Improve Wheat Grain Research Articles

Biochar Optimizes Wheat Quality, Yield, and Nitrogen Acquisition in Low Fertile Calcareous Soil Treated With Organic and Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizers.

Crop quality and nutrient uptake are considerably influenced by fertilizers inputs and their application rate. Biochar (BC) improves nitrogen uptake and crop productivity. However, its interaction with synthetic and organic fertilizers in calcareous soil is not fully recognized. Therefore, we inspected the role of biochar (0, 10, 20, and 30 t ha–1) in improving N uptake and quality of wheat in a calcareous soil under integrated N management (90, 120, and 150 kg N ha–1) applied each from urea, farmyard manure (FYM) and poultry manure (PM) along with control) in 2 years field experiments. Application of 20 t BC along with 150 kg N ha–1 as poultry manure considerably improved wheat grain protein content (14.57%), grain (62.9%), straw (28.7%), and biological (38.4%) yield, grain, straw, and total N concentration by 14.6, 19.2, and 15.6% and their uptake by 84.6, 48.8, and 72.1%, respectively, over absolute control when averaged across the years. However, their impact was more pronounced in the 2nd year (2016–2017) after application compared to the 1st year (2015–2016). Therefore, for immediate crop benefits, it is recommended to use 20 t BC ha–1 once in 50 years for enhancing the nitrogen use efficiency of fertilizers and crop yield.

Being applied at rice or wheat season impacts biochar's effect on gaseous nitrogen pollutants from the wheat growth cycle

Biochar (BC) application to agricultural soil can impact two nitrogen (N) gases pollutants, i.e., the ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) losses to atmospheric environment. Under rice-wheat rotation, applied at which growth cycle may influence the aforementioned effects of BC. We conducted a soil column (35 cm in inner diameter and 70 cm in height) experiment to evaluate the responses of wheat N use efficiency (NUE), NH3 volatilization, and N2O emission from wheat season to biochar applied at rice (R) or wheat (W) growth cycle, meanwhile regarding the effect of inorganic fertilizer N input rate, i.e., 72, 90, and 108 kg ha−1 (named N72, N90, and N108, respectively). The results showed that BC application influenced the wheat growth and grain yield. In particular, BC applied at rice season increased the wheat grain yield when receiving 90 and 108 kg N ha−1. The improved wheat grain yield was attributed to that N90 + BC(R) and N108 + BC(R) enhanced the wheat NUE by 53.8% and 52.8% over N90 and N108, respectively. More N input led to higher NH3 volatilization and its emission factor. Interestingly, 19.7%–34.0% lower NH3 vitalizations were recorded under treatments with BC applied in rice season, compared with the treatments only with fertilizer N. BC applied at rice season exerted higher efficiency on mitigating N2O emission than that applied at wheat season under three N input rates, i.e., 60.5%–77.6% vs 29.8%–34.8%. Overall, considering the crop yield and global warming potential resulting from NH3 volatilization and N2O emission of wheat season, N90 + BC(R) is recommended. In conclusion, farmers should consider the application time and reduce inorganic fertilizer N rate when using BC.

Impact of Conservation Agriculture on Wheat Growth, Productivity and Nutrient Uptake in Maize–Wheat–Mungbean System

Conservation agriculture (CA) involving minimum mechanical soil disturbance, permanent soil cover with crop residue mulch and diversified crop rotation, plays a crucial role in sustainable crop production. A field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during rabi seasons (November–April) of 2018–19 and 2019–20 in wheat involving maize-wheat-mungbean system to assess the effects of CA on crop productivity, nutrient uptake and profitability. Results showed that CA-based practices with residue retention resulted in higher yield as well as economic benefits when compared to conventional tillage (CT). Wheat yield parameters in CA were greater than in CT. The CA-based practices improved wheat grain and straw yield to the tune of 7.2–27.1% and 5.7–20.6%, respectively compared to CT practice. The CA-based practices with residue retention with 100% N registered 9.7% higher cost of cultivation, but resulted in 24.3–35.1% higher net returns than CT. Among CA-based practices, the plots under permanent broad bed with residue with 100% N (PBB+R+100N) resulted in ~27% higher wheat grain yield compared to CT. The PBB+R+100N plots also had considerably greater nutrient uptake and net returns than CT plots. The CA practice involving PBB+R+100N was found to be more productive, remunerative and could potentially boost up the wheat productivity and profitability under maize-wheat-mungbean system in north-western Indo-Gangetic Plains of India.

