Drought-resistant Crops Research Articles

Cultivation of leguminous crops of chickpeas and ways to increase the yield and quality of grain in the arid steppe of the Urals

The article discusses the data of field experiments on the cultivation of chickpea with the use of mineral fertilizers and biological products. Chickpea, for the dry steppe of the Ural region of Kazakhstan, is a good drought-resistant crop to ensure stable grain yields with a high protein content. Experiments in 2012-2014 showed that the yield of the crop was in the range from 0.78 t / ha in the control variant to 1.16 t / ha, where the strain H-27 was applied according to the background of the applied fertilizers N20P20. From the use of only one strains of the genus Rhizobium, the increase in yield, on average for the options, amounted to 0.17 t / ha (21.7%), according to the background of mineral fertilizers from 0.22 to 0.38 t / ha. In 2015-2017 the yield from the use of mineral fertilizers and microbial preparations increased by 0.74-1.12 t / ha, or by 22-51%. The increase from nitrogen fertilization is 8-12%, from microbial preparations - 6-12%. With the combined use of nitrogen fertilizer and Rhizoagrin or Flavobacterin preparations, the yield increased by almost 50%, as well as with the combined use of microbial preparations. An increase in the protein content of grain is associated with the use of nitrogen fertilization and the use of biological products for inoculating seeds, since these factors improve the nitrogen nutrition of plants.

Living and Responding to Climatic Stresses: Perspectives from Smallholder Farmers in Hanang' District, Tanzania.

This study sought to assess how smallholder farmers have been living and responding to impacts of climate change in Hanang' District, Tanzania. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using key informant interviews, household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs) and field observations. Quantitative data from the questionnaire survey were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), whilst, qualitative data were exposed to content analysis. Rainfall and temperature trends were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and the significance of the trends determined using Mann-Kendall and CUSUM analysis. Most respondents (78%) revealed decreased rainfall amounts and changed onset, and 94% reported increased temperature. Farmers disclosed that droughts and floods are major climatic stresses in the area; this was substantiated by observed increasing and decreasing temperature and rainfall trends respectively. This corroborated with most respondents who perceived decreased rainfall amounts and changed onset, and reported increased temperature levels. Response strategies include crop diversification and drought-resistant crop varieties, migration, abandoning some crops, and short-cycle crops. However, smallholder farmers have been failing to effectively address climatic challenges. We argue that they are still heavily reliant on social, economic, and policy support to improve their adaptive capacity, particularly, transformative responses.

VALUE CHAINS AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION STRATEGIES: A CASE OF NUTRITIONAL GARDENS IN ZIMBABWE

High incidence of drought and donor fatigue in Zimbabwe calls for more sustainable measures of ensuring food security. This study analyzed the impact of nutritional gardens in the two droughtprone districts of Mudzi and Mutoko. In line with attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted to be achieved by 2030, nutritional gardens were identified as a sustainable way to mitigate climate change and address the ‘hidden hunger’ challenge. Primary data was collected using a baseline framework adopting a triangulation methodology of questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) across 100 households and key informant stakeholders. Data for 48 households was usable. Results indicated that majority are low-income earners. There are high levels of deforestation and siltation, low water table and low harvest due to frequent droughts. Main crops are drought resistant crops such as millet, sorghum and legumes like groundnuts. Gardens present great potential for food and nutrition supplement and income from the sale of horticultural products. COVID-19 increased vulnerability of all stakeholders across the whole value-chain. The study recommends more drought-resistant varieties, horticultural products, solar powered boreholes and value-adding processes like peanut butter and yoghurt production to optimize local resources.

Are multiscale water–energy–land–food nexus studies effective in assessing agricultural sustainability?

