Variety Of Choices Research Articles

Comparative demonstration trials of winter wheat varieties of the ARC “Donskoy” in the zone of blackearth soils of the Volgograd region

The current paper has considered the results of comparative trials of winter wheat varieties of the ARC “Donskoy” in the zone of blackearth soils, the subzone of southern blackearth of the Volgograd region. Modern breeding provides a wide choice of winter wheat varieties. In the Volgograd region, more than 100 varieties are sown annually. This objectively results in difficulty of the best choice. Based on the official data on the preferences of farmers, there have been optimized the selection base, focusing on the varieties of the ARC “Donskoy”, considering it more important and responsible for farmers to clarify information about this significant (about 60 %) block. The field trial was laid in the Kikvidzensky district of the Volgograd region in the zone of blackearth soils, the subzone of southern blackearth, on the lands of “AGROPRODUKT” LLC. The study was carried out according to the methodology used by the State Variety Commission. Significant effect on the autumn stage of development was made by weather conditions, which were significantly contrasting, during the years of trial. The value of field germination was at the level of 65–75 %. The indicators of autumn tillering at the end of the autumn vegetation period for three years were in a rather narrow range of 3.9–4.7 pcs/plant. In the studied area, the formation of yield due to the density of productive stems prevailed. On average, for three years, the value of the productive stalk was 610–729 pieces/m2. According to this indicator, the winter wheat varieties ‘Krasa Dona’, ‘Donskaya Step’, ‘Kapitan’ (679–729 pcs/m2) were the best ones. As a result, the best productivity indicators were demontarted by the varieties ‘Krasa Dona’ (5.66 t/ha) and ‘Donskaya Step’ (5.41 t/ha). A significant group of varieties, such as ‘Kapitan’, ‘Lidiya’, ‘Asket’, ‘Zhavoronok’, formed 5.21– 5.26 t/ha.

Improving Crop Health, Performance, and Quality in Organic Spring Wheat Production: The Need to Understand Interactions between Pedoclimatic Conditions, Variety, and Fertilization

Organic wheat production systems have lower yields compared with intensive conventional production and often do not achieve the grain protein content and quality thresholds set by millers and bakers. In contrast, organic production methods were reported to result in higher concentrations of nutritionally desirable micronutrients and lower concentrations of the toxic metal Cd in wheat grain and wholegrain flour. However, although N-availability and variety characteristics are known to affect both gain yields and bread-making quality, the exact reasons for the yield gap and differences in grain processing and nutritional quality between organic and conventional spring wheat production in the UK are poorly understood. The overall aim of this study was therefore to determine to what extent changes in variety choice and fertilization regimes may reduce the yield gap and improve processing quality without affecting nutritional quality in organic spring wheat production. To achieve this aim, we compared crop health, yield, grain processing, and nutritional quality parameters in spring wheat produced using (i) six contrasting spring wheat varieties grown with a standard fertilization regime and (ii) one variety widely used by organic farmers (Paragon) with nine different fertilization regimes in (iii) three UK sites/farms with contrasting pedoclimatic conditions. Significant differences in foliar disease severity, grain yield, and quality parameters were detected between six contrasting spring wheat varieties when grown under organic management regimes. Specifically, the varieties Paragon and Tybalt were identified as the best-performing varieties with respect to foliar disease resistance and grain yield under organic farming conditions and also produced high processing and nutritional quality across the three UK sites. However, the highest grain yields were obtained by Paragon at the Gilchester site and Tybalt at the Sheepdrove and Courtyard sites, while the highest protein contents were produced by Tybalt at the Gilchester site and Paragon at the Sheepdrove and Courtyard sites, which suggests that there is a need for site-specific wheat variety selection in the UK organic sector. Although organic fertilizer input type and level also affected wheat performance, differences between fertilization regimes were smaller than those observed between the five contrasting varieties, which suggests that improvements in spring wheat breeding/selection have a greater potential for increasing crop yield and quality in the organic sector compared with changes to fertilization practices. Overall, results suggest it is feasible to breed/select spring wheat varieties that combine high protein, vitamin E, and micronutrients with low toxic metal (Cd, Pb) concentrations when produced under organic farming conditions. These findings also support the hypothesis that differences in variety choice by organic and conventional farmers have contributed to the differences in nutritional quality between organic and conventional wheat products reported in previous studies.