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Genomic Regions Associated With Molybdenum Accumulation in Wheat Grains.

Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential micronutrient for almost all organisms. Wheat, a major staple crop worldwide, is one of the main dietary sources of Mo. However, the genetic basis for the variation of Mo content in wheat grains remains largely unknown. Here, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on the Mo concentration in the grains of 207 wheat accessions to dissect the genetic basis of Mo accumulation in wheat grains. As a result, 77 SNPs were found to be significantly associated with Mo concentration in wheat grains, among which 52 were detected in at least two sets of data and distributed on chromosome 2A, 7B, and 7D. Moreover, 48 out of the 52 common SNPs were distributed in the 726,761,412–728,132,521 bp genomic region of chromosome 2A. Three putative candidate genes, including molybdate transporter 1;2 (TraesCS2A02G496200), molybdate transporter 1;1 (TraesCS2A02G496700), and molybdopterin biosynthesis protein CNX1 (TraesCS2A02G497200), were identified in this region. These findings provide new insights into the genetic basis for Mo accumulation in wheat grains and important information for further functional characterization and breeding to improve wheat grain quality.

A nitrogen fertilizer strategy for simultaneously increasing wheat grain yield and protein content: Mixed application of controlled-release urea and normal urea

Increasing grain yield and protein content simultaneously in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is challenging. Efficient nitrogen (N) management strategies, such as mixed application of controlled-release urea and normal urea (CRUNU), has been considered as a potential method for overcoming this challenge. Here, we tested CRUNU application in the winter wheat variety, Xiaoyan22, during three growing seasons (2017–2020) to examine its effects on photosynthetic characteristics, grain filling, dry matter, and N accumulation and remobilization. We aimed to determine the effect of CRUNU application on wheat grain yield and protein content and its underlying mechanisms. The results from the three wheat-growing seasons showed that CRUNU application significantly increased grain yield and protein content at three N application levels, with an average increase of 3.89% in grain yield and 6.35% in protein content compared with the results obtained using normal urea (NU). The main determinant for the increased grain yield was the increase in apical grain weight, which was mainly due to the improvement in grain filling. At the three N application levels, increased N accumulation was observed in vegetative organs (pre-anthesis) following CRUNU application compared with NU application; however, CRUNU application did not improve the contribution rate of pre-anthesis N accumulation in grains. The increase in grain N accumulation and protein content were mainly attributed to elevated post-anthesis N accumulation and its improved contribution to grain N content. Because CRUNU application improved wheat grain yield and protein content without significant variations between the medium and high N application levels, we suggest that CRUNU application, in combination with optimum N application levels, can be considered an effective agronomic management strategy to improve grain yield and protein content in winter wheat.

Alleviation of Cadmium Stress in Wheat through the Combined Application of Boron and Biochar via Regulating Morpho-Physiological and Antioxidant Defense Mechanisms

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soil adversely affects crop productivity, grain quality, and human health. Applications of boron (B) and biochar are known to impart tolerance to crops against abiotic stresses. A pot experiment was performed to assess the effects of the sole and combined application of B and biochar on growth, physiological and antioxidant defense mechanisms, yield, and grain quality of wheat under Cd toxicity-induced stress. The treatments included control (0 mg kg−1 and 0 g kg−1), only Cd (15 mg kg−1), only B (5 g kg−1), only biochar (50 g kg−1), B plus biochar, Cd plus B, Cd plus biochar, and Cd plus B plus biochar, which were applied at the time of sowing and were arranged using completely randomized design (CRD) with five replications. The individual Cd toxicity (15 mg kg−1) significantly reduced chl a, chl b, and chl a+b, as well as primary metabolites (soluble protein, amino acids, total soluble sugar, and phenolic contents), while it increased the activities of enzymatic antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in the leaves of wheat. In addition, Cd stress (15 mg kg−1) increased lipid peroxidation in the form of malondialdehyde (MDA), and it enhanced the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, electrolyte leakage (EL), and proline contents in the leaves. Furthermore, Cd (15 mg kg−1) contamination reduced the grain yield and yield-related attributes relative to respective no-Cd treatments. Soil-applied B and biochar improved wheat grain yield by triggering the activities of enzymatic antioxidants. Individual or combined B and biochar applications improved proline contents and reduced H2O2 and MDA contents in plants. The combined application of B and biochar enhanced soluble sugars and total phenolic as compared to the control and Cd-contaminated plants. In conclusion, the combined application of B and biochar was found to be the best soil amendment strategy to improve the yield of wheat under Cd-contaminated soil.

Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer inputs and plant populations for greener wheat production with high yields and high efficiency in dryland areas

Bridging yield gaps in staple crops is widely reported as a highly efficient means for improving grain production. However, changes in production efficiency and the environmental footprint remain less investigated when narrowing these gaps. In this study, we collected data from 299 wheat plots on the Loess Plateau of China to identify changes in nitrogen efficiency, nutrient balance, and environmental risks when narrowing the yield gaps. The low-yielding (LY) and high-yielding (HY) plots had an average yield gap of 1936 kg ha–1 (33.5%) and nitrogen partial factor productivity gap of 10.3 kg kg–1 (30.1%) that were simultaneously narrowed under similar fertilizer inputs. Optimizing sowing date improved spikes per m2 (27.4%) and grains per head (12.9%), key measures to improving wheat grain yields. The high-yielding high-efficiency (HYHE) plots produced on average 43.0% and 14.6% higher nitrogen partial factor productivity and grain yield, respectively than the high-yielding low-efficiency (HYLE) plots. Appropriate nitrogen fertilizer inputs significantly enhanced nitrogen use efficiency and maintained grain yield on HY plots. Grain yield and nitrogen partial factor productivity gradually increased with year of cultivar release (1995–2019) (P < 0.05). However, soil organic matter, pH, available phosphorus, mineral nitrogen, and available potassium had no significant effect on grain yield or nitrogen use efficiency. The HYHE plots had the lowest nitrogen surplus (25 kg N ha–1), phosphorus surplus (31 kg P ha–1), and greenhouse gas emissions (2327 kg CO2-eq ha–1) of the surveyed plots. In the HY plots, moderate potassium fertilizer should be supplemented to balance wheat production. In conclusion, excellent cultivars and high plant density are key for bridging the yield gap between LY and HY plots. Optimizing fertilizer management could further promote HY plots from low to high production efficiency. This research provides farmers with the knowledge and methods to sustainably bridge field-level yield gaps in dryland wheat production.

Identification of the Q Gene Playing a Role in Spike Morphology Variation in Wheat Mutants and Its Regulatory Network.

The wheat AP2 family gene Q controls domestication traits, including spike morphology and threshability, which are critical for the widespread cultivation and yield improvement of wheat. Although many studies have investigated the molecular mechanisms of the Q gene, its direct target genes, especially those controlling spike morphology, are not clear, and its regulatory pathways are not well established. In this study, we conducted gene mapping of a wheat speltoid spike mutant and found that a new allele of the Q gene with protein truncation played a role in spike morphology variation in the mutant. Dynamic expression levels of the Q gene throughout the spike development process suggested that the transcript abundances of the mutant were decreased at the W6 and W7 scales compared to those of the WT. We identified several mutation sites on the Q gene and showed that mutations in different domains resulted in distinct phenotypes. In addition, we found that the Q gene produced three transcripts via alternative splicing and that they exhibited differential expression patterns in nodes, internodes, flag leaves, and spikes. Finally, we identified several target genes directly downstream of Q, including TaGRF1-2D and TaMGD-6B, and proposed a possible regulatory network. This study uncovered the target genes of Q, and the results can help to clarify the mechanism of wheat spike morphology and thereby improve wheat grain yield.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Enhance Drought Tolerance in Wheat via Physio-Biochemical Changes and Stress Genes Expression.

