Cereal Research Articles

The historical roots of modern cereal farming between archives and agronomy

L’articolo mira a presentare gli elementi costitutivi di un progetto in fieri che si propone di indagare le fonti archivistiche disponibili a partire dalla meta del Settecento sino al pieno Novecento, per ripercorrere lo sviluppo dell’agricoltura e individuare e analizzare le tecniche di coltivazione adottate in passato, prima dello sviluppo della cerealicoltura intensiva. Lo scandaglio della documentazione archivistica rappresenta l’elemento fondante della ricerca che, in un’ottica di interdisciplinarieta, vuole contribuire ad individuare le tecniche e le tempistiche di lavorazione e fertilizzazione del suolo, le colture adottate e le rotazioni applicate al fine di rapportare le informazioni recuperate dai documenti ai risultati produttivi agronomici e ai rapporti pedoclimatici.

Evaluating Different Catch Crop Strategies for Closing the Nitrogen Cycle in Cropping Systems—Field Experiments and Modelling

For arable stockless farming systems, the integration of catch crops (CC) during the fallow period might be a key for closing the nitrogen (N) cycle, reducing N leaching and increasing the transfer of N to the subsequent crop. However, despite considerable research efforts, the fate of N in such integrated systems remains unclear. To address this, a two-year field experiment was carried out in northern Germany with different CC, including frost-tolerant and frost-killed CC. The experiment started following a two-year ryegrass/red clover ley, which was subsequently sown with a cereal (CE) or a grain legume (field pea, PE). This provided two contrasting systems with high residual N in autumn. The results showed high N uptake of the CC, ranging from 84 to 136 kg N ha−1 with PE as the pre-crop, and from 33 to 110 kg N ha−1 with CE. All CC reduced N leaching compared with the control, a bare fallow over autumn/winter. Of the various CC, the frost-killed CC showed higher leaching compared with the other CCs, indicating mineralisation of the CC residue in the later autumn/winter period. The process based APSIM (Agricultural Production SIMulator) model was used to simulate N cycling for a cereal grain legume rotation, including a frost-killed and a frost resistant CC. While the model simulated the biomass and the N uptake by the crops, as well as the reduction of N leaching with the use of CC well, it under-estimated N leaching from the frost-killed CC. The study showed that all CC were affective at reducing N leaching, but winter hard catch crops should be preferred, as there is a risk of increased leaching following the mineralisation of residues from frost-killed CC.

Single-cell-type transcriptomic analysis reveals distinct gene expression profiles in wheat guard cells in response to abscisic acid.

Stomatal closure, driven by shrinking guard cells in response to the accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA) under drought stress, has a great impact on plant growth and environmental acclimation. However, the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying the turgor alteration of guard cells remains elusive, especially in cereal grasses. Here, we develop a modified enzyme digestion-based approach for the isolation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) guard cells. With this approach, we can remove mesophyll, pavement cells and subsidiary cells successively from the epidermis of the trichomeless coleoptile in wheat and preserve guard cells on the cuticle layers in an intact and physiologically active conditions. Using a robust single-cell-type RNA sequencing analysis, we discovered 9829 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as significantly up- or down-regulated in guard cells in response to ABA treatment. Transcriptome analysis revealed a large percent of DEGs encoding multiple phytohormone signalling pathways, transporters, calcium signalling components, protein kinases and other ABA signalling-related proteins, which are primarily involved in key signalling pathways in ABA-regulated stomatal control and stress response. Our findings provide valuable resource for investigating the transcriptional regulatory mechanism underlying wheat guard cells in response to ABA.

ОБОСНОВАНИЕ ОСНОВНЫХ КОНСТРУКТИВНО-ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ПАРАМЕТРОВ ПНЕВМОСЕПАРИРУЮЩЕГО УСТРОЙСТВА КЛЕВЕРОТЁРКИ-СКАРИФИКАТОРА

The most labor-intensive stages of the post-harvest processing of grass seeds are their extracting and cleaning from impurities. For extracting seeds from the hull of clover and other leguminous and cereal grasses, as well as scarifi cation of solid seeds of leguminous grasses, the clover thresher and scarifi er KS-0.2 has been developed. It lacks a device for cleaning the extracted seeds from impurities, which makes it diffi cult to further clean them at subsequent stages of the processing line. To eliminate this disadvantage, a pneumatic separating device was fi tted for cleaning seeds from light impurities. The research aimed at experimental substantiation of the basic constructive and technological parameters of the pneumatic separating device of the clover thresher and scarifi er, ensuring cleaning from light impurities of more than 60%. The study was carried out according to conventional techniques using methods of planning a multi-factor experiment on a laboratory installation of a clover thresher when cleaning red clover seeds from light impurities. The study results have shown that the maximum eff ect of cleaning from light impurities reaches 96.7% with a minimum feed of source material of 200 kg/h, the angle of the grain board inclination of 42.85° and a maximum depth of the aspirating channel of 0.11 m. Based on design considerations and the maximum throughput of the clover thresher and scarifi er, the following combination of factors was chosen as the optimal one: a feed of the source material of 300 kg/h, an inclination angle of the grain board of 45° and a depth of the aspirating channel of 0.09 m. With this combination of factors, the eff ect of cleaning from light impurities meets the technical requirements and equals 75.2%. Thus, the study has determined the basic design and technological parameters of the pneumatic separating device of the clover thresher and scarifier.

ТОЧНАЯ МЕЛИОРАЦИЯ КАК СРЕДСТВО СОХРАНЕНИЯ ПЛОДОРОДИЯ ПОЧВ

The purpose of the work is to assess the probabilities of the need for irrigation, taking into account the requirements of plants and soils for different agro hydrological areas of the Samara region, in which fi ve agro hydrological areas are allocated. The issues of substantiation of irrigation taking into account both the requirements of plants and soils in the conditions of heterogeneity of the distribution of moisture reserves in the soil at the macro level (in agro hydrological areas) are considered. This allows you to choose the most favorable conditions for growing plants and preserving soil fertility, allows you to reflect the requirements of the soil biota community. Soil requirements (optimal moisture reserves for soil formation) are proposed to be defined as the most probable in specific natural and climatic conditions, which makes it possible to reflect the requirements of the soil biota community, since it is difficult to use the indicator type of soil organisms. Calculations are carried out on the example of a moisture-loving plant (cabbage) and a cereal grass mixture little demanding for water. The requirements of plants to soil moisture reserves represent the function of dependence of their productivity on moisture reserves in a layer 0… 50 cm. Soil requirements are determined using the space-time function of the distribution of moisture reserves in the conditions of natural vegetation (grass). The need for hydro-reclamation measures is determined by comparing the requirements of plants and environmental conditions. The probability of the need to irrigate a moisture-loving crop in different agro hydrological areas is 18%, for crops that are not demanding water – 12%. At the same time, soil formation conditions improve up to 60%.

Effect of fertilization on the chemical composition and quality of cereal grasses fodder with different ripeness

The influence of fertilization on chemical composition and quality of fodder from cereal grasses has been studied. It was found that the highest indices of crude protein were observed in the variant with Dactylis glomerata and Lolium perenne 11.2-11.4%, which is 0.9-1.1% more than Phalaris arundinacea. When applying phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, the crude protein content increased by 0.1-0.2%, and with complete fertilization - 4.2-4.4%. On average, over the years of research, a grass factor was influential on the yield of 1 ha of dry mass with a share of 36%. Meanwhile, the share of fertilizer factor was 64%.

Influence of perennial legumes on the productivity of meadow phytocenoses

We investigated the effectiveness of soil liming during grass sowing and application of inoculation of perennial legume grass seeds with nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-mobilizing preparations. Methods. Field studies were conducted during 2016-2020 in the National Scientific Center "Institute of Farming of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine" (northern part of the Forest-steppe of Ukraine, Chabany settlement, Kiev-Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv region). Area of the sowing plot was 30 m2, control plot - 25 m². Repetition of experience four times. Technology of cultivation of perennial grasses and their mixtures was generally accepted. Nitrogen fertilizers in the form of ammonium nitrate containing 34% of active substance, phosphorus as simple superphosphate (18.7%) and potassium as potassium chloride (60%) were applied annually in early spring according to the experimental scheme. Liming was carried out by the lime application under pre-sowing cultivation during perennial grass sowing in a dose of 5 t/ha. Seeds of perennial legume grasses were inoculated with the strains of nodule bacteria, according to the technological instructions, immediately before the sowing. Dry weight content was determined by thermostatic weight method at 105 °C. Green mass yield was accounted by weight method, by weighing with subsequent recalculation of yield from 1 ha of dry weight. Results. The productivity of monogenic sowings of perennial leguminous grasses and their mixtures with awnless bromegrass in the variant without fertilization varied within the range of 5.12-8.38 tons, which is 1.7-2.5 times higher compared to the cereal grass stand which was formed from monogenic sowings of awnless bromegrass, for the five years on the average and for the yield from 1 ha of dry weight. The highest productivity and the level of accumulation of symbiotic nitrogen (191-266 kg/ha) were obtained in agrocenoses with alfalfa and the lowest one - with meadow clover.

ASSESSMENT OF CONTENTS OF STRUCTURAL CARBOHYDRATES AND LIGNIN OF PERENNIAL FODDER HERBAGES DEPENDING ON VEGETATIVE STAGE GROWTH

The purpose of this study is to evaluate cereal grasses – Bromus inermis, Festuca pratensis, Phleum pratense, and legumes: Trifolium pratense, Medicago varia in terms of their content of acid-detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid-detergent lignin (ADL) and hemicellulose (HC), cellulose depending on phases of vegetation – grasses: at vegetative, earing and flowering; legumes– vegetative. It was found that as the herbs grow, an increase in all fractions of the cell walls of leguminous herbs is observed, the cell walls occupy a smaller fraction of dry matter than in grasses, due to the lower HC content in them –10-12%, compared with 25-30% in grasses. The contents of ADF, NDF and ADL (% of dry matter) in grasses prior earing are 31-31, 50-55, 4-6: in earing – 32-37, 55-65, 5-6; in flowering – 40-45, 65-70 and 70-72, 7-9, respectively. Legumes have a higher content of ADL. As plants grow, the relative proportion of ADF in NDF increases, but it does not exceed 50% in grasses. In legumes – 70-80% regardless of the growth phase, explains the lower digestibility of legumes than grasses. To judge the levels of ADF and NDF in herbs, depending on the content of crude fibre (CF), the corresponding regression equations were calculated for grasses and feed prepared from them. The relationship between CF and ADF was closer (n = 64, s = 2.4%, r = 0.93) than between CF and ADL (n = 64, s = 4.4%, r = 0.87). Based on these studies and generalisation of the literature data, ADF and NDF in hay and haylage standard are recommended.

Distinct Preflowering Drought Tolerance Strategies of Sorghum bicolor Genotype RTx430 Revealed by Subcellular Protein Profiling.

Drought is the largest stress affecting agricultural crops, resulting in substantial reductions in yield. Plant adaptation to water stress is a complex trait involving changes in hormone signaling, physiology, and morphology. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a C4 cereal grass; it is an agricultural staple, and it is particularly drought-tolerant. To better understand drought adaptation strategies, we compared the cytosolic- and organelle-enriched protein profiles of leaves from two Sorghum bicolor genotypes, RTx430 and BTx642, with differing preflowering drought tolerances after 8 weeks of growth under water limitation in the field. In agreement with previous findings, we observed significant drought-induced changes in the abundance of multiple heat shock proteins and dehydrins in both genotypes. Interestingly, our data suggest a larger genotype-specific drought response in protein profiles of organelles, while cytosolic responses are largely similar between genotypes. Organelle-enriched proteins whose abundance significantly changed exclusively in the preflowering drought-tolerant genotype RTx430 upon drought stress suggest multiple mechanisms of drought tolerance. These include an RTx430-specific change in proteins associated with ABA metabolism and signal transduction, Rubisco activation, reactive oxygen species scavenging, flowering time regulation, and epicuticular wax production. We discuss the current understanding of these processes in relation to drought tolerance and their potential implications.

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHs) AND TRACE METALS IN SOME BRANDS OF SAUSAGE ROLL IN THE NIGERIAN MARKET

Background: Concentrations of PAHs and trace metals in five selected brands of sausage commonly available in the Nigerian market were determined in this study. The health risk assessment of both PAHs and trace metals were also evaluated. Methods: PAHs extraction of the sausage samples was carried out with Soxhlet extractor and clean-up of the extract was done using activated silica gel. The analysis of target analytes including the 16 priority PAHs was performed with Gas Chromatography equipped with Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) and the concentration of trace metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) after acid digestion of the sausage samples.Results: The amounts of Ʃ16 PAHs in sausage samples were in the range of 12.5-36.2 µg/g. All the samples investigated had concentration of Benzo (a) pyrene above 0.001 µg/g limit in processed cereal based food products stipulated by European Commission Regulation. In this study, the brands of sausages were majorly polluted with 4- and 5-ring PAHs. The concentrations (mg/Kg) of trace metals ranged as follows: Zn (1.01-71.0), Cu (ND-8.12) and Cr (ND-16.4). Cd was not detected in all the sample. Pb ranged from 2.34-13.0 mg/kg infringing the safe limit for cereals and cereal-based food products of 0.3 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg stipulated by FAO/WHO and European Commission, respectively. Conclusion: However, it is imperative to constantly monitor and control the concentrations of these pollutants in sausages since they are commonly consumed by Nigerian school children and youths.

FERMENTATION PROCESSES IN ALFALFA HAYLAGE WITHOUT ADDITIVES AND WITH INTRODUCTION OF Lactobacillus plantarum STRAIN

The optimal pH required for the functioning of proteases in alfalfa is lower than that of meadow clover or cereal grasses, and this culture is rich in protein and pectin which is not favorable for high-quality feed production. It is recommended to accelerate the acidification of the alfalfa being hayed by adding preparations of lactic acid bacteria. In the present work, for the first time in Russia, a diversity profile of haylage microbiota during fermentation was revealed using NGS sequencing. The work aimed to study the peculiarities of alfalfa fermentation during haylage with and without using Biotrof, a lactic acid bacteria-based preparation. The experiments were performed in 2018-2019. In the first experiment, the peculiarities of biochemical and microbiological processes during alfalfa haylaging were examined. Alfalfa Medicago sativa L. nothosubsp. varia (Martyn) Arcang cv. Pastbishnaya 88 was grown (experimental field, the Williams Federal Research Center for Forage Production and Agroecology, Moscow Province), cut for hay, dried in swaths for 7 hours to a dry matter content of 43.5 % and put into 0.5 l glass vessels for haylaging. The pH dynamics, ammonia, sugar and fermentation acid levels were measured on days 0, 4, 7, 14, 28, 60, and 90 of storage. The composition of the microbial community of the plant biomass and the alfalfa haylage was analyzed in dynamics using NGS sequencing according to a modified technique. In the second series of experiments, the effect of the preparation of lactic acid bacteria Biotrof (OOO Biotrof, Russia) based on Lactobacillus plantarum No. 60 on storability and biochemical parameters of the haylage from alfalfa cv.Pastbishnaya 88 biomass dried to a dry matter content of 47.6 and 51.3 %, was studied. The biomass was put into 0.5 l-containers equipped with devices for measuring evolved gases for two treatment, with no additives and upon introduction of the Biotrof preparation in the recommended dose (105CFU/g green mass). It was shown that a short-term wilting of alfalfa biomass to the haylage moisture resulted in 0.03-0.04 % ammonia and 0.08 % butyric acid concertation followed by an increase to 0.08-0.09 and 0.13-0.14 %, respectively, when haylaging. During wilting and early fermentation, the sugar contents in the biomass increased noticeably. In addition, the wilted alfalfa accumulates at least 3.7 % of malic acid which, like sugar, can be fermented by lactic acid bacteria. Butyric acid producers, the bacteria of the Clostridiaceae family, were not detected during fermentation. During haylage storage, among the bacteria of the Clostridia class the typical rumen microorganisms were identified of the families Eubacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Ruminococcaceae. We have found a relationship between an increase in the abundance of bacteria of the genus Ruminococcus and an increase in the amount of malic acid (r = 0.80, p ≤ 0.05), and also between an increase in the amount of malic acid and an increase in the number of bacteria of the phylum Bacteroides in the haylage (r = 0.84, p ≤ 0.05). The accumulation of malic acid improved the fermentability of plant biomass, causing a rapid acidification of the feed to pH 4.4-4.3 due to the introduced preparation of lactic acid bacteria Biotrof. This method improved the biochemical parameters of the feed, contributing to a decrease in the butyric acid level, however, it did not lead to a noticeable improvement in the preservation of nutrients and an increase in the energy nutritional value of the dry matter of the obtained haylage due to the favorable fermentation process in dried alfalfa biomass. Acceleration of the acidification of the dried mass with the Biotrof preparation did not have a significant effect on the reduction of ammonia formation during fermentation. Staphylococcus arlettae, Salmonella subterranea, Streptococcus gordonii, and Enterococcus cecorum capable of causing diseases in humans and animals, survived up to 4-14 days of storage in haylage without additives. In this regard, the stored haylage, if technological disturbances occur, may contain pathogens of farm animals, therefor, antimicrobial biologicals are required for conservation. Therefore, the main effect of the Biotrof application was reduced only to an improvement in the biochemical parameters of the feed without leading to a noticeable increase in its preservation.

The vertical structure of clover-cereal and cereal meadow grasses depending on their composition, mowing period and growing conditions in the Novgorod region of the North-West of Russia

Data are presented on the study of the influence of the composition of meadow cenoses, the term of their mowing, and the dose of mineral nitrogen on the distribution of phytomass along the height of clover-grass and grass meadow grass stands. It has been experimentally proved that the composition of agrocenoses, their mowing time and growing conditions have a great influence on the vertical distribution of the vegetative mass of meadow grass stands. For mowing use on medium-acid soils of heavy mechanical composition, legume-cereal grass with hybrid clover included in its composition is most suitable. On average over the years of research, this meadow agrocenosis cropped from the full budding phase to the full bloom phase is characterized by the most uniform phytomass distribution over the height of the grass stand. In addition, it was experimentally confirmed that the introduction of mineral nitrogen fertilizing under cereal meadow grass stands contributes to a more even distribution of vegetative mass along the agrocenoses height. When nitrogen is applied in a dose of 120 kg per 1 ha under cereal grass stand, there is a significant shift of the “center of equilibrium” up the height of the grass stand and a reduction in the amount of phytomass in the lower tier compared to unfertilized cereal agrocenosis, which is important when mowing grass meadows.

Environmental aspects of the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer materials

The possibilities of using sewage sludge as fertilizer materials are determined by their chemical composition, sanitary-toxicological and physical condition. In each case, the use of these wastes must be preceded by studies proving not only their nutritional value, but also safety, and be accompanied by the development of an environmentally friendly technology for their disposal. The paper provides data on the analysis of industrial soil based on sewage sludge with the aim of using it for the restoration of disturbed and contaminated lands. In an experiment with the cultivation of cereal grasses, the limiting doses of introducing waste were determined. An increase in the amount of sewage sludge led to an increase in the gross content of heavy metals in the industrial soil, and the cadmium content exceeded the permissible standards for close to neutral and neutral soils. A clear correlation between the content of toxicants in the soil and their accumulation in plants was not observed.

Pulses Production: Status, Trends and Strategies in India

Pulses are an important ingredient in the vegetarian diet of Indian masses. These are important because these have a high value for maintaining the optimal blood sugar levels and also restoring energy over a long period of time after the meals because the carbohydrates provided by pulses are released slowly as compared to cereals. In general, pulses are one of the most sustainable crops as it utilizes only 359 liter of water to produce one kg of pulses as compared to 1,802 liter for soybeans and 3,071 liters for groundnut. They play a significant role in contributing to soil quality by fixing nitrogen in the soil. India is one of the largest producer as well as consumer of a wide variety of pulses that is dominated by the tropical and sub-tropical crops such as chickpea, black gram, pigeon pea, green gram, lentil & so on. In this study, analysis has been done to help out the researcher and policy makers to take decisions regarding future initiatives and programs. In India during 2017-18 pulses were grown over an area of 29.99 million hectare producing 25.23 million tones with yield of 841 kg / per hectare. The cropping area of pulses in Haryana as compared to India is almost decreasing. The trend of contribution of pulses by Haryana at national level is also decreasing which reduces from 0.10 million tons in 2000-01 to 0.06 million tons in 2016-17. In India, about 5.63 to 10.90 percent share of food grains production is of pulses. The percentage growth rate in the cropped area as well as in production of total pulses in India shows much fluctuation but serious downfall in case of Haryana. The present study tries to review and analyze the current policy environment and suggests ways and means to improve the pulses production scenario in the country and Haryana as well. It advocates the need to diversify from cereal–based cropping systems to pulses-based cropping system with certain policy decisions like crop diversification, improving seed replacement rate, improved crop production techniques etc. This paper analyses status of pulse crop in India as a whole and Haryana in particular along with paradigm shift required in policy decision, pulse research, technology generation & dissemination, commercialization along with capacity building of farmers and frontier areas of research & extension.

Fungus-originated genes in the genomes of cereal and pasture grasses acquired through ancient lateral transfer

Evidence for ancestral gene transfer between Epichloë fungal endophyte ancestors and their host grass species is described. From genomes of cool-season grasses (the Poeae tribe), two Epichloë-originated genes were identified through DNA sequence similarity analysis. The two genes showed 96% and 85% DNA sequence identities between the corresponding Epichloë genes. One of the genes was specific to the Loliinae sub-tribe. The other gene was more widely conserved in the Poeae and Triticeae tribes, including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The genes were independently transferred during the last 39 million years. The transferred genes were expressed in plant tissues, presumably retaining molecular functions. Multiple gene transfer events between the specific plant and fungal lineages are unique. A range of cereal crops is included in the Poeae and Triticeae tribes, and the Loliinae sub-tribe is consisted of economically important pasture and forage crops. Identification and characterisation of the 'natural' adaptation transgenes in the genomes of cereals, and pasture and forage grasses, that worldwide underpin the production of major foods, such as bread, meat, and milk, may change the ‘unnatural’ perception status of transgenic and gene-edited plants.

Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of lemon, sweet, and cereal grasses

Total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant and antibacterial activity of ethanol, water, and water:ethanol (50/50 vol/vol) extracts from wheat, spelt, rye, barley, sweet, and lemon grasses were studied. Both grass type and solvent used significantly (p < .05; MANOVA) affected the extracts’ properties. The water:ethanol extract from lemon grass showed the highest TPC (107.24 ± 2.22 mg GAE/g d.m.), DPPH radical scavenging activity (87.8% inhibition), and FRAP value (1,445.2 ± 14.1 µmol Trolox/g d.m.). Rye and barley grass extracts also exhibited strong antioxidant potential. Spelt and lemon grass demonstrated the highest antimicrobial activity among the ethanol and water:ethanol extracts, whereas among the water extracts, only rye grass showed antibacterial activity against all of the tested indicator microorganisms. Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) were inhibited by extracts at a concentration of 0.3 mg/ml, whereas gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) needed higher extract concentrations (5–20 mg/ml). Grass extracts are thus a potential source of biologically functional compounds. Practical applications There is an ongoing, extensive search for natural ingredients that either prevent or retard undesirable changes, such as oxidation or microbiological contamination, which take place in food products. In this study, extracts from different types of grasses exhibited strong and moderate antioxidant and antibacterial activities, which thus makes it possible to use them as additives (antioxidants or preservatives) in the design of novel beverages and food products. The results obtained in this study could be an important asset to the food industry, as they provide new insight into plant extracts that have the potential to be used in food supplements, health drinks, or food products with enhanced health properties.

Role of sulphur in cereal crops: A review

Sulphur (S) is an essential nutrient for all organisms. Sulphur is being categorized along with Nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K) as the fourth macro nutrient. It is an important component for the production of proteins, and plays a part in chlorophyll synthesis. 41% of the Indian soils are known to be deficient in sulphur. Sulphur deficient soils are becoming common around the globe. Use of sulphur-free fertilizers is one of the main reasons behind sulphur shortage in soil. Higher crop yields may not be obtained when sulphur deficiency prevails as it affects the usage of applied N, P, and K by the crop. Many field experiments were conducted on different cereal crops from which it can be stated that 20-40 kg Sulphur/ha application significantly affected the growth, yield, nutrient uptake and economics. The goal of this review is to provide an update on recent findings related to these subjects, which may lead to a better understanding of S-fertilization and the role of S-fertilization in cereals.

Price volatility in basic cereals and their impact in food security. Mexico, 1995-2018

Este documento analiza cómo la volatilidad en los precios de los granos básicos, arroz, maíz y trigo, influyen sobre la seguridad alimentaria. Para esto, se estudió el mercado de estos productos mediante los modelos de varianza condicional heterocedástica: simétricos y asimétricos. Entre los resultados, se encontró evidencia que, ante un escenario internacional volátil, los precios de granos básicos a nivel doméstico se elevarán, repercutiendo de manera negativa a toda la cadena de transformación mediante el incremento en los precios finales de los productos procesados. A nivel social, este escenario genera un efecto restricción sobre la población al reducir el acceso de los alimentos a menor precio.

Present-Day Hydrological and Hydrogeological Regularities in the Formation of River Floodplains in the Middle Don Basin

The results of studies of floodplain landscapes of the Don tributaries in its middle reaches are presented. The rivers under consideration are the Khoper, Medveditsa, Ilovlya, and Chir, as well as the tributaries of the Khoper―the Kosarka and Buzuluk. At the preliminary office stage, hydrological data on water levels and spring flood discharges over 1988–2018 were analyzed, and the inundation areas were determined by satellite images. In July–October 2019, field landscape-ecological studies were carried out, including instrumental profiling, soil and geobotanic studies, and evaluation of the depth to groundwater table. The floodplains of the Middle Don tributaries were found to have formed under the conditions of much higher water abundance in the rivers. The probability of the spring inundation of the floodplain does not exceed 10%. Under such conditions, cereal grass communities form on the high and, partly, middle floodplain, their composition being close to the zonal steppe vegetation of nearby areas. Some species in the vegetation indicate to a minor salinity of soils.

ОЦЕНКА ДИКОРАСТУЩИХ ФОРМ ЖИТНЯКА ГРЕБНЕВИДНОГО ПРИ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИИ В СЕЛЕКЦИИ

The practice of using wild-growing material in the breeding of forage crops has long been recognized as a relevant and effective method for creating new varieties. The purpose of the research was to assess wild-growing samples of the crested wheatgrass and isolate genetic sources of economically valuable traits for breeding in the Stavropol Territory. The research was carried out in 2017–2020. The material of the study – 22 wild specimens of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron pectiniforme Roem. et Shult.) of various ecological and geographical origin. The crested wheatgrass variety ‘Vikrav’ served as the standard. During the years of study, meteorological conditions were extremely dry. The assessment of the samples was carried out according to the guidelines for the selection of perennial cereal grasses. The experiment was laid on bare fallow, plot area – 3 m2. Sowing and maintenance work were carried out manually. On average, for three years (2018–2020), the yield of green mass of the studied samples ranged from 0.15 to 0.94 kg/m2; dry – from 0.07 to 0.38 kg/m2; seeds – from 0.015 to 0.070 kg/m2. Samples from Ukraine (d.d. 28, 30), Chelyabinsk region (d. 31) and Kazakhstan (d.d. 34 and 37) were more productive in terms of fodder weight. In terms of seed productivity, in the first year, wild samples from Aktobe (d. 5) and Chelyabinsk regions (d. 31), from Ukraine (d. 25) and Kazakhstan (d.d. 34 and 37) were distinguished. In the second year of herbage use – from the Chelyabinsk region (d. 31) and Kazakhstan (d.d. 35 and 37). In the third year of use, no significant excess over the standard was found. On average, over three years of use, wild specimens d. 31, d. 34, and d. 37 exceeded the standard in seed yield by 0.020-0.033 kg/m2. Wild specimens from the Chelyabinsk region (d. 31) and Kazakhstan (d. 34) were isolated according to the complex of valuable characteristics for use in breeding in the Stavropol Territory.