Several studies have highlighted the need for multiscale water–energy–land–food (WELF) nexus studies to ensure sustainable food production without endangering water and energy security. However, a systematic attempt to evaluate the efficiency of such multiscale studies has not yet been made. In this study, we used a data-intensive crop water requirement model to study the multiscale WELF nexus in southern India. In particular, we estimated the groundwater and energy consumption for cultivating five major crops between 2017 and 2019 at three distinct spatial scales ranging from 160 000 km2 (state) to 11 000 km2 (district) to 87 km2 (block). A two-at-one-time approach was used to develop six WELF interactions for each crop, which was used to evaluate the performance of each region. A gross vulnerability index was developed at multiple scales that integrated the WELF interactions to identify vulnerable hotspots from a nexus perspective. Results from this nexus study identified the regions that accounted for the largest groundwater and energy consumption, which were also adjudged to be vulnerable hotspots. Our results indicate that while a finer analysis may be necessary for drought-resistant crops like groundnut, a coarser scale analysis may be sufficient to evaluate the agricultural efficiency of water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane. We identified that vulnerable hotspots at local scales were often dependent on the crop under consideration, i.e. a hotspot for one crop may not necessarily be a hotspot for another. Clearly, policymaking decisions for improving irrigation efficiency through interventions such as crop-shifting would benefit from such insights. It is evident that such approaches will play a critical role in ensuring food-water-energy security in the coming decades.

A Method for Rapid and Reliable Molecular Detection of Drought-Response Genes in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench Roots.

Drought is a major environmental stress that limits growth and productivity in agricultural ecosystems limiting crop yield worldwide. Breeding crops for enhanced drought tolerance is a priority to preserve food security on the increasing world population. Recent work in Arabidopsis has shown that vascular brassinosteroid receptor BRL3 (Brassinosteroid insensitive like-3) transcriptionally controls the production of osmoprotectant metabolites that confer drought resistance without penalizing growth, offering new and exciting possibilities for biotechnological improvement of drought-resistant crops. In cereals, understanding transcriptional responses to drought is an essential step for the production of gene-edited drought-resistant cereals. In this chapter, we present a method to analyze the transcriptional responses to drought in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, our cereal of choice. Among the genes we tested, we found that drought marker gene SbDHN1 has a 1000-fold increase only after 1day of drought, bringing possibilities for the development of molecular sensors for testing drought. Overall, this analysis is useful to set up conditions of high-throughput transcriptomic analysis of drought stressed plants before drought phenotype is observed.

INFLUENCE OF SEED DENSITY OF UNIVERSAL AND GRAIN AMARANT VARIETIES ON YIELD AND PHYSICAL-TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF GRAIN

In the conditions of global warming, in particular the growing aridity of the steppe zone of Ukraine, as well as the deficit of organic matter and declining nitrogen reserves in the soil, agricultural producers are faced with the task of finding effective cultivation of drought-resistant crops that are competitive in the market, have economic feasibility and unpretentiousness in cultivation. The experiment was established in 2021 in the research field of the Department of Field and Vegetable Crops within the land use of LLC «Iceberg» Rozdilna district of Odessa region. The administrative center is located in the village Grebinky. The experiment is two-factor: factor A – varieties of amaranth, factor B – the density of standing amaranth plants. Variants of the experiment are arranged sequentially in 3 repetitions. The total area under the experiment is 10 thousand m2, the total area of the plot is 555,0 m2, the accounting area is 300,0 m2. The predecessor is Sudanese grass for hay and green fodder on 2 cuts. Agricultural techniques in the experiment are adopted for the cultivation of organic amaranth, without fertilizers and plant protection products. Amaranth was sown with 60 cm row spacing with the help of ASTRA NOVA 5б4 seed drill. One of the features of amaranth plants is the specificity of the location of leaves on the stem, which determines the effective use of sunlight even in thickened crops. Our research studies have established a certain effect of changes in the density of amaranth crops on its productivity. The best yields of amaranth grain are observed at a sowing density of 150 thousand pieces/ha. It was found that the highest yield of amaranth grain in the experiment was obtained by Lera variety and was in the version of 150 thousand pieces/ha – 3,34 t/ha, which exceeds the control version by 0,53 t/ha, or 18,9%, and we prove mathematically (LSD05 for AB = 0,21 t/ha). The same applies to the variety Kharkivsky-1, where under the conditions of the year the largest grain yield was obtained in the variant with a sowing density of 150 thousand pieces/ha and amounted to – 3,06 t/ha, exceeding the control variant by 0,25 t/ha, or by 8,9%, which is a significant difference. Further increase or decrease in sowing density provided a decrease in yield. To obtain quality products from harvesting to direct processing into amaranth grain, a set of technological operations of post-harvest processing is used, the purpose of which is to prevent losses and preserve all its useful properties. From the conducted research studies, it is possible to draw a conclusion that the nature of amaranth grain is very variable indicator. The main factors that influence the nature of amaranth grain include the method of grain laying, grain density, variety, surface condition, fullness, moisture content of the grain mass. With an increase of humidity there is the increase in the mass of 1000 grains, the speed of soaring and the angle of natural slope. Studies have shown that the optimal sowing density for growing amaranth in the Southern Steppe of Ukraine is 150 thousand pieces/ha. Under such conditions, the highest yield of amaranth grain is formed, which under the conditions of the year was for the variety Kharkivsky-1 (universal) 3,06 t/ha and for the variety Lera (grain) – 3,34 t/ha. Knowledge of the basic physical and technological characteristics of the grain mass is a prerequisite for determining the optimal modes of technological equipment for post-harvest processing and reliable storage of grain for processing.

Growth and development of Carthamus tinctorius L. in the conditions of Transnistria

Carthamus tinctorius L. is a plant, that is used for oil production and dyeing, and also used for medical purposes and cosmetology. A distinctive biological feature of this plant is its high drought resistance. In the process of global warming the increase in air temperature in Transnistria over the past 70 years amounted to 1,2…1,3 °C, the increase in soil temperature over the past 20 years in the observed soil layer 0,2…3,2 m amounted 0,8…1,2 °C. In this regard the intercalation of drought resistant crops, such as Carthamus tinctorius L., into agricultural production is relevant. The dura- tion of the growing season of a Carthamus tinctorius L. collection specimen of unknown origin in the Republican Botanical Garden (in the town of Tiraspol) when sown in middle of April for the period from the year of 2008 to the year of 2017 ranged from 103 to 113 days. In the conditions of Transnistria in the year of 2020 for the first time the influence of sowing time of Carthamus tinctorius L. on the development of a complex of features was studied. Sowing of Carthamus tinctorius was carried out five times: the 20th and the 27th of March, the 3rd and the 14th of April, the 2nd of May. The study of the influence of the sowing time showed decreasing values of the complex of features with later sowing time of Carthamus tinctorius L. The mostly significant decreased with a later sowing time were such features as the number of branches of the first and the second level, the number of seeds in the inflorescence, the number of seeds per plant. The best sowing date in the conditions of an acute drought in the year of 2020 was the first sowing time on the 20th of March. The value of the features in this sowing period was: plants’ height — 55 cm, the number of branches of the first level — 8,7 pieces, the number of branches of the second level — 4,6 pieces, the number of inflorescences per plant — 14,1 pieces, the number of seeds in the inflorescence — 7,0 pieces, the number of seeds per plant — 64,8 pieces.

Potential food applications of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and rapid screening methods of nutritional traits by spectroscopic platforms.

Sorghum is a drought-resistant crop widely spread in tropical regions of the American, African, and Asian continents. Sorghum flour is considered the main alternative for wheat flour, and it exhibits gluten-free nature. Generally, conventional wet chemical methods are used to analyze the nutritional profile of sorghum. Since many sorghum plants are available in breeding grounds, the application of conventional methods has limitations due to high cost and time consumption. Therefore, rapid screening protocols have been introduced as nondestructive alternatives. The current review highlights novel and portable devices that can be used to analyze the nutritional composition, color parameters, and pest resistance. Sorghum is often a traditional food item with minimal processing, and the review elaborates on emerging food applications and feasible food product developments from sorghum. The demand for gluten-free products has been rapidly increasing in developed countries. In order to develop food products according to market requirements, it is necessary to screen high-quality sorghum plants. Rapid analysis techniques effectively select the best sorghum types, and the novel tools have outperformed existing conventional methods.

Phosphorylation of SWEET sucrose transporters regulates plant root:shoot ratio under drought.

The root:shoot ratio has long been known to be enhanced in plants under drought stress. Here we discovered that osmotic stress enhances long-distance sucrose transport to increase the root:shoot ratio in an abscisic-acid-dependent manner. The Arabidopsis sucrose transporters SWEET11 and 12, key players in phloem loading, are rapidly phosphorylated upon drought and abscisic acid treatments. The drought- and abscisic-acid-activated SnRK2 protein kinases phosphorylate the carboxy-terminal cytosolic regions of SWEET11 and 12. This phosphorylation enhances the oligomerization and sucrose transport activity of SWEETs, which results in elevated sucrose contents in roots and improved root growth under drought stress, leading to the enhanced root:shoot ratio of biomass and drought resistance. Notably, the expression of phospho-mimic SWEETs led to improved root growth even under non-stressed conditions. The phosphorylation of sucrose transporters provides an explanation for the long-standing observation that drought stress enhances the root:shoot ratio in plants and suggests a strategy for engineering drought-resistant crops.

FEATURES OF TERRITORIAL LOCATION AND YIELD DYNAMICS OF MILLET FOR GRAIN IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

The article establishes the territorial features of the placement of millet crops (for grain) in the regions of the republic on the basis of an analysis of the sown areas of millet. The statistical data on the dynamics of millet grain yield for the period 2019–2021 were analyzed. On the basis of regression analysis, the influence of agrometeorological conditions on the yield of millet grain has been established. For the first time, the coefficient of stability of harvest production by regions of the republic was calculated, which made it possible to establish that the Vitebsk region is included in the zone of extremely unstable harvesting, two regions (Minsk and Mogilev) belong to the zone of unstable production, and the rest – to the zone of permissible sustainability of crop production (for grain). The research results presented in this article are of great importance for the scientifically based formation of sown areas of drought-resistant crops, taking into account the assessment of agro-climatic data.

Assessment of drought resistance in sorghum CMS lines based on various sterility sources

Background. Global climate changes have recently led to a more frequent occurrence of adverse factors and a decrease in the productivity of major crops. Sorghum is a highly drought-resistant crop that can tolerate long-term soil and air droughts with much lower harvest losses than wheat or barley. It is important to understand physiological mechanisms affecting drought tolerance when breeding efforts are aimed at improving the adaptability to abiotic conditions and productivity of sorghum hybrids.Materials and methods. Twenty sterile lines of grain sorghum with 8 types of CMS were studied in 2019 and 2020 in the arid conditions of Saratov Province. Indicators of the leaf water regime were assessed according to VIR’s guidelines. Statistical processing of the research results was performed using the AGROS 2.09 software.Results. The indicators of the leaf water regime that reflected differentiated responses of the CMS-line plants to the prevailing water and temperature stressors during the critical flowering period for sorghum were analyzed. Four CMS lines were identified according to the chosen set of indicators: they manifested 71.13–72.02% of total water content, 5.26–9.08% of water deficit, and 57.40–83.17% of water retention capacity on average for the two years of research. For the first time, the effect of CMS in sorghum on the manifestation of water regime indicators was registered. In isonuclear CMS lines, the greatest effect on drought resistance was shown by cytoplasm A3 versus A4 (with the Zheltozernoe 10 genome), cytoplasm A5 versus A1 (with the Karlik 4v genome), and M35-1A versus the analog on cytoplasm 9E (with the Pischevoe 614 genome).Conclusion. It is shown that genetically different types of sterility can be used in breeding practice to increase the resistance to abiotic stressors in components of F1 crosses and hybrids.

Features of saflor productivity formation depending on agricultural growing

Features of saflor productivity formation depending on agricultural growing

The Possible Impacts of Different Global Warming Levels on Major Crops in Egypt

Climate change implications are a severe risk to food security and the economy. Global warming could disturb the production of both rainfed and irrigated agriculture thru the amplify of yield water requests in many areas. In this study, the fast-track projections available through the Inter-Sectors Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP) were presented and analyzed to assess the effects of two global warming (GW) levels (1.5 and 2.0 °C) on the maize and wheat yields in Egypt. Outcomes proposed spatial variations in the effects of temperature change on crop yield. Compared with the referenced situation, an observed national average change in wheat yield about 5.0% (0.0% to 9.0%) and 5.0% (−3.0% to 14.0%) under GW1.5 and GW2.0 respectively. While for maize yield, the change in national average about −1.0% (−5.0% to 3.0%) and −4.0% (−8.0% to 2.0%) under GW1.5 and GW2.0 respectively. GW1.5 could be helpful for wheat yield, but the positive effect decayed when the warming level reached 2.0 °C overhead the pre-industrial level. Nevertheless, the possible deviations to Egypt’s maize production under the GW1.5 and GW2.0 scenarios are unclear where the models do not agree with the sign of change. Adjusting the temperature rise within 1.5 °C would diminish the yield reduction, as it is an extraordinary priority to safeguard crop production. To achieve Progress of innovative agronomic managing plans and swapping to additional drought-resistant crops may be valuable for coping with climate change in regions vulnerable to yield decline.

Climate change and variability adaptation strategies and their implications for household food Security: The case of Basona Worena District, North Shewa zone, Ethiopia

The impact of climate change and variability on agriculture and food security is severe in countries that heavily depend on rainfed subsistence agriculture. Examine climate change and variability and determinant factors of adaptation to ensure household food security in Basona Worena District, central highland of Ethiopia. Data were collected from the randomly selected 138 sample households, key informants and National Meteorological Agency. Rainfall and temperature trend and variability were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall test and Precipitation Concentration Index. Household food security was determined using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and Food Consumption Score. Moreover, Tobit Model was used to examine climate change and variability adaptation options, while ordered logistic regression was employed to examine the contribution of climate change and variability adaptation to household food security status from the food consumption dimension. In the study site, an increasing minimum and maximum temperatures and decreasing and variable annual and spring season rainfalls were observed. The site has experienced recurrent drought for the last 35 years (1981–2016). Farmers were practicing biophysical soil and water conservation technologies, agro-forestry, small scale irrigation, livelihood diversification, and growing of high yielding and drought resistant crop varieties. The study identified that extension advisory services, access to training, farm size, sex, frequency of flood, and access to credit determine farmers’ climate change and variability adaptation options. HFIAS and FCS analysis shows that food insecurity is high in the study site. Household food security status was influenced by climate variability and limited adaptation responses. The study suggests the implementation of feasible soil and water conservation, and livelihood diversification intervention to ensure household food security.

Impact of rainfall variability on crop yields and its relationship with sea surface temperature in northern Ethiopian Highlands

Knowing the spatial and temporal variation of rainfall is crucial for the management of agricultural productivity. This study aimed at evaluating rainfall variability impact on crop yields and its relationship with sea surface temperature using GIS and statistical techniques in North and South Wello zones, northern Ethiopian Highlands. In this study, 30 years (1984–2013) time series data of rainfall from National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s Climate Forecast System Reanalysis and National Meteorological Agency, sea surface temperature from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and crop data from Central Statistical Agency were used. With regard to spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall, the highest amount of mean total Kiremt/summer and annual rainfall was 993.71 mm and 1715.95 mm, respectively. The magnitude of mean total Kiremt and annual rainfall temporal and spatial variations, using percentage of coefficient variation, was ranging from 24.8 to 62% and from 23.13 to 57.86%, respectively. The correlation between total Kiremt and Belg rainfall with mean sea surface temperature was negative (r = −0.457) and positive (r = 0.385), respectively and statically significant at alpha 0.05 level. From the regression analysis, it was observed that the variation of crop production was explained by the variation of rainfall. For instance, the impact of mean Kiremt rainfall accounted for 47.5% (R2 = 0.475) of variations in sorghum. Generally, the analysis of this study revealed that rainfall variability is one of the major determinant factors for variation of major crop yields in the study area, and this information might be used as an input for decision-makers take appropriate adaptive measures in various agricultural and water resource sectors. For instance, this study recommends the expansion of irrigation and water management practice and promoting perennial trees like fruits and drought-resistant crops.

Exploration, Collection and Characterization of Horsegram [Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verd.] Germplasm

Background: Horsegram [Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) verd.] is an underutilized arid food legume known to grow well in diverse environmental conditions like poor soils, low rainfall etc. Horsegram is a drought resistant crop used for fodder, feed, seed, green manuring and in ayurvedic medicine. It is grown as Rabi crop in Andhra Pradesh. Compared to other pulse crops, efforts in conservation horsegram germplasm is poor which is essential for the future breeding purpose. There will be a danger of loss of germplasm if they are not collected and conserved. The Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh i.e., Araku region is a rich source of diversified germplasm of legumes, medicinal plants, millets and ancient crops. Among which, horsegram is one of the crop with wide diversified germplasm. Hence the present effort is done in collection and characterization of the germplasm for further use in the breeding process. Broadening the genetic base in horsegram through interspecific hybridization employing diverse germplasm will be useful in improving pest and disease resistance, grain quality, protein percentage and nutritional factors. Methods: Expedition was conducted during Rabi 2018 and 25 horse gram seed samples were collected from the local regions of tribal tracts of Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh along with passport data using the GPS machine. The germplasm lines were evaluated and morphologically characterized during Rabi 2019 at Agricultural Research Station, Yellamanchili, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, for fifteen characters. Principal component analysis was carried out to identify the diverse germplasm lines and to know the contribution of the variables. Result: The investigation showed that all the horse germplasm lines are inherited to the farmers from their ancestors. Study revealed that, the seed yield per plant showed a range of 2.40 to 6.40 g and the days maturity recorded a range of 87 to 106 days. Principal component analysis showed that all the variables except 100 seed weight (g) showed positive loading. Among the variables plant height (cm), dry haulm weight (g) and seed yield per plant recorded maximum percentage of contribution. The genotypes HG-24, HG-7, HG-19, HG-15, HG-22 recorded highest positive scores. The genotypes HG-5, HG-10, HG-3, HG-16, HG-8, HG-4, HG-10, HG-24 and HG-7 has shown wide divergence which may be further adopted in the breeding programme for horsegram improvement.

Examining the Ability of Communities to Cope with Food Insecurity due to Climate Change

The changing climate has negatively impacted food systems by affecting rainfall patterns and leading to drought, flooding, and higher temperatures which reduce food production. This study examined the ability of communities to cope with food insecurity due to the changing climate in the Serere and Buyende districts, which are two different agro-ecological zones of Uganda. We administered 806 questionnaires to households, a sample size which was determined using Yamane’s formula, with the snowball sampling method used to select the households. The questionnaire sought information, including that regarding the respondents’ resources, the effects of climate change on households, and the coping mechanisms employed to reduce the impact of climate change on food security. The data collected was coded and analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). Agriculture was found to be the main source of income for 42.4% of male adults and 41.2% of female adults in Serere. In Buyende, 39.9% of males and 33.7% of females rely on selling animal, poultry, and food crops. Aggregate results further showed that 58.3% of females and 42.2% of the males from both districts had suffered from the impacts of climate change, and that the effects were more evident between March and May, when communities experienced crop failure. The study further found that the percentage of households who had three meals a day was reduced from 59.7% to 43.6%, while the number of households with no major meals a day increased from 1.3% to 1.6%. We also found that 34.3% of households reported buying food during periods of crop failure or food scarcity. Moreover, despite reporting an understanding of several coping mechanisms, many households were limited in their ability to implement the coping mechanisms by their low incomes. This reinforced their reliance on affordable mechanisms, such as growing drought-resistant crops (32.7%), rearing drought-resistant livestock breeds (26.1%), and reducing the number of meals a day (14.5%), which are mechanisms that are insufficient for solving all the climate-related food insecurity challenges. We recommend that the government intervenes by revising policies which help farmers cope with the negative effects of climate change, promoting the sensitization of farmers to employing the coping mechanisms, and subsidizing agricultural inputs, such as resistant varieties of crops, for all to afford.

