Grain Protein Content Research Articles

Enhancing Wheat Nitrogen and Protein Content in Agroforestry Systems for Climate-Resilience and Food Security

This research was conducted at the Forestry Research Farm of Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during the consecutive Rabi seasons of 2021-22. The study employed a double split plot design with three factors: land use systems (S1- open system and S2- agroforestry system), sowing dates (D1- 12 Nov, D2- 27 Nov, D3- 12 Dec), and wheat varieties (V1 - MP-3336 and V2 - GW-322). Each experimental treatment was meticulously replicated three times to ensure robust statistical analysis. Estimating nitrogen and protein content in wheat is crucial for nutrition, quality control, pricing and crop management. Therefore the objective of the study was to estimate nitrogen and protein content in grains of wheat under open and Pongamia Pinnata based agroforestry system. Nitrogen content in wheat grains was quantified using Modified Kjeldahl Method, and subsequently, protein content was calculated based on the determined nitrogen levels. The outcomes of this investigation consistently revealed that the open system consistently exhibited higher levels of nitrogen and protein content when compared to the agroforestry system. Furthermore, earlier sowing dates, particularly D1, contributed to increased nitrogen and protein content, although statistical significance was not achieved. Substantial varietal differences were observed, with MP-3336 consistently outperforming GW-322 in terms of nitrogen and protein content. These findings emphasize the critical role of land use strategies, sowing timing and wheat variety selection in augmenting the nitrogen and protein content of wheat crops, thereby making significant contributions to sustainable agricultural practices and enhancing food quality in regions reliant on wheat production.

Grain carbon isotopes indicate the ability of wheat plants to maintain enhanced intrinsic water-use efficiency even after short-term exposure to high temperatures and drought

Minimizing the impact of heat and drought on crop yields requires varieties with effective protective mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that even a short-term high temperature amplifies the negative effects of reduced water availability on leaf gas-exchange, but can induce long-lasting improvement in plant water-use efficiency after the stress period. Accordingly, three common varieties of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) were grown under field conditions. During the stem extension, the plants were exposed to distinct temperatures (daily maximum 26 vs. 38 °C), water availabilities (75% of field water capacity vs. permanent wilting point), and their combination for 14 days.All treatments reduced light-saturated rates of CO2 assimilation and transpiration, particularly when heat and drought were combined. Drought enhanced water-use efficiency (WUE) in all varieties (31.4–36.4%), but not at high temperatures (decrease by 17–52%). Intrinsic WUE (iWUE), determined from the stable carbon isotope composition of grains, was enhanced by 7.9–37% in all treatments and varieties; however, not all changes were significant. The combination of heat and drought tended to increase total protein content in grains but reduced spike productivity. Noticeably, the strongest decline in spike productivity was observed in Elan – the variety displaying the smallest enhancement of iWUE, while it was negligible in Pannonia which shows the most pronounced improvement of iWUE. We conclude that even several hot and dry days can improve iWUE for the rest of the vegetation season. This improvement, however, does not necessarily lead to increased crop productivity possibly due to physiological trade-offs.

Seleção de cultivares de feijão-comum em sistema de produção irrigado

ABSTRACT In irrigated production systems, the common bean grain yield must reach high levels to maintain economic viability. In this context, management, like the selection of the most adapted cultivars, may be effective in obtaining high yields. Through a three-year experiment, it was aimed to select the common bean cultivars with the highest agronomic and technological performance in an irrigated production system and to determine the yield component that most interfered with common bean yield. The treatments consisted of eight common bean cultivars with indeterminate growth habit and from the pinto bean variety (carioca): ANFc 9, BRS Estilo, BRSMG Madrepérola, Pérola, IAC Alvorada, IAC Milênio, TAA Bola Cheia, and TAA Dama. IAC Milênio and IAC Alvorada had the highest agronomic performance for irrigated production systems, with grain yields up to 17% higher than other cultivars. The cultivars show little variation in the grain technological quality, meeting the culinary and nutritional qualities recommended for common bean. The ANFc 9 cultivar showed the highest crude protein content in grains (19%). The number of pods per plant is the yield component that most interferes with common bean grain yield, generating 86 kg ha-1 increments for each unitary increase. Therefore, the common bean cultivars selection in the irrigated production system is an effective management practice to increase common bean agronomic and quality performance.