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the expression analysis of genes involved in drought tolerance and the use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) to mitigate the undesirable effects of drought stress in wheat.Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment based on completely randomized design (CRD) was performed with three replicates. The experiment was carried out in the greenhouse of Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran in 2017. The factorial combination of stress levels of water supply (including 85%, 60%, and 35% field capacity) and ZnO NPs (0, 0.5, and 1.0 g. L-1) were used on three wheat cultivars (Mihan, Heidari, and Gascogne). Three days after spraying the ZnO NPs in the three-leaf stage, drought stress was applied for ten days and physio-biochemical traits and gene expression of wheat cultivars were investigated. The expression of Wdhn13, DREB2, P5CS, and CAT1 genes in leaves were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Results: Generally, drought stress significantly enhanced total protein and lysine, soluble sugars, chlorophyll, carotenoid contents, antioxidant enzymes activities, and proline accumulation in plants treated with ZnO NPs. Moreover, the ZnO NPs increased the expression of the genes involved in proline biosynthesis (i.e., P5CS), catalase activity (i.e., CAT1), and dehydration-responsive genes DREB2 and Wdhn13, which are known as drought-tolerance parameters.Conclusions: According to our results, ZnO NP-treated wheat induced drought-tolerance genes and effectively facilitated deficiency tolerance. Therefore, under drought stress, we recommend spraying bread wheat with ZnO NPs (1 g. L-1) in the growing season, which can improve wheat grain yield under dry conditions.

Winter Wheat Response to Timing of Fungicide Application During the 2020–2021 Growing Season

Foliar fungicides applied at the flag leaf stage can improve wheat grain yield in Kansas, but there is limited information on the impact of earlier or combined applications of fungicide on wheat grain yield. We conducted a field study in six Kansas locations during the 2020–2021 growing season to evaluate the yield and test weight of the winter wheat variety WB-Grainfield in response to different fungicide application timings. The trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications to evaluate (1) a non-treated control; Topguard applied at 5 ounces per acre at (2) jointing, (3) heading; and (4) jointing plus heading. The study was conducted in two locations with contrasting soil textures near Ashland Bottoms, in two locations with different previous crops resulting in optimum- and late-sowing dates near Belleville, in one location near Hutchinson, and another near Manhattan. Statistical analysis indicated that for both grain yield and grain test weight, there were significant fungicide timing by location interactions, suggesting that the response to fungicide was location-specific. Grain yield ranged from 28 bushels per acre in the no fungicide treatment in Manhattan to 109.9 bu/a with dual-fungicide in the Belleville field sown at the optimum time. Depending on environment, the increase in yield due to the fungicide application as compared to the untreated control ranged from 0.7 to 8.0 bu/a in the jointing application, from -1.8 to 19.3 bu/a in the heading application, and from -1.4 to 17.7 bu/a in the dual application. Grain test weights ranged from 54.1 pounds per bushel without fungicide in one of the trials near Ashland Bottoms, to 62.8 lb/bu near Hutchinson with the dual fungicide application. Test weight benefits due to fungicide depended on location and ranged from -0.1 to 1.7 lb/bu in the jointing application, from -0.9 to 2.6 lb/bu in the heading application, and from -0.3 to 3.9 lb/bu in the dual application. This research is an initial step in determining the benefits of foliar fungicide timing to winter wheat yield and test weight. The results from this study suggest that benefits are substantial, however, the magnitude depended on the environmental conditions experienced during the growing season.

The wheat AGL6-like MADS-box gene is a master regulator for floral organ identity and a target for spikelet meristem development manipulation.

SummaryThe AGAMOUS‐LIKE6 (AGL6)‐like genes are ancient MADS‐box genes and are functionally studied in a few model plants. The knowledge of these genes in wheat remains limited. Here, by studying a ‘double homoeolog mutant’ of the AGL6 gene in tetraploid wheat, we showed that AGL6 was required for the development of all four whorls of floral organs with dosage‐dependent effect on floret fertility. Yeast two‐hybrid analyses detected interactions of AGL6 with all classes of MADS‐box proteins in the ABCDE model for floral organ development. AGL6 was found to interact with several additional proteins, including the G protein β and γ (DEP1) subunits. Analysis of the DEP1‐B mutant showed a significant reduction in spikelet number per spike in tetraploid wheat, while overexpression of AGL6 in common wheat increased the spikelet number per spike and hence the grain number per spike. RNA‐seq analysis identified the regulation of several meristem activity genes by AGL6, such as FUL2 and TaMADS55. Our work therefore extensively updated the wheat ABCDE model and proposed an alternative approach to improve wheat grain yield by manipulating the AGL6 gene.

