Triticale Plants Research Articles

Molecular identification and morphological characterisation of multiple fungal pathogens of triticale in Northern Kazakhstan

Background and Aim. Тtriticale is classified as an amphidiploids and is the first grain crop created by humans, possessing high yield potential along with favorable biochemical and technological characteristics. For a long time, it was believed that triticale, during selection, inherited disease resistance from wheat and resistance to abiotic factors from rye. However, in recent years, there have been several reports that triticale is to fungal diseases, which reduces the quality of the harvested crop. The aim of our study is to examine and characterize the fungal pathogens of triticale in Northern Kazakhstan, and conduct molecular-genetic identification of the main fungal pathogens.MaterialsandMethods. The study was conducted of triticale from two varieties, Dauren and Rossika. Primary fungal isolation was carried out on agarized nutrient media, with preliminary identification using microscopy. Molecular genetic analysis was performed to determine the species of fungi. Results. During the study, we isolated five major fungal pathogens from different parts of the plant. Data on the percentage of infection by the main fungal pathogens were provided. Three of them are pathogens of alternariosis – Alternaria alternate (more common in grains 39%, in leaves and scales of seeds 19-21%), fusariosis – Fusarium tricinctum (occurrence: in roots 57%, in grains 17%, in leaves 10%) and helminthosporiosis – Bipolaris sorokiniana (occurrence in roots and leaves 0.83%) of grain crops, which can lead to a decrease and loss of yield due to their production of mycotoxins. A cultural and morphological description of the main fungal pathogens of grain crops was provided. Moleculargenetic identification was carried out using the ribosomal marker ITS (internal transcribed spacer).Conclusion. According to result of our research, we characterized and molecular-genetically identified the most common fungi found on different parts of the triticale plant.

Evaluation of Triticale Yield under the Influence of Hydrogen Peroxide in the Presence of Oxidative Catalysts

An experimental assessment of the effect of activators of oxidative processes on the yield of triticale grain crops was carried out at experimental sites of the Federal Agrarian Scientific Center of the South-East, Saratov. Triticale plants during the growing season were sprayed with an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 5 mmol/l in the presence of oxidative catalysts based on oxygen-containing compounds: 2-butanone, 1-tetralone, cyclohexanone. The effectiveness of the use of all catalysts used in this work is shown. The best results were obtained by double treatment with an aqueous solution of cyclohexanone in hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 5 mmol/l in a ratio of 1: 300, carried out 4 and 3 weeks before the start of harvesting, which led to an increase in the yield of triticale grain by 176% relative to the control. Hydrogen peroxide is an additional source of oxygen that accelerates metabolism in plants. An even greater activation of metabolic processes in plants occurred in the presence of oxidative catalysts (2-butanone, 1-tetralone, cyclohexanone), due to the formation of highly active oxygen-containing structures in aqueous solutions, which ultimately led to higher yields of cultivated plants, in particular triticale.

Assessment of the resistance to lodging of spring triticale based on the study of physical and mechanical properties

The results of the study of architectonics and physical and mechanical properties of the stems of selective forms of spring hexaploid triticale of different ecological and geographical origin are presented. Traits of 19 collection and breeding samples from the collections of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) and the Siberian Research Institute of Plant Growing and Selection - branch of the Federal Research Center of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SibNIIRS – branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences) served as research objects. Macrometric parameters were studied on 25 representative specimens of each breeding sample when they reached the phase of full ripeness during three years (2021–2023). The resistance of the stem to bending or fracture was determined on an experimental specimen manufactured at the SibNIIRS with a stable platform, bars for fixing the specimen and a slot for placing a dynamometer. The susceptibility of triticale plants to lodging was evaluated by a set of traits: weight of a 10-cm straw of the 2nd internode; stem resistance to breaking determined by the peak reading of an electronic dynamometer; stem tissue density of the 2nd internode. The studied samples differed significantly in these parameters and were characterized by different degrees of the resistance to lodging. Promising breeding specimens that can be used as sources of valuable traits have been identified based on the totality of the strength parameters. Application of the principal component method allowed to identify the marker trait "sum of lengths of the 2nd and 3rd internodes", which was determinant in providing high lodging resistance in the studied samples. A close relationship between the trait of 10-cm straw mass of the 2nd internode and the parameter of the stem resistance to breakage has been established. The conjugation of these characteristics will make it possible to identify the sources of valuable traits and purposefully carry out the selection process of triticale for resistance to lodging without attracting short-stemmed forms.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated мultiplexed multi-allelic mutagenesis of genes located on A, B and R subgenomes of hexaploid triticale.