Farmers Feel the Climate Change: Variety Choice as an Adaptation Strategy of European Potato Farmers

Effects associated with a changing climate could severely threaten potato production in Europe. Hence, farmers need to take up adaptation measures to safeguard agricultural production. Collecting data from 553 farmers from 22 different European countries, our survey evaluates European potato farmers’ perceptions regarding the influence of climate change on local potato production, and their willingness to implement adaptation strategies. An overwhelming majority of survey respondents had already experienced the effects of climatic changes on their potato production. Specifically, drought and heat were identified as the most significant threats. The planting of an adapted variety was the preferred adaptation strategy, while farmers were also willing to take up changes in agricultural management practices. Survey respondents predominantly considered yield stability as the most important characteristic of an adapted variety, closely followed by heat tolerance, disease resistance, drought tolerance, and yield potential. When choosing a variety, the personal experience of the survey respondents as well as the experience of their peers were identified as the most important sources of information. Our survey gives valuable insights into the challenges European potato farmers are facing in times of climate change. Supplying farmers with better-adapted varieties would be a well-targeted and well-accepted measure to advance climate change adaptation.

The Effects of Rootstock-Scion Relationships on Yield and Quality in Grapevine cv. Ekşi Kara (Vitis vinifera L.)

Vineyards are usually established by grafting onto vine rootstocks. Vine rootstocks affect the grafted varieties directly or by environmental factors and by changing the physiology of rootstock and scion varieties. There may be great differences in mineral nutrition of grape rootstocks and grape varieties in grafted and nongrafted combinations. The choice of grape variety and vine rootstock for vineyard ecology is vital for the sustainability of viticulture, as they affect the mineral nutrient balances, biotic and abiotic stress tolerances, yield and product quality of grape rootstocks and grafted varieties, and these change with edaphic factors. This study was carried out in ~20 years old vineyards established with vines on their own roots of Ekşi Kara grape variety (Pollinator is Gök Üzüm), which is most used in production in Konya province, and seedlings grafted onto 41B, 110R and Rupestris du Lot rootstocks. The effects of rootstock and scion nutrition were searched. Yield per vine, cluster weight, cluster number, cluster length and cluster width data showed the highest values from vines on their own roots, while the order of grafted combinations changed according to the trait measured. While the differences between °Brix and total acidity (TA) values of berry were significant (p<0.05), differences in pH and must yield were insignificant in grafted and nongrafted combinations. Nutrient contents of leaf and root samples were different compared to grafted and nongrafted combinations. Since our study area is infested with phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Fitch) and rootstock use is obligatory, the order of preference for grapevine rootstocks was 41 B, Rupestris du Lot and 110 R, considering yield and quality characteristics.