Intergeneration correlation and parent-offspring regression in rust resistance derived F4 and F5 generations in bread wheat

The present investigation aimed to determine the intergeneration correlation and parent-offspring regression in F4 and F5 generations of two wheat crosses, WH 1105 × WH 711 and RAJ 3765 × WH 711 grown during the rabi 2015-16 and 2016-17 in research area of Wheat and Barley Section, CCS HAU, Hisar. Correlation studies indicated that grain yield/plant showed a significant positive correlation with almost all the yield attributing traits which may be considered as prime traits during selection. Biological yield/plant had the highest positive direct effect on grain yield/plant, followed by the harvest index. Almost all the characters had high indirect effects through biological yield/ plant and harvest index. The F4 generation progenies showed highly significant and positive values of intergeneration correlation and regression with F5 generation progenies for all the characters in both the crosses. Therefore, the performance of the plants in the F4 generation is a reliable indicator of the performance of their progeny in subsequent generations. Narrow sense heritability values were high for the number of grains/ear, grain weight/ear and grain yield/ plant while response to selection values were high for the number of grains/ear, biological yield/plant, plant height and number of spikelets/ear in the progenies of both crosses. Hence, improvement through selection can be based upon these traits in these crosses. Thus estimation of correlation and regression analysis among yield and yield components may provide effective selection criteria to improve wheat grain yield.

Wheat–clover temporary intercropping under Mediterranean conditions affects wheat biomass, plant nitrogen dynamics and grain quality

Intercropping is often proposed as a valid agroecological tool for low-input arable farming, but few studies assess it at the farm level. We set up a farm experiment to test a wheat-Persian clover temporary intercropping system (Pcw, unfertilized wheat sown at 330 seeds m−2, and clover sown in paired rows; Pcwbc, unfertilized wheat sown at 330 seeds m−2, and clover broadcast sown) against a farm system control treatment (Ctrl, fertilized wheat as a sole crop sown in single rows at 440 seeds m−2) and a factorial control treatment (Ctrlpr, unfertilized wheat as a sole crop, sown in paired rows at 330 seeds m−2). Persian clover in Pcw/Pcwbc was incorporated into the soil at the wheat stem elongation phase. At early stages, wheat biomass and nitrogen accumulation in Pcw/Pcwbc was significantly lower than in Ctrl; the same parameters were lower in Pcw/Pcwbc compared to Ctrlpr, but not significantly different. At harvest, wheat grain yield in Pcw was not significantly reduced compared to Ctrlpr, but it was around 20% lower than in Ctrl. Grain yield and N accumulation in Pcwbc at harvest were lower than Ctrl and Ctrlpr. Wheat grain protein content was 16% and 24% higher in Pcw and Pcwbc, respectively, than in Ctrlpr, and 15% and 28% compared to Ctrl. None of the treatments was economically viable from a farming perspective, although Pcw showed less economic losses, as the higher protein level raises the grain prices. Overall, the insertion of Persian clover in a temporary intercropping system reduces grain yield compared to wheat customarily sown, while simultaneously improving wheat grain protein content. No clear indication on the effect of intercropping on weed dynamics can be given.

Improving wheat grain yield via promotion of water and nitrogen utilization in arid areas

Crop yield is limited by water and nitrogen (N) availability. However, in Hexi Corridor of northwestern China, water scarcity and excessive fertilizer N in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production causes serious conflicts between water and N supply and crop demand. A field experiment was conducted from 2016 to 2018 to evaluate whether reducing of irrigation and fertilizer N will reduce grain yield of wheat. There were two irrigation quotas (192 and 240 mm) and three fertilizer N rates (135, 180, and 225 kg N ha−1). The results showed that reducing irrigation to 192 mm and N rate to 180 kg N ha−1 reduced water uptake, water uptake efficiency, and N uptake of spring wheat as compared to local practice (i.e., 240 mm irrigation and 225 kg N ha−1 fertilizer). Whereas, it improved water and N utilization efficiency, and water and N productivity. Consequently, the irrigation and N rate reduced treatment achieved the same quantity of grain yield as local practice. The path analysis showed that interaction effect between irrigation and N fertilization may attributable to the improvement of grain yield with lower irrigation and N rate. The enhanced water and N utilization allows us to conclude that irrigation quota at 192 mm coupled with fertilizer N rate at 180 kg N ha−1 can be used as an efficient practice for wheat production in arid irrigation areas.