The first-time generation of hexaploid triticale plants harbouring variable panels of novel mutations in gene families involved in starch biosynthesis has been achieved by the subgenome-independent multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing.

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Assessment of Grain Crop State

The results of studying the dynamics of the NDVI of winter triticale crops in the conditions of the Northwest of Russia are presented. The NDVI was determined based on remote sensing data obtained by two methods including satellite imagery and aerial photography from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The analysis of the dynamics of the NDVI of the surveyed area for the period from May 15 to August 8, obtained from the Sentinel-2 L2A satellite, showed the dependence of the index on the increase in biomass of winter triticale by the periods of its growth and development, as well as on the meteorological conditions of the growing seasons. The sharpest increase in the vegetation index was noted in the period from the beginning of June to the beginning of July, which corresponds to the phase of entering the tube — filling of winter triticale grain. In the most favorable weather conditions, the vegetation index reached 1.0, which indicates the formation of dense vegetation by triticale crops. It is confirmed that the strong dependence of the average NDVI on yield occurs against the background of a decrease in the value of the vegetation index. The conducted aerial photography showed the presence of spatial heterogeneity in the studied fields, which caused uneven growth and development of winter triticale plants within the boundaries of one field. The shortage of grain from each hectare will be about 200 kg. In this regard, it is recommended to apply precision farming using NDVI mapping schemes with reference to point-based field surveys.

The effect of senage as a low-concentrate type feeding racion in feeding cows and their productivity and fertility when using silage feeds

The article presents the effect of senage made during the wax ripening period of the grain of the head of the triticale plant from intermediate crops, as well as their effect on the productivity and fertility of cows when using silage prepared during the wax ripening period of corn grain as a low-concentrate type feed. Keywords: feed unit, exchangeable energy, dry matter, milk productivity, protein, fat, kletchatka, carbohydrate, vitamin, hormone, impotence, sexual predisposition, service-cycle.

Triticale selection lines yield’s level and its structural elements in the middle Amur river region

The studies were carried out in 2020-2022 at the Far Eastern Research Institute of Agriculture (Khabarovsk Territory). The object of study is breeding lines of spring triticale. Agrometeorological conditions differed by years: 2020 - within the average multi-year values, 2021 - high temperatures of the surface air layer and lack of moisture, 2022 - excessive waterlogging. As a result of the research, breeding lines of spring triticale were identified according to grain yield (38.0-45.4 c/ha) - 102-20, 103-20, 104-20, 105-20, 106-20, 107-20, 109- 20, 116-20, 178-20, 184-20, 185-20, 190-20, 196-20, 208-20, 212-20, 217-20, 218-20. In the soil and climatic conditions of the Middle Amur region, samples 102-20, 103-20, 105-20, 116-20, 117-20, 118-20, 119-20, 122-20, 123-20, 134-20, 178- 20, 257-20, 258-20 formed a stable productivity over the years (V˂10 %). The indicator of productive tillering ranged from 1.6 to 3.4 plants according to the samples. Breeding lines of spring triticale 125-20, 184-20 with the maximum number of grains per ear (52-53 pieces) were marked. On average, over the years of research, all samples (except line 105-20) exceeded the standard variety Ukro in terms of grain weight per ear (1.58-2.27 g). In terms of the weight of 1000 grains, 73 % of the samples exceeded the standard variety Ukro by 0.4-9.8 g. A high correlation coefficient was established between the formation of yield and the productive tillering of triticale plants (r = 0.89). The number and weight of seeds of triticale genotypes in the conditions of the region correlate to an average degree (r=0.63). The amount of grain from the main ear and its weight are weakly correlated with the weight of 1000 grains (r= -0.41 and r=0.43, respectively).