Increased cassava growth and yields through improved variety use and fertilizer application in the highlands of South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Nutrient limitations due to low soil fertility and insufficient fertilizer use widen cassava yield gaps in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). This study was undertaken to investigate firstly the effects of variety and combined application of mineral fertilizer and organic (farm yard manure, FYM) inputs on cassava growth and yields, secondly to identify nutrient limitations to cassava production in the highland conditions of South Kivu, and thirdly to evaluate the economic benefits of the use of the improved variety and fertilizer in cassava production. Twenty-one multi-locational trials were conducted on farmers’ fields during two consecutive years. The use of an improved variety resulted in significant increases in both height and stem diameter in both years when fertilizer was applied; without fertilizer, both parameters were higher in the improved variety than in the local variety but only in the second year. Total biomass yield (storage root + stem) was significantly increased by 28% (11.2 t ha−1) through the use of an improved variety with fertilizer in the first year while in the second year, both total biomass and storage root yields were significantly increased by 58% (12.5 t ha−1) and 74% (9.8 t ha−1), respectively without fertilizer. Application of NPK+FYM resulted in significant increases in height and stem diameter over time, independent of the variety; and of total biomass, storage root and stem yields by 38% (11.5 t ha−1), 25% (5.1 t ha−1) and 63% (6.5 t ha−1), respectively relative to the unfertilized treatment. Sole application of mineral fertilizer and omission of macronutrients did not result in significant effects on storage root yields in both years. However, the application of NPK and NPK+ (Ca, Mg, S, Zn) significantly increased stem yield by 51% (6.0 t ha−1) and 56% (6.6 t ha−1), respectively while the omission of N significantly decreased both total biomass and stem yields by 31% (10.4 t ha−1) and 81% (8.0 t ha−1), respectively but only in the first year. Despite the lack of a significant response to applied N, P or K, addition of N and K increases storage root yield by 1.3 t ha−1 and 3.2 t ha−1 respectively (averages for both years). The findings reveal that the positive effects on cassava growth and yields and economic benefits from fertilizer are larger than the one from the choice of variety. Although the importance of combined application of mineral fertilizer and farm yard manure was demonstrated, no evidence of macronutrient limitations to cassava production was proven under the specific conditions of the study sites. A better understanding of the conditions under which positive effects of fertilizer occur can improve targeting and therefore achieve high profitability in cassava production.

Evaluation of suitable varieties and spacing of rabi sorghum under north-eastern plateau region of Odisha

Currently, agriculture is facing a huge trouble which includes depletion of air, water, soil quality and threats of climate change. Under such circumstances, an ecologically hardy crop can be an alternative option to withstand all the limiting factors. Among all the cereals, millets can be considered as a hardy crop which can thrive under any stressed condition. Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is known as the great millet and is considered a vital cereal crop in Asia and Africa. The choice of suitable variety and proper planting geometry is important to obtain potential yield of sorghum. To evaluate the planting geometry of sorghum varieties, an experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2022-23 at Post Graduate Research Farm of M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design which consisted of three sorghum varieties, namely, M 35-1, SPV-2217 and CSV-29R under four different planting geometries i. e. 30 x 15 cm, 45 x 15 cm, 45/30 cm x 15 cm and 60/30 cm x 15 cm and it was replicated thrice. This experiment was carried out in sandy loam soil conditions which were slightly acidic in nature and having an electrical conductivity of 0.60 dS/m. Among all the treatments under comparison, the variety SPV-2217 expressed superior performance to other varieties in terms of growth parameters such as plant height, number of leaves, dry matter accumulation and leaf area index, yield attributes and yield. The spacing of 45 x 15 cm performed better than the other treatments in all the aspects in terms of growth, yield attributes except 1000-grain weight as well as yield. The results concluded that in order to get a higher production with a lucrative economic benefit, the variety SPV-2217 can be cultivated with a spacing of 45 x 15 cm in north eastern plateau region of Odisha.

Ancient and modern wheat varieties: A trade‐off between soil CO2 emissions and grain yield?

AbstractIntroductionHumanity is facing two great challenges: producing enough food for a growing population and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, we investigated the choice of specific wheat varieties to improve carbon storage in soil while producing enough grain to assure food security. We hypothesize that ancient wheat varieties could store more carbon than modern ones, due to a likely bigger and deeper root system or to more recalcitrant root organic matter.Materials and MethodsWe conducted a field experiment with four modern and four ancient wheat varieties, on four different sites with contrasted soil properties. Root morphology was assessed by image analysis and potential CO2 emissions by incubation for 60 days. Since in situ carbon storage differences between ancient and modern varieties were expected to be weak and not cumulated due to rotation, we estimated expected CO2 emissions from root biomass and potential CO2 emissions. The grain yield was also measured.ResultsThe breeding type (ancient vs. modern varieties) affected root length in two of our four sites, with longer roots for ancient varieties, but it did not affect other root traits such as biomass. The breeding type also affected CO2 emissions, with higher measured CO2 emissions for modern than ancient varieties in Arenic Cambisol conditions (Morvan), and higher estimated (considering root biomass variations) CO2 emissions for modern varieties in Rendzic Leptosol conditions (Saint Romain). Root traits and estimated CO2 emissions were also dependent on the soil properties of the different sites. We did not find any significant differences in grain yield between ancient and modern varieties.ConclusionA possible trade‐off between carbon storage and grain production was expected, but our results suggest that some types of soil can support both high grain yield and C storage, especially those with an important depth, a neutral pH and a fine texture.