Эффективность воздействия экструдированного зерна амаранта на продуктивность, качество яиц, антиоксидантный статус и липидный профиль холестерина крови и желтка яиц кур-несушек

Purpose. To establish the effect of extruded amaranth grain (Amaranthus hybridus chlorostachys) with the addition of a complex of enzymes on egg productivity, the quality of food eggs, including the presence of cholesterol in the yolk, and the level of antioxidant status of laying hens. Materials and Мethods. When performing the work, both conventional research methods and modern instrumental, zootechnical, biochemical, and chemical methods were used, which were carried out in certified laboratories. The resulting digital material was processed using the Microsoft Excel statistical package, the reliability of the data was checked using the Student's t-test. Results. Amaranth, as a valuable source of nutrients, has the potential to meet the nutritional requirements of poultry. According to the data obtained, feeding amaranth to laying hens, either alone or in combination with a multi-enzyme complex, can lead to the production of food eggs with a low cholesterol content without any negative impact on their quality. In parallel, the antioxidant status and the atherogenic index (LDL/HDL) of birds are improving. In addition, feeding amaranth with enzyme supplements led to an increase in the productivity of laying hens. Conclusion. In general, the results of our study show that feeding amaranth grain favorably affects the health parameters of laying hens by improving antioxidant status, as well as lowering cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, while increasing blood HDL levels. It should be noted that the indicators of productivity and quality of eggs improve when a multi-enzyme complex is included in the diet containing amaranth grains at a dose of 250 g/t of feed. The high content of crude protein in amaranth grain and the presence in it of substances with antioxidant activity make it possible to use it as a feed agent in industrial poultry farming. It is known that egg yolk cholesterol determines the nutritional value of the product. Our studies have proven a positive trend in lowering cholesterol levels: when using 10% extruded amaranth grain in the compound feed – by 6.87%, and with the additional inclusion of an enzyme complex – by 9.86%.

ОЦЕНКА ВЛИЯНИЯ БИОПРЕПАРАТОВ НА ФОРМИРОВАНИЕ УРОЖАЯ ЯРОВОГО ЯЧМЕНЯ

The results of field researches on the experimental fields of the Agrobiotechnopark of KSAU conducted in 2020-2022 are given. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of double treatment during the growing season with various biological preparations on the formation of the crop and the quality of spring barley grain. The objectives of the research included studying the nature of changes in the biometric parameters of plants, leaf surface area, yield and protein content in grain when using a biofungicide and biofertilizer. The variety of spring two-row barley Kamashevsky was the object of research. Biopreparations were studied - biofungicide Orgamica S (biological agent - Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) and biofertilizer Organit P (biological agent - Bacillus megaterium). The treatment was carried out twice during the growing season - in the tillering phase and in the earing phase with a working fluid flow rate of 200 l/ha. The preparations were used separately and as part of a tank mixture. The studies were carried out on a gray forest highly cultivated soil. The agro-climatic conditions of vegetation during the years of the study varied significantly. In 2021, soil-air drought was noted, and in 2020, and especially in 2022, the moisture conditions were favorable for the growth and development of spring barley plants. It has been established that the treatment of spring barley crops with biological preparations contributes to an increase in the length of the ear, stems and roots. This effect was especially significant when using a biofertilizer in the tillering phase, and a biofungicide during the heading of barley. The use of all treatment schemes with biological preparations showed an increase in the area of spring barley leaves and, at the same time, the development of root rots of the crop decreased by an average of 50%. The greatest increase in yield (by 0.56 t/ha), the maximum protein content in the grain and the best profitability indicators were obtained using a treatment scheme in which Organit biofertilizer was used during the tillering period, and Orgamica S biofungicide during the heading period. Especially significant positive effect from treatment with biological preparations was in the conditions of a well-moistened 2022, but even in the conditions of a drought in 2021, treatment with biological preparations showed high efficiency.