Advancing gene editing: multiplex mutagenesis in hexaploid triticale

The presence of several sets of chromosomes in polyploid crops is a serious problem for the application of gene and genome editing systems. Efficient CRISPR/Cas-based mutagenesis of series of genes involved in the grain starch biosynthesis of hexaploid triticale has been developed. Triticale (×Triticosecale),is a hybrid of rye (Secale) and wheat (Triticum) and consists of three subgenomes. Four genes were targeted and to ensure efficient editing of all subgenomes, a trio of guide RNAs for each target genes were designed. To enable simultaneous editing of 36 genetic loci at once (three sgRNAs × four genes × three subgenomes), an expression cassette was constructed, assembled as an array of twelve sgRNAs. The polysitron vector was delivered to morphogenic calli using a gene gun [1] together with a vector encoding Cas9 nuclease [2] to induce mutations. A number of transgenic plants of spring and winter triticale carrying both Cas9 and sgRNAs inserts have been generated. The efficiency of native gene editing varied depending on the target gene and sgRNA activity. Using a trio of sgRNAs for each target gene, we successfully mutated all three subgenome copies, thereby modifying seed starch synthesis. It can be expected that the described approach will make an important contribution to the future breeding of polyploid crops to produce various combinations of new genetic alleles encoding desired traits.
 The study is supported by Kurchatov Genomics Center of All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, agreement No. 075-15-2019-1667.

One size does not fit all: Different strategies employed by triticale and barley plants to deal with soil salinity

Salinity stress tolerance is a polygenic trait conferred by multiple physiological mechanisms, operating at various levels of plant structural organization. In this work, we have compared adaptative strategies employed by barley and triticale, two most tolerant cereal species, to deal with saline conditions. While the photosynthetic attributes were considerably reduced by 200 mM NaCl treatment in both species, triticale plants maintained higher photosynthetic capacity per unit leaf area compared with barley. Triticale plants also showed higher stomatal conductance under both saline and non-saline conditions, explaining the above photosynthetic rate. However, this high photosynthetic capacity in triticale was not translated into higher biomass (as compared with barley) due to stronger salinity-induced inhibition of tillering in the former species. Leaf elemental analysis revealed that salinity tolerance in triticale was related to its ability to exclude Na+ from the shoot while tolerant barley plant tended to accumulate more Na in shoot upon exposure to salt stress, for osmotic adjustment purposes. Salinity tolerance in both species was also causally associated with higher Fe content that was essential for activation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) to reduce the extent of oxidative stress. Electrophysiological experiments also revealed several patterns associated with control of ion transport in root epidermis, of which desensitization of K+- and Ca2+- ROS-inducible cation channels were the main trait conferring salinity tolerance. Cytosolic K+ retention in the root elongation zone in response to salt stress was more efficient in both triticale genotypes compared to barley. Finally, barley and salt tolerant genotypes of triticale showed higher speed of stomata, thus possessing higher water use efficiency.

Физико-химическая оценка почвы в технологии выращивания озимого тритикале

In the experiment, it was found that the productivity indicators of the aboveground mass of winter triticale of the Tribune variety and the content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in their plant tissues are generally consistent with water-physical, physico-chemical parameters and with soil bonification data. It was found that there were no differences in the mass of green leaves and the dry mass of the aboveground part of triticale on chernozem typical of agrocenosis and virgin soil. Of the forest soils, the smallest mass of triticale leaves was obtained on gray forest and turf alluvial, and the largest on sod–podzolic light loamy soil. Plants with massive leaves were also obtained on alluvial meadow soil of the same light loamy granulometric composition. The water content of triticale leaves, as a rule, does not depend on soil fertility. Only on the chernozem-meadow soil of the trunk strips of the apple orchard, in contrast to the row-to-row soil, the hydration of the leaves turned out to be significantly higher. This can be explained by a less acidic reaction, greater hygroscopicity and nitrogen content in the soil of the trunk strip. In summary, winter triticale plants are recommended to be used as a test crop when assessing the degree of soil cultivation. Keywords: WINTER TRITICALE, DEGREE OF CULTIVATION, BIOINDICATION, APPLE ORCHARD, NATURAL LANDS

Vladimir Varieties of Spring Triticale - Valuable Starting Material for Breeding

Spring hexaploid triticale is a promising grain crop for fodder production. The increase of sown areas under the crop is inseparably connected with the creation of new high-yielding stress-resistant varieties. At present, the most effective method of breeding the crop is classical intraspecific hybridization using as a parental component of early developed released varieties of local breeding. In the Central region of the Russian Federation, spring triticale varieties of Vladimir selection are of great breeding value. The purpose of the research is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Vladimir varieties of spring triticale on productivity, thousand seed weight, ear productivity, to obtain hybrid and breeding material on the basis of the identified best varieties. For the objective evaluation of varieties, we calculated adaptability parameters: intensity index (coefficient) and stability index. As a result of the research, it was found that Vladimir selection forms are valuable source material for breeding new varieties for performance, disease resistance and plasticity. Promising source material for breeding for precocity — plastic varieties Slovo, Dorofeya, Rossika, performance — medium-ripening varieties Seltso, Dobroe, Grebeshok, Bolero, medium-late Kvadro, seed size: Normann, Karmen, Dobroe, Kvadro. Using the identified varieties as parental components, new hybrid material was created. The efficiency of selection of high-yielding spring triticale plants from hybrid populations F3-F4amounted to 29-47%.

Evaluation of somaclonal variation in triticale plants regenerated from mature embryos by in vitro culture and treatment with gamma-rays

The Triticale regenerants (SC0) of 3 genotypes (Ingen 35, Ingen 93, 188TR5021) were obtained by calluso-genesis from irradiated mature embryos with gamma rays (150 Gy). The evaluation of the somaclones revealed changes in the quantitative traits: plant height, spike length, apical internode length, number of productive tillers and internodes per plant, number of grains, grains weight per plant. It was found that in vitro culture and gamma irradiation induced significant variations at the level of 95 – 99,9% of the characters studied in triticale SC1 and SC2 somaclones The mean value of 4 traits (plant height, spike length, number of grains and grains weight) of somaclones, SC2 (Ingen 93, in vitro and 188 TR5021, RAD) were higher than the control. The analysis of variance shows that the maximum contribution was manifested by the genotype (30,77%) and the interaction of genotype x radiation (17,28-41,62%) and genotype x in vitro culture (21,32-40,45%) depending on the character (99,9%). The obtained results confirm the contribution of researched factors to increase the genetic variability in triticale

Comparative Study of Photosynthesis Performance of Herbicide-Treated Young Triticale Plants during Drought and Waterlogging Stress

Owing to global climate changes, periods of soil drought or waterlogging occur. Each of these factors causes negative effects on plant physiological processes and growth. Weeds are another factor that limits plant productivity. The main task of this study is to investigate the physiological reactions of triticale to herbicide treatment and subsequent drought or waterlogging. Young triticale plants were treated with Serrate® (selective herbicide produced by Syngenta) and exposed for 7 days to drought or waterlogging. Plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoids content, the net photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll a fluorescence were measured during the stress period and after 4 days of plant recovery. Herbicide by itself did not induce considerable changes in the abovementioned parameters during the stress period. Serrate® did not affect strongly the efficiency of the photosynthetic machinery under harsh conditions. A significant reduction in fresh weight (85%), water content (93%), net photosynthesis rate, chlorophyll a fluorescence indices Fv/Fm and Fv/F0, and leaf pigments (58% for chlorophyll a, 53% for chlorophyll b, and 45% for carotenoids) was found because of drought. Waterlogging also influenced negatively these parameters but to a smaller extent. After resuming the normal irrigation, the photosynthesis and chlorophyll a fluorescence tended to increase and showed signs of recovery. The comparative analysis of growth and photosynthetic parameters demonstrated that triticale plants subjected to waterlogging could recover to a higher degree than those exposed to drought.

The Influence of Cropping Systems on Photosynthesis, Yield, and Grain Quality of Selected Winter Triticale Cultivars

Soil serves as the fundamental foundation for agricultural production; however, inappropriate utilization of soil in conventional cropping systems (CONV) coupled with agricultural practices focused on maximizing profit through the attainment of high-quality grain yield contributes to its degradation. An alternative to the CONV is the integrated cropping system (INTEG), which is based on sustainable plant cultivation by reducing the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. An interesting two-factor field experiment with winter triticale (×Triticosecale Wittm.) was conducted in 2019–2022 in south-eastern Poland. The experimental factors in this study included three winter triticale cultivars, namely Avokado, Medalion, Rotondo, and SU Liborius, and two cropping systems, CONV and INTEG. It was found that the use of the CONV brought out higher grain yield with higher protein and lower fat content. The cultivation of triticale grain under the CONV resulted in a higher thousand-grain weight (TGW), improved grain uniformity, and higher test weight values compared to INTEG. Additionally, the use of the CONV system resulted in improved values of physiological parameters (chlorophyll content and fluorescence and gas exchange), and that was caused by improved photosynthetic efficiency of triticale plants as a result of increased doses of mineral fertilizers, despite being cultivated in the INTEG; cv. SU Liborius achieved better values of yield parameters among the tested triticale cultivars grown in the CONV. Therefore, the selection of a suitable, efficient cultivar allows its growth under lower fertilization conditions and produces high grain yields of good quality. This knowledge can be valuable to farmers, as it would facilitate the selection of a triticale cultivar with the appropriate genetic profile for cultivation under specific agronomic conditions. Eventually, it would allow for the propagation of sustainable agricultural practices and contribute to enhancing soil biodiversity while maintaining the cost-effectiveness of agricultural production.

Inheritance of fodder and seed productivity characteristics by F1 winter triticale hybrids

Purpose and Objectives. To characterize the inheritance of fodder and seed productivity characteristics by F1 winter triticale hybrids from reciprocal crossings. To select promising F1 combinations that show strong heterosis in three or more performance traits. Materials and Methods. The study was carried out at the Department of Fodder, Grain and Technical Crops Breeding of the Institute of Fodder and Agriculture of Podillia of NAAS in 2021 and 2022. The farming techniques were traditional for the forest-steppe. Parents and F1 were sown in a hybrid nursery using a manual marker; the interrow distance was was 30 cm; the interplant distance in the rows was 10 cm. Nine winter triticale varieties of different eco-geographical origins served as the starting material for direct and reverse crossings: Bozhych, Buzhanske, and Pavlodarskyi originating from Ukraine; Tornado, Khleborob, Soyuz, Sergiy, and Sibirskiy from Russia; and NTH 1933 from China. The heterosis degree was determined according to Matzinger et al. [15] and S. Fonseca, F. Patterson. Results and Discussion. Analysis of inheritance in F1 hybrids showed that the productive tillering capacity was inherited by different types, with negative overdominance (55%) and heterosis (20%) prevailing. Due to intra-allelic interactions of genes functioning in a heterozygous state only, selection of genotypes in early hybrid generations may be ineffective. However, there is a high probability of identification of transgressions of increased tillering in later hybrid generations. A combination with positive dominance, Khleborob / NTH 1933 (hp = 0.6; Ht = 3.3%; Hbt = -2.5%), is worth of special attention for selection of genotypes that would have increased tillering capacity. Combinations with negative overdominance (depression) are of little value in breeding for enhanced tillering. Our data on winter triticale demonstrated that the spike length inheritance by F1 hybrids had a wide spectrum: 10% of hybrid combinations showed positive overdominance (heterosis), 25% – positive dominance, 35% – intermediate inheritance, 15% – negative dominance, and 20% – negative overdominance (depression). This is attributed to different geographical and genetic origins of varieties selected for crossing. It should be noted that the Pavlodarskyi / Serhiy and Buzhanske / Pavlodarskyi hybrid combinations inherited spike length by depression. That is, it is possible to select winter triticale plants with relatively short spikes but with increased numbers of kernels among the distinguished hybrid combinations. Analysis in the Pavlodarskyi / Sergiy hybrid population proved that it was possible to select genotypes that would combine a relatively increased number of kernels per spike with an increased weight of kernels per spike. In the Sibirskiy / Pavlodarskyi, Tornado / Pavlodarskyi and Pavlodarskyi / Soyuz hybrid combinations with intermediate inheritance of the “kernel number per spike” trait, it was possible to select genotypes with small numbers of kernels, but kernels were heavier compared to those in the parental forms. The Bozhych / Pavlodarskyi and Sibirskiy / Pavlodarskyi hybrid combinations with positive dominance of the “kernel weight per plant” trait had intermediate inheritance of the “productive stem number” trait, the “spike length” trait and the “kernel number per spike” trait. Selection for increased weight of thousand kernels and, consequently, for increased weight of kernels per plant will be more effective in these combinations. It should be said that it is possible to generate genotypes with elongated spikes from these hybrid combinations. Negative dominance of the “productive stem number” trait, intermediate dominance of the “spike length” and “kernel number” traits, but little positive overdominance of the “kernel weight per spike” and the “kernel weight per plant” traits were intrinsic to the Pavlodarskyi / Soyuz hybrid combination. It is possible to identify genotypes with small numbers of productive stems and kernel numbers similar to those in a parent, but with an increased weight of thousand kernels. Conclusions. Analysis of the variability of the fodder and seed productivity traits in F1 winter triticale hybrids established that hybrid combinations differed significantly in terms of heterosis level and inheritance type. All possible variants of phenotypic dominance, from positive to negative overdominance, were identified. For such traits as the productive tillering, kernel weight per spike, kernel weight per plant, and dry matter weight per plant, depression was noted in most combinations (55–60%).

PLON ZIARNA I CECHY MORFOLOGICZNE ROŚLIN PSZENŻYTA JAREGO W ZALEŻNOŚCI OD ODMIANY, RODZAJU I DAWKI NAWOZU WIELOSKŁADNIKOWEGO

A field experiment was conducted in Borki-Wyrki, Zbuczyn Gmina (commune), from 2017 to 2019. The objective was to assess yield performance and morphological characteristics of two spring triticale cultivars as affected by multi-nutrient fertiliser type and rate, the fertilisers being Polifoska 6 and Polifoska Krzem. Three experimental factors were tested: spring triticale cultivar – Milewo and Dublet, mineral fertiliser type – Polifoska 6 and Polifoska Krzem, and mineral fertiliser rate –0 kg∙ha−1, 140 kg∙ha−1, 280 kg∙ha−1, 420 kg∙ha−1. Spring triticale plant development and yield performance were significant affected by experimental factors, that is cultivar, fertiliser type and rate, were shown to influence these characteristics. Superior yields were produced by cv. Dublet compared with cv. Milewo. Cultivars fertilised with Polifoska Krzem produced higher grain yields than Polifoska 6. An increase in fertiliser rate was followed by higher grain yields. Spring triticale cultivar as well as multi-nutrient fertiliser type and rate significantly affected ear length. Significantly longer ears were developed by cv. Milewo. Longer ears were developed by cereal plants fertilised with Polifoska 6. Similarly, higher fertiliser rates had a beneficial effect on ear length. Fertiliser rate contributed to a significant increase in plant height compared with unamended control. Cv. Milewo plants were significantly higher than cv. Dublet plants.

Establishment of a transformation system in close relatives of wheat under the assistance of TaWOX5

Species closely related to wheat are important genetic resources for agricultural production, functional genomics studies and wheat improvement. In this study, a wheat gene related to regeneration, TaWOX5, was applied to establish the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation systems of Triticum monococcum, hexaploid triticale, and rye (Secale cereale L.) using their immature embryos. Transgenic plants were efficiently generated. During the transformation process, the Agrobacterium infection efficiency was assessed by histochemical staining for β-glucuronidase (GUS). Finally, the transgenic nature of regenerated plants was verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping for the presence of the GUS and bialaphos resistance (bar) genes, histochemical staining for GUS protein, and the QuickStix strip assay for bar protein. The transformation efficiency of T. monococcum genotype PI428182 was 94.4%; the efficiencies of four hexaploid triticale genotypes Lin456, ZS3297, ZS1257, and ZS3224 were 52.1, 41.2, 19.4, and 16.0%, respectively; and the transformation efficiency of rye cultivar Lanzhou Heimai was 7.8%. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analyses indicated that the GUS transgenes were integrated into the distal or near centromere (proximal) regions of the chromosomes in transgenic T. monococcum and hexaploid triticale plants. In the transgenic hexaploid triticale plants, the foreign DNA fragment was randomly integrated into the AABB and RR genomes. Furthermore, the transgene was almost stably inherited in the next generation by Mendel’s law. The findings in this study will promote the genetic improvement of the three plant species for grain or forage production and the improvement of cereal species including wheat for functional genomics studies.

Estimation of the efficiency of <i>in vitro</i> anther culture method for obtaining haploid triticale plants (×<i>Triticosecale</i> wittmack)

Anther culture is one of the most popular methods for obtaining haploid triticale plants. The current paper has presented the study results of the efficiency of the method for obtaining haploid plants in promising winter triticale forms bred by the Federal Agricultural Research Center of South-East. There has been estimated haploproduction parameters for the studied genotypes on the nutrient media C-17 and P-2. There were no genotypes unresponsive to androgenesis. There has been found that the medium Potato-2 had a significant positive effect on the total number of embryogenic structures per 100 cultivated anthers in four of the six studied genotypes when the index increased in 1–3 times. The mean value of the EC/100KP indicator was 23.3 with a variation of 6.4-75.1. The largest number of ES (45.8 and 75.1) was found in genotype No. 96 (F5 Zimogor/win.br.wheat L.39) on induction media C-17 and P-2. The genotypes No. 95 and No. 97 were characterized by the lowest indicators F4 DH13/ win.br.wheat ‘Atkara’//Vodoley/ADP-2///Colina and F5 MAG/Vodoley//TI-17. Plant regeneration varied from 3.4 to 22.1 with an average value of 12.6 per 100 EC. The mean number of green plants per 100 EC was 3.9, varying from 0.4 to 12.1. The proportion of green plants, depending on the genotype, varied from 5.0 to 76.9 %. Two-way analysis of variance has identified the dominant role of the genotype at all stages of haploproduction. The proportion of effect of the nutrient medium was statistically significant, but insignificant in comparison with the genotype. There has been established that, along with genotypic dependence and albinism, the limiting factor of the method is a low frequency of regeneration of embryo-like structures. In total, there were obtained 949 regenerated plants out of 7538 embryogenic structures, of which 326 were green. The ratio of green plants to albinos was 1:2.

Synergistic Effect of Multiple Metals Present at Slightly Lower Concentration than the Australian Investigation Level Can Induce Phytotoxicity

An individual trace metal present in a soil at its ecological screening value or investigation level (trigger/threshold) is expected to cause phytotoxicity. However, phytotoxicity may be induced by a mixture of multiple metals, each present at a concentration lower than the corresponding investigation level. To investigate the accumulative impact of metals present below their individual investigation levels, three successive phytotoxicity trials were conducted in a greenhouse using the triticale plant CrackerJack (Triticosecale rimpaui), a cereal crop, in a sandy acidic soil treated jointly with Cd, Cu, and Zn at various rates. Seed germination and seedling growth were monitored. The metal rates in the first two trials were either too toxic or nontoxic. In the third trial, it was found that the mixture of Cd, Cu, and Zn at rates of 2.5, 97.5, and 188 mg kg−1, respectively, did not affect seed germination, but caused a slight reduction in plant growth. Although metal concentrations used were lower than the Australian Ecological Investigation Level (Urban) for Cd, Cu, and Zn, which are 3.0, 100, and 200 mg kg−1, respectively, the reduction occurred due to synergy. It was concluded that, to enhance the usefulness of environmental investigation limits, the synergistic effects of multiple metals present at levels slightly below the established limits must be considered.

Formation the area of leaf apparatus and pigment content in plants of winter triticale under the using of biological preparations

Formation the area of leaf apparatus and pigment content in plants of winter triticale under the using of biological preparations