Split nitrogen fertilizer application\xa0improved grain yield in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) via modulating antioxidant capacity and 13C photosynthate mobilization under water-saving irrigation conditions

A water-saving cultivation technique of supplementary irrigation based on soil moisture levels has been adopted for winter wheat production in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China, due to the enhanced water-use efficiency. However, appropriate split nitrogen management may further improve crop growth and grain yield. Here, we conducted a 2-year field experiment to determine if split nitrogen management might improve wheat productivity by enhancing 13C photosynthate mobilization and the antioxidant defense system under water-saving conditions. Split nitrogen management involved a constant total nitrogen rate (240 kg ha−1) split in four different proportions between sowing and jointing stage, i.e., 10:0 (N1), 7:3 (N2), 5:5 (N3), and 3:7 (N4). The N3 treatment significantly enhanced “soil-plant analysis development” values, superoxide dismutase antioxidant activity, soluble protein content, sucrose content, and sucrose phosphate synthetase activity, although it reduced the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). The N3 treatment ultimately increased the amount of dry matter assimilation after anthesis significantly. In addition, the 13C isotope tracer experiment revealed that the N3 treatment promoted the assimilation of carbohydrates after anthesis and their partitioning to the developing grains. Compared to the unequal ratio treatments (N1, N2, and N4), the equal ratio treatment (N3) increased grain yield by 5.70–16.72% via increasing 1000-grain weight and number of grains per spike in both growing seasons. Therefore, we recommend the use of a 5:5 basal-topdressing split nitrogen fertilizer application under water-saving irrigation conditions to promote antioxidant enzyme activity and the remobilization of photosynthate after anthesis for improving wheat grain yield.

Grain mineral composition of Argentinean-adapted wheat cultivars: a case study

Improvement of the nutritional quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been quite challenging, due, in part, to the limited variation found in modern cultivars and the strong effect exerted by the environment, which hinder the selection process. The aim of this study was to characterise the mineral profile of grains of 35 Argentinean-adapted, mostly spring wheat cultivars in two successive years. Concentrations of most mineral nutrients in grains spanned approximately a two-fold range. Our study revealed a strong effect of the environment, but also that some key differences among genotypes are maintained over years. Correlation and principal component analyses showed the existence of a strong and stable association of variables determining the global elemental profile in grains of the wheat lines under analysis. In this regard, some cultivars displayed, over successive years, opposite global patterns of elemental composition, suggesting the existence of a genotype dependent ionome signature. Important negative correlations were found for the concentration of most, but not all, nutrients with yield, thus indicating a potential compromise among beneficial traits. The genotypic variation characterised in the present study has potential to be used in breeding programs aimed at improving wheat grain quality.

Winter Wheat Response to Different Fungicide Management (Products and Timing of Application) During the 2019-2020 Growing Season

Foliar fungicides can improve wheat grain yield in Kansas, but there is limited information on the efficacy of different products as well as the timing of application. We conducted a field study in five Kansas locations to evaluate the yield, test weight, and protein responses of WB-Grainfield to different commercial fungicides applied at different times during the growing season. The trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design to evaluate (1) a non-treated control; Topguard applied at 5 ounces per acre at (2) jointing, (3) heading, and (4) jointing plus heading; (5) Delaro applied at 6 oz/a at jointing; (6) Absolute Maxx applied at 5 ounces per acre at heading; (7) Delaro at jointing plus Absolute Maxx at heading at the rates previously specified; and (8) Nexicor applied at 13 oz/a at heading. The study was conducted near Conway Springs, Great Bend, two sites near Hutchinson (optimum- and late-sowing date), and Leoti. Grain yield across locations ranged from 36 to 72.9 bushels per acre. A significant fungicide by location interaction on grain yield resulted from two locations showing no response to fungicide; two locations resulting in the highest yield when fungicide at heading was presented in the evaluated treatment; and one location showing all fungicide treatments outyielding the control. Similar results were obtained for test weight, where fungicides at heading seemed to benefit test weight at all locations except at the driest one. There were no consistent effects of foliar fungicide management on wheat grain protein concentration. This research is an initial step in determining the benefits of foliar fungicide to winter wheat yield and to date, a preliminary conclusion highlights the usefulness of a heading fungicide application when precipitation is not a limiting factor to yields, without consistent differences among the evaluated products.