Seed Quality and Variety Preferences Amongst Potato Farmers in North-Western Kenya: Lessons for the Adoption of New Varieties

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important commercialised food crop in Kenya. Recently, Kenya has realised a huge increase in the number of formally released potato varieties. The performance of these varieties is not clear and their adoption across various growing environments is low. This study explored how availability, access, quality and systems of seed and storability and market demand of potatoes influence farmers’ decisions on choice of varieties they grow and how they select seed for planting in the different seasons. Focus group discussions (83 farmers) and a household survey (225 farmers) were conducted in three major potato growing areas (Lelan, Saboti and Kaptama) in north-western Kenya. Results showed that farmers mainly used farm-saved seed and only 4.9% had used certified seed, while 71% indicated that certified seed was not available locally. Almost all farmers ensured they used healthy seed by visually examining the seed tubers while most farmers also examined the health of the crop in the field before harvest. Farmers renewed their seed depending on the number of cycles used, infection, decline in yield and availability of clean seed. Seed was usually renewed for up to after 5 years of recycling, and generally involved the varieties Shangi, Kabale and Arka. Farmers ranked five variety traits: tuber yield, disease resistance, market demand, early maturity and storability as most important in the choice of a variety. Farmers understood the importance of dormancy and had methods for managing dormancy, but their knowledge was biased to the few varieties they had, particularly Shangi, the predominant variety in the market. Despite agronomic attributes, market demand featured as a primary determinant of variety choice amongst farmers. The findings from this paper can guide use of seed, adoption of new varieties and future breeding of potato varieties for Kenya.

Differential Response of Olive Cultivars to Leaf Spot Disease (Fusicladium oleagineum) under Climate Warming Conditions in Morocco

Olive leaf spot (OLS), also called olive scab and peacock eye, caused by Fusicladium oleagineum, is a major disease that causes significant damage to olive trees. However, we still lack information about how cultivar and environmental factors influence disease development. In this study, evaluation of the incidence and severity on twenty olive cultivars (Olea europaea L.), maintained in an ex situ collection in Morocco, was carried out monthly during the period from March to July 2021. Biochemical parameters were also evaluated for each cultivar including leaf chlorophyll, polyphenols and flavonoid contents. Results revealed that the OLS incidence was highly correlated with severity (r = 0.94) and found to be related to climatic conditions and cultivars. The studied cultivars were classified into four major groups, i.e., susceptible, moderately susceptible, moderately resistant and resistant. Finally, our investigations revealed a partial relationship between resistance to the OLS disease and phenolic and flavonoid leaf contents, supporting the assumption of the potential involvement of such components in cultivar resistance to the disease. Overall, our work highlights the importance of characterizing olive cultivar resistance to OLS in driving the choice of the best varieties for an effective control of the disease in specific warming regions such as Morocco.

Future climatic conditions may threaten adaptation capacities for vineyards along Lake Neuchâtel, Switzerland

In Switzerland, as elsewhere in the world, climate change is challenging viticulture. Knowledge of the potential impacts is essential for preparing adaptation measures. Two aspects directly impacted by increasing temperatures are the choice of grapevine varieties and the location of vineyards. To help address these impacts, we analysed future trends in two bioclimatic indices, average growing season temperature (GST) and Huglin’s heliothermal index (HI), in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel. We conducted our analysis based on regional climate change scenarios referring to the emission pathways RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Under the assumption of RCP8.5, trends in GST and HI indicate that the climate in this region will become too hot for most grapevine varieties currently cultivated, especially Pinot noir. Moreover, adaptation problems under RCP8.5 are expected to originate from an increase in climate extremes in both temperature and precipitation. Results based on RCP4.5 indicate a broader scope for adaptation, as the climate will remain suitable for a larger number of grapevine varieties within the current altitudinal limits of the Neuchâtel vineyards. In theory, an altitudinal shift of Pinot noir would also be possible under this emission pathway. In practice, however, the possibility of establishing vineyards above 600 m would be limited by the presence of protected forests and rocky areas. Our results highlight that vineyards in this region will need important adaptation measures if anthropic greenhouse gas emissions do not decrease rapidly and considerably, limiting the global temperature increase to < 1.5 °C.

Climate change: challenges and limitations in agriculture

Climate has always been changing, but the current changes and climate models indicate a significant and rapid increase of temperatures, atmospheric CO2 concentration, shifts in precipitation patterns and consequently a higher frequency, duration and intensity of climate extremes (frost, heat and drought periods, heavy precipitation, hail, storms, floods, storm surges, etc.). Thus, agriculture on the whole but also agro-ecosystems are very susceptible and highly vulnerable to the effects of these changes. The scenarios for climate development in Austria also follow the global trends. Increasing temperatures in combination with more frequent heat waves, water shortage and drought events will be the most serious constraints on growth and quality of many crop plants. However, such changes do not result only in the negative effects. Higher average temperatures accelerate the development of many plants. The increasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere to a certain extent may stimulate plant growth (fertilization effect) combined with an increased water use efficiency. The cultivation period is longer and the winters milder and wetter, which may allow new cultivation time and forms as well as new species. For agriculture, several adaptive strategies are possible, which include but are not limited to plant breeding, choice of plant species and variety as well as soil and cultivation management. However, the extent to which negative and positive climate impacts will strongly influence the agriculture in the given area is still largely unknown, but will be of crucial importance for the prediction of future crop yields.

Varietal identification in pasta through an SSR-based approach: a case study.

Pasta is a worldwide popular Italian food made exclusively of durum wheat. The choice of variety to be used to produce pasta is at the discretion of the producer based on the peculiar characteristics of each cultivar. The availability of analytical approaches for the tracking of specific varieties along the productive chain is becoming increasingly important to authenticate the pasta products and distinguish between fraudulent activities and cross-contaminations during the production process. Among the different methods, molecular approaches based on DNA markers are the most used for these purposes because of their ease of use and high reproducibility. In the present study, we used an easy simple sequence repeats-based method to identify the durum wheat varieties used to produce 25 samples of semolina and commercial pasta comparing their molecular profile with those of the four varieties declared by the producer and other 10 durum wheat cultivars commonly used in pasta production. All of the samples showed the expected molecular profile; however, most of them present also a foreign allele indicating a possible cross-contamination. Moreover, we evaluated the accuracy of the proposed approach through the analysis of 27 hand-made mixtures with increasing amounts of a specific contaminant variety, allowing the estimation of the limit of detection of 5% (w/w). We demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method and its effectiveness in the detection of not declared varieties when these are present in a percentage equal to or higher than 5%. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluating Power of Information and Coffee-Variety Choice on Smallholder Farmers’ Yields in West of Rift, Kenya

Coffee (Coffea sp.) is an important crop globally, employing millions along its value chain. It is the second most traded commodity after oil and the most consumed beverage in the world. In Kenya, it is one of the largest foreign exchange earners, grown by about 800,000 smallholder farmers and supporting many livelihoods. Its productivity, however, is hampered by several factors; climate change, pests, diseases, socioeconomic factors and technology adoption levels. Technology adoption is a process in which information acquisition is a prerequisite. The current study investigated the power of information and coffee variety choice on the yields of smallholder coffee farmers in West of Rift, Kenya. The study adopted an ex-post facto survey design and data were collected using semi-structured interview schedules from 140 farmers sampled through purposive and multi-stage sampling schemes. Farmers’ Agronomic information were measured using self-evaluation ranking scales (1-10), coffee varieties were separated into ‘new’ and ‘traditional’ and reported yields were measured in kilograms of cherry/tree. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the analysis, computed by SPSS. Ruiru 11 variety dominated (53%), Batian (22%), K7 (18%) and SL28 (6%). New variety (Ruiru 11 and Batian) growers’ had significantly higher agronomic information score than traditional (K7 and SL28) as tested by Mann-Whitney U-test; U (N1=35, N2 =14) =143.500, Z = -2.295, P < .05. The ‘new’ variety growers had significantly higher mean yields compared to ‘traditional’; t (47) = 2.108, P = .040. Crop nutrition and canopy management were dominant areas of information needs. In conclusion, farmers with higher self-reported levels of agronomic information preferred new higher yielding disease resistant varieties and recorded higher yields. The linkage between farmers’ information levels, variety choice and yields is confirmed. It is recommended, information asymmetries needs to be addressed.

Breadmaking Performance of Elite Einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. subsp. monococcum) Lines: Evaluation of Flour, Dough and Bread Characteristics.

Einkorn flour, rich in proteins, carotenoids, and other antioxidants, generally has poor breadmaking value. In this research, the composition and technological characteristics of the flours and breads of two elite einkorns (Monlis and ID331) and a bread wheat (Blasco), cropped in four different environments, were evaluated. The einkorns confirmed better flour composition than bread wheat for proteins (on average, 16.5 vs. 10.5 g/100 g), soluble pentosans (1.03 vs. 0.85 g/100 g), and yellow pigment (10.0 vs. 1.0 mg/kg). Technologically, they had better SDS sedimentation values (89 vs. 66 mL), lower farinographic water absorption (52.6 vs. 58.8%), and a similar development time, stability, and degree of softening. Viscoelasticity tests showed lower storage and loss moduli and more prevalent elastic behaviour for Blasco, while rheofermentographic tests showed an anticipated development time (120.8 vs. 175.0 min), higher maximum height (73.0 vs. 63.0 mm), and superior retention coefficient (99.1 vs. 88.7%), but a lower CO2 total (1152 vs. 1713 mL) for einkorn doughs. Einkorn breads were bigger than the control (736 vs. 671 cm3); crumb pores percentage was similar, but medium-size pores were scarcer. Finally, a 52-h shelf-life trial demonstrated that einkorn bread had a softer texture, maintained for a longer time, and a slower retrogradation than the control. Therefore, choice of appropriate varieties and process optimisation allows the production of excellent einkorn breads with a superior nutritional value and longer shelf life.

Choice of varieties and organic-inorganic nutrient integrations in rainfed buckwheat can affect the performance of succeeding green gram grown on residual fertility

ABSTRACT Rainfed farming is a low-input agricultural practice that is vulnerable to environmental fluctuations. In this study, we tested a resilient low input cropping system of buckwheat and green gram under different integrated nutrient management schedules. Specifically, we investigated the effects of three buckwheat varieties and four nutrient management schedules on buckwheat and green gram grown yields on residual fertility. Our findings suggest that 50% organic substitution resulted in the highest buckwheat yield, while the highest yield of green gram was achieved with 100% and 50% organic nutrient substitution. The Shimla B-1 variety of buckwheat showed the highest yield, while the low-yielding VL Ugal-7 variety resulted in the highest yield of succeeding green gram. Despite the poor green gram yield obtained after the highest-yielding buckwheat variety, the Shimla B-1 variety resulted in the highest system yield which was 24.6% higher than the VL Ugal-7 due to higher income obtained from buckwheat. It was also found that integrating vermicompost and Azotobacter as a source of organic nutrients with inorganic schedules can maintain a positive nutrient balance in the system. Overall, this study highlights the potential of a resilient buckwheat-green gram cropping system for low-input rainfed farming situations, with implications for sustainable agriculture.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of NBPT and NPPT Application as a Urease Carrier in Fertilization of Maize (Zea mays L.) for Ensiling

The study presents the results of a 3-year field trial aimed at assessing the yield and quality of raw material for ensiling in the cultivation of three maize varieties differing in their agronomic and genetic profile, conditioned by the selection of nitrogen fertilizer. Maize cultivar ES Metronom showed a significant advantage over other cultivars when fertilized with UltraGrain stabile, or alternatively Super N-46. The application of nitrogen-stabilized fertilizers or urea + N-Lock significantly increased the yield of maize green fodder for ensiling. The “stay-green” maize cultivars were characterized by a higher content of non-structural carbohydrates, including starch and water-soluble sugars, and a lower content of structural carbohydrates, compared to the conventional cultivar, which increased their suitability for ensiling. The negative effect of maize fertilization with ammonium nitrate and ammonium nitrate + N-Lock on the chemical composition of green fodder was demonstrated by a reduced starch content and increased structural carbohydrate contents, including crude fiber and NDF. In turn, the positive effect of maize fertilization with urea and urea + N-Lock on the chemical composition of maize fodder was shown by increased starch content and reduced structural carbohydrate contents, including crude fiber and its NDF and ADF fractions. The analysis of the number and weight of leaves may indicate a highly effective utilization of nitrogen (“stay-green” maize hybrids), leading to the faster formation of leaves with a larger assimilation surface, which is the basis for the efficient absorption of solar radiation. The results obtained clearly show that only the correct choice of maize variety for silage cultivation, combined with nitrogen fertilizer guaranteeing access to N during the growing season, can guarantee a high yield for ensiling.

Evaluating winter grain crops varieties suitable for the Lower Volga region of Russia

For efficient grain production in arid climate, producers need a choice of winter crop varieties. For this purpose, an ecological test of varieties of winter wheat and winter barley was carried out on experimental fields typical for the climatic conditions of the Lower Volga region of Russia. Plots with experimental crops, with an area of ​​10 m2, were located by the method of successive repetitions in 3-fold repetition. By the ecological test, varieties of winter crops of various originators were sown, according to the predecessor - black fallow, with seeds with a field germination rate of 90-95%, with a seeding rate of 3.5 million pcs. ha, to a depth of 5-6 cm. There were 16 varieties of winter wheat in the test, Don 93 served as the standard variety. Five varieties of winter barley were tested, the standard variety was Volzhsky 1. The obtained results of the yield of varieties were processed by analysis of variance to assess their yield. It has been established that in the technological process of production of grain of winter crops, the value of the variety is significant and has a share of 72.4%, the remaining factors of production account for 27.5%. The leader in terms of winter wheat yield (8.5 t/ha) was the Tarasovskaya variety. The lowest yield in the test was in the Governor of the Don variety 5.7 t/ha. High yield of winter wheat in the variety of local selection Kamyshanka 3 was 8.1 t/ha. The maximum biological yield of 6.4 t/ha was obtained for the winter barley variety Buran, mainly due to the larger number of productive shoots 440 pcs/m2 and the largest grain mass per spike 1.46 g variety Voskhod 4.9 t/ha.

Study the Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization Rates on Grain Yield and Some Physiological Characteristics of Wheat Varieties

One of the most important strategies for enhancing wheat grain productivity and physiological processes is the application of appropriate nitrogen (N) and the choice of a suitable variety in an adequate environment. The study goals were to assess the impact of various N application rates on the grain yield and some physiological traits of four wheat cultivars under two growing years as well as determine the relationship between these traits across the experimental factors. Four Egyptian bread wheat varieties (Sakha 93, Gemmiza 12, Sids 12, and Sakha 94) and four nitrogen rates including control (N0), 75 kg N fad-1 (N1), 100 kg N fad-1 (N2), and 125 kg N fad-1 (N3) were evaluated in two experimental fields during the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 growing years at Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt. Grain yield (kg ha-1), relative water content (RWC) proline content, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities were the traits under study. The grain yield and the majority of the physiological parameters assessed were significantly influenced by the years, nitrogen treatments, and varieties as well as their first and second-order interactions (p ≤0.05 or 0.01), according to Three-way ANOVA. Grain yield increased with N treatments increased, and N3 treatment was higher than N0, N1 and N3 treatments with values of 31.1%, 22.9%, and 10.6%, respectively. With increased N application there is a tendency for MDA content and SOD activity to decrease and then increase, while RWC, proline content, CAT, and ABX activities to increase and then decrease. The highest values were recorded for grain yield, proline content and CAT activity by Sakha 94 variety and for MDA content, SOD, CAT and ABX activities by Sids 12 variety. According to the interactions among experimental factors, the highest wheat yield and the majority of physiological measures were observed by Sakha 94 variety with N3 rate under the second growing year. The Sakha 94 variety shows a positive correlation with grain production and the majority of physiological parameters under applying N3 treatment during the second growing year based on all variables examined by principal component analysis. Finally, our results recommended using the Sakha 94 variety with 125 kg N fad-1 to increase and improve wheat productivity.

Evaluation of physicochemical characteristics and genetic diversity of widely consumed rice varieties in Kyaukse area, Myanmar

Consumer preferences are greatly influenced by eating and cooking qualities of rice grains, along with the economic value of a specific rice variety. This study was to evaluate ten rice varieties including the check variety IR64 on their physicochemical, cooking and eating qualities as well as to identify their genetic diversity using SSR markers. Most rice varieties are medium-grain types based on length-breadth ratio, whereas the famous Myanmar rice variety, Paw San Bay Kyar, (PSBK) is bold. PSBK showed the best cooking and eating quality traits with intermediate amylose content (AC), intermediate gelatinization temperature (GT), soft gel consistency (GC), and the highest elongation ratio among the studied rice varieties. Seventeen SSR markers linked with cooking and eating traits were used to assess the extent of polymorphism and genetic variation among ten rice varieties. There were 49 alleles in total, with an average of 2.88 alleles per locus. RM592 had the maximum number of alleles. The average PIC value ranged from 0.22 (RM540) to 0.77 (RM592). Cluster analysis with UPGMA method based on Jaccard’s similarity coefficient divided ten rice varieties into two main groups and four sub-clusters. In multiple regression analysis, RM190 and Wx primers were discovered to be significantly associated with AC, GC and GT of cooking and eating quality traits. This study could contribute to the choice of rice varieties with superior cooking and eating qualities for rice breeding programs by implementing physicochemical characteristics and molecular analysis.

Grape Wine Cultivation Carbon Footprint: Embracing a Life Cycle Approach across Climatic Zones

Ongoing climate change processes and increasing environmental pressure suggest the need to adjust the wine production systems worldwide to the new conditions while reducing their environmental pressure. The grapes’ cultivation phase may be influenced by expected changes. It follows that existing grape wine cultivation systems should be analyzed to identify major ‘hotspots’ and opportunities for change. Several studies have analyzed materials, energy inputs, and related emissions along the grape wine life cycle. However, most research focuses on traditional grape wine growing areas, and no study has yet focused on grape wine grown in unconventional desert areas. The research presented in this paper analyzed the carbon footprint (CF) of grapes grown in the Mediterranean, semi-arid, and arid climatic regions in the state of Israel. It revealed that, on average, a ton of grapes generates 342 kg CO2 eq from the cradle to the farm gate. The product was analyzed using a life-cycle approach, with the aim of studying the CF of each phase according. Most emissions were found to be related to the use of fertilizers (37%), fuel for transportation and mechanization (19%), and water supply (17%). The CF of grapes in the arid region was found to be the highest at 361 kg CO2 eq compared to 317 kg CO2 eq in the semi-arid region and 346 kg CO2 eq in the Mediterranean region. The analysis emphasizes the arid and semi-arid potential to reduce its CF by implementing farm management practices, including the choice of grape varieties, changing vineyard infrastructure, fertilizers, water management, and more. As presented here, understanding cropping systems in these regions can promote a better adaptation of the cropping systems to the changing conditions around the world.