Trends in regional climate change and field crop productivity in Orenburg steppe region of Russia

Over the past four decades, climate in Orenburg region changed towards a significant increase in average annual air temperature from 4.5 ° C to 6.2 ° C and a significant decrease in the annual precipitation from 380 to 320 mm. For winter and early grain crops, these changes led to a sharp decrease in the productivity of crops about 2 times compared to the maximum values in the early 90s. Sunflower and sorghum cereals being the most thermophilic and drought-resistant crops adapted to the changed climate conditions better than other crops. The relationships that we have established between the temperature anomaly in the lower troposphere of the Northern Hemisphere and crop productivity can be used in models for long-term forecasting of weather changes and the productivity of field crops in Orenburg region.

Detecting drought regulators using stochastic inference in Bayesian networks

Drought is a natural hazard that affects crops by inducing water stress. Water stress, induced by drought accounts for more loss in crop yield than all the other causes combined. With the increasing frequency and intensity of droughts worldwide, it is essential to develop drought-resistant crops to ensure food security. In this paper, we model multiple drought signaling pathways in Arabidopsis using Bayesian networks to identify potential regulators of drought-responsive reporter genes. Genetically intervening at these regulators can help develop drought-resistant crops. We create the Bayesian network model from the biological literature and determine its parameters from publicly available data. We conduct inference on this model using a stochastic simulation technique known as likelihood weighting to determine the best regulators of drought-responsive reporter genes. Our analysis reveals that activating MYC2 or inhibiting ATAF1 are the best single node intervention strategies to regulate the drought-responsive reporter genes. Additionally, we observe simultaneously activating MYC2 and inhibiting ATAF1 is a better strategy. The Bayesian network model indicated that MYC2 and ATAF1 are possible regulators of the drought response. Validation experiments showed that ATAF1 negatively regulated the drought response. Thus intervening at ATAF1 has the potential to create drought-resistant crops.

Structural and Film-Forming Properties of Millet Starches: A Comparative Study

Millets are an underutilized and important drought-resistant crop, which are mainly used for animal feed. The major constituent in millet is starch (70%); millet starch represents an alternative source of starches like maize, rice, potato, etc. This encouraged us to isolate and characterize the starches from different millet sources and to evaluate the application of these starches in edible film preparation. In the present study, the physicochemical, morphological, and film-forming characteristics of millet starches were studied. The amylose content, swelling power, and solubility of millet starches ranged from 11.01% to 16.61%, 14.43 to 18.83 g/g, and 15.2% to 25.9%, respectively. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found with different pasting parameters, and the highest peak (2985 cP), breakdown (1618 cP), and final viscosity (3665 cP) were observed for barnyard, proso, and finger millet starch, respectively. Little millet starch achieved the highest pasting temperature. All starches showed A-type crystalline patterns, and relative crystallinity was observed at levels of 24.73% to 32.62%, with proso millet starch achieving the highest value. The light transmittance of starches varied from 3.3% to 5.2%, with proso millet starch showing the highest transparency. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in the water solubility, thickness, opacity and mechanical characteristics of films. The results of the present study facilitate a better assessment of the functional characteristics of millet starches for their possible applications in the preparation of starch films.