Durum Wheat Grain Yield and Quality under Low and High Nitrogen Conditions: Insights into Natural Variation in Low- and High-Yielding Genotypes.

The availability and management of N are major determinants of crop productivity, but N excessive use has an associated agro-ecosystems environmental impact. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of N fertilization on yield and grain quality of 6 durum wheat genotypes, selected from 20 genotypes as high- and low-yielding genotypes. Two N levels were applied from anthesis to maturity: high (½ Hoagland nutrient solution) and low (modified ½ Hoagland with one-third of N). Together with the agronomic characterization, grain quality analyses were assessed to characterize carbohydrates concentration, mineral composition, glutenin and gliadin concentrations, polyphenol profile, and anti-radical activity. Nitrogen supply improved wheat grain yield with no effect on thousand-grain weight. Grain soluble sugars and gluten fractions were increased, but starch concentration was reduced, under high N. Mineral composition and polyphenol concentrations were also improved by N application. High-yielding genotypes had higher grain carbohydrates concentrations, while higher concentrations in grain minerals, gluten fractions, and polyphenols were recorded in the low-yielding ones. Decreasing the amount of N to one-third ensured a better N use efficiency but reduced durum wheat agronomic and quality traits.

Influence of residual silicon and phosphorus on growth, productivity, lodging and grain quality of succeeding wheat under rice-wheat cropping system

Aim: To assess the residual effect of silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P2O5) application on the growth, productivity, lodging resistance and grain quality of wheat in Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. Methodology: A field experiment was conducted with four levels each of silicon (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg Si ha-1) and phosphorus (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg P2O5 ha-1) in a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) replicated three times at research farm of the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during 2015-16 and 2016-17 to study the residual effect of Si and P2O5 on wheat. Growth, yield, yield attributes, lodging and grain quality parameters were analyzed using standard procedures. Both the nutrients were applied in aerobic rice crop and their residual effect was studied in wheat crop. Results: Application of Si and P2O5 in preceding rice crop significantly improved the growth, yield, grain quality of succeeding wheat crop. Grain yield of wheat was increased by 21% due to application of Si and P2O5. Significant improvement was observed when P2O5 and Si were applied at 60 and 80 kg ha-1, respectively. Lodging was reduced by 100% with P2O5 and Si application at 90 and 120 kg ha-1, respectively. Interpretation: Application of Si and P2O5 has potential to enhance productivity by improving growth, yield attributes and reduction in abiotic stress like lodging. Fertilization with P2O5 and Si can reduce lodging and improve wheat grain quality through enhanced sturdiness and protein content.

Potential effects of biochar application on mitigating the drought stress implications on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under various growth stages

Drought is the main abiotic stress that severely reduces wheat yield across the globe. To cope up this situation, use of organic amendments is the best option. Biochar is an organic soil amendment that is used to improve soil carbon, organic contents, improve water holding capacity of soil, enhance soil fertility and maintain desired soil. Present study was carried out under semi-arid climatic conditions to mitigate the adverse effects of drought at critical wheat growth stages i.e., tillering (DTS), flowering (DFS) and grain filling stage (DGFS) by using three biochar treatments viz. B0 = Control, B1 = 27.88 g kg−1 and B2 = 37.18 g kg−1. Results revealed that drought stress negatively affected the growth and yield attributes of wheat at all critical growth stages, while, grain filling stage was found the most sensitive stage resulted severe yield reduction. However, biochar application significantly mitigated the detrimental effects of drought by improving number of fertile tillers (19.50%), spike length (6.52%), number of grains per spike (3.07%), thousand grain weight (6.42%), biological (9.43%) and economic yield (13.92%) as compared to control treatment. Moreover, biochar significantly improved water use efficiency and physiological attributes of drought stressed wheat. Principal component analysis linked different scales of study and demonstrated the potential of physio-biochemical traits to explain the wheat yield variations under drought condition with response to biochar application. In crux, biochar application (37.18 g kg−1) can be used as an effective stratagem to achieve improved wheat grain yield through mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress.