemically terminated at each termination timing. Cereal rye biomass and soybean yield were assessed. ResultsDelaying cereal rye termination in soybean systems increased rye biomass, but its impact on soybean yield was inconsistent. Results showed that delayed termination did not reduce soybean seed yield in 25 of 28 location-years compared to a no cover crop treatment. There was no clear evidence indicating that a threshold level of cereal rye biomass accumulation reduced soybean seed yield. ConclusionsOur results suggest that farmers who adopt cereal rye as a winter cover crop in the examined region have a flexible management window for terminating cereal rye, as the timing of termination had minimal effect on soybean seed yield. However, there were no significant soybean seed yield benefits that would justify the associated cost with the use of cover crops. Therefore, conducting long-term studies in the future is highly recommended to better understand how cereal rye cover crops can influence soybean seed yield and soil quality properties over time. Further studies should also investigate the aspect of non-chemical rye management to assess its potential cost-saving effects for farmers adopting this system. ImplicationsThese findings hold several implications for farmers, agronomists, and stakeholders. The increased cereal rye biomass due to delayed termination could offer greater soil benefits. While the inconsistent effects on soybean yield imply flexible termination options for cover crop adoption, the absence of substantial yield benefits underscores the importance of considering both short-term costs and long-term sustainability goals.

Consequences of Land Use Changes on Native Forest and Agricultural Areas in Central-Southern Chile during the Last Fifty Years

Chile’s central-south region has experienced significant land use changes in the past fifty years, affecting native forests, agriculture, and urbanization. This article examines these changes and assesses their impact on native forest cover and agricultural land. Agricultural data for Chile (1980–2020) were obtained from public Chilean institutions (INE and ODEPA). Data on land use changes in central and south Chile (1975–2018), analysed from satellite images, were obtained from indexed papers. Urban area expansion in Chile between 1993 and 2020 was examined using publicly available data from MINVIU, Chile. Additionally, photovoltaic park data was sourced from SEA, Chile. Field crop coverage, primarily in central and southern Chile, decreased from 1,080,000 ha in 1980 to 667,000 ha in 2020, with notable decreases observed in cereal and legume crops. Conversely, the coverage of export-oriented orchards and vineyards increased from 194,947 ha to 492,587 ha. Forest plantations expanded significantly, ranging from 18% per decade in northern central Chile to 246% in the Maule and Biobío regions. This was accompanied by a 12.7–27.0% reduction per 10 years in native forest. Urban areas have experienced significant growth of 91% in the last 27 years, concentrated in the Mediterranean climate region. Solar photovoltaic parks have begun to increasingly replace thorn scrub (Espinal) and agricultural land, mirroring transformations seen in other Mediterranean nations like Spain and Portugal.

Change in Cultivation of Bajra in Haryana and Rajasthan

Background: Bajra (Pennisetum glaucum) is the main coarse cereal crop grown mainly in Africa and Asia. In India, it is mainly grown in Rajasthan and Haryana. It is cultivated in the dry and warm climatic regions. It is a Kharif crop that is grown at the start of the season’s first monsoon. Objective: This study aimed to explore the change in the cultivation of bajra in two states, Haryana and Rajasthan. Cultivation means how the crop is grown in any particular area and what steps are taken to improve the growth of crops. Methods: In this study, different aspects like area, productivity, and yield were studied from 2018 to 2020, and data were compiled for all these factors in both states with the help of various literature research. Results: This study demonstrated that the growth trends in the area under cultivation, productivity, and yield of bajra increased from 2018 to 2020 due to stability in yield, price (MRP), and insured marketing. All the results and data were obtained from different published sources in these two states. Conclusion: This review gives a brief account of the changes in the cultivation of bajra in two different states, Haryana and Rajasthan. The expansion of the area of bajra is due to the use of good quality seeds, the use of hybrids, and the adaption of good agricultural practices, and it is also the reason for an increase in production and yield.

Aeluropus littoralis stress-associated protein promotes water deficit resilience in engineered durum wheat

Global climate change-related water deficit negatively affect the growth, development and yield performance of multiple cereal crops, including durum wheat. Therefore, the improvement of water-deficit stress tolerance in durum wheat varieties in arid and semiarid areas has become imperative for food security. Herein, we evaluated the water deficiency resilience potential of two marker-free transgenic durum wheat lines (AlSAP-lines: K9.3 and K21.3) under well-watered and water-deficit stress conditions at both physiological and agronomic levels. These two lines overexpressed the AlSAP gene, isolated from the halophyte grass Aeluropus littoralis, encoding a stress-associated zinc finger protein containing the A20/AN1 domains. Under well-watered conditions, the wild-type (WT) and both AlSAP-lines displayed comparable performance concerning all the evaluated parameters. Ectopic transgene expression exerted no adverse effects on growth and yield performance of the durum wheat plants. Under water-deficit conditions, no significant differences in the plant height, leaf number, spike length, and spikelet number were observed between AlSAP-lines and WT plants. However, compared to WT, the AlSAP-lines exhibited greater dry matter production, greater flag leaf area, improved net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency. Notably, the AlSAP-lines displayed 25 % higher grain yield (GY) than the WT plants under water-deficit conditions. The RT-qPCR-based selected stress-related gene (TdDREB1, TdLEA, TdAPX1, and TdBlt101-2) expression analyses indicated stress-related genes enhancement in AlSAP-durum wheat plants under both well-watered and water-deficit conditions, potentially related to the water-deficit resilience. Collectively, our findings support that the ectopic AlSAP expression in durum wheat lines enhances water-deficit resilience ability, thereby potentially compensate for the GY loss in arid and semi-arid regions.