Genetic control and prospects of predictive breeding for European winter wheat’s Zeleny sedimentation values and Hagberg-Perten falling number

Key messageSedimentation values and falling number in the last decades have helped maintain high baking quality despite rigorous selection for grain yield in wheat. Allelic combinations of major loci sustained the bread-making quality while improving grain yield. Glu-D1, Pinb-D1, and non-gluten proteins are associated with sedimentation values and falling number in European wheat.Zeleny sedimentation values (ZSV) and Hagberg-Perten falling number (HFN) are among the most important parameters that help determine the baking quality classes of wheat and, thus, influence the monetary benefits for growers. We used a published data set of 372 European wheat varieties evaluated in replicated field trials in multiple environments. ZSV and HFN traits hold a wide and significant genotypic variation and high broad-sense heritability. The genetic correlations revealed positive and significant associations of ZSV and HFN with each other, grain protein content (GPC) and grain hardness; however, they were all significantly negatively correlated with grain yield. Besides, GPC appeared to be the major predictor for ZSV and HFN. Our genome-wide association analyses based on high-quality SSR, SNP, and candidate gene markers revealed a strong quantitative genetic nature of ZSV and HFN by explaining their total genotypic variance as 41.49% and 38.06%, respectively. The association of known Glutenin (Glu-1) and Puroindoline (Pin-1) with ZSV provided positive analytic proof of our studies. We report novel candidate loci associated with globulins and albumins—the non-gluten monomeric proteins in wheat. In addition, predictive breeding analyses for ZSV and HFN suggest using genomic selection in the early stages of breeding programs with an average prediction accuracy of 81 and 59%, respectively.

Influence of weather conditions on yield and protein content in winter wheat grain

The results of three-year studies (2020–2022) conducted in the forest-steppe zone of the Samara region in the agrocenosis of winter wheat are presented. The purpose of the work was to study the influence of natural and climatic conditions of the research area on the formation of yield indicators, protein content in winter wheat grain. The material was 10 varieties from the Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) collection and 5 varieties of selection of the Povolzhsky Scientific Research Institute of Selection and Seed Growing named after P.N. Konstantinov. Yield, grain protein content and protein yield per hectare were determined. Varieties characterized by high yield and high amount of protein in grain, showing maximum protein yield in different weather conditions of the years were identified. Over the years of research, the year 2022 was the most favorable for the formation of high yields (between 6 and 8.5 t/ha were harvested in the indicated year), where a large amount of precipitation was observed in May – the first ten-day period of June. The protein content in grain was the highest in 2021 (14–19%), when high temperatures were observed during the grain filling period in the absence of precipitation. For each variety, the correlation dependence of the sum of active temperatures and the amount of precipitation during the spring-summer vegetation period with the studied indicators was established. There was a negative correlation between the sum of active temperatures and yield (from –0.553 to –0.981) and a positive correlation with the protein content indicator (from 0.605 to 0.984) depending on the variety. The amount of precipitation was in a positive correlation with the yield index, the dependence on the protein content in the grain was ambiguous and depended on the variety. The studied indicators were influenced not only by natural and climatic conditions, but also by the genotypic features of the studied varieties, which explains the diverse correlation dependence.

Genetic gain of grain yield and quality in bread wheat cultivars representing 40 years of breeding in Morocco

Background. Knowledge about the genetic gain for fundamental traits over time is essential for a critical assessment and improvement of breeding programs, especially regarding staple crops like bread wheat.Materials and methods. To estimate the genetic gain in bread wheat breeding in Morocco, grain yield (GY) and grain protein content (GPC) data were collected from 12 multi-environment field trials for 20 bread wheat cultivars released between 1980 and 2022.Results and discussion. Analysis of variance highlighted a high significant variability between environments (E), cultivars (G), and a significant G × E interaction (P < 0.001). Based on stability analysis, the modern cultivars released during the two last decades (2002–2012 and 2013–2022) showed the highest performances and wider stability than old ones, especially in low-yielding environments. Genetic gain (GG) for GY was 21.4 kg ha−1 yr−1 (0.75% yr–1) over 4 decades of breeding. This progress was declining when advancing in decades and ranged from 11% (from 1980–1990 to 1991–2001) to less than 7% (from 2002–2012 to 2013–2022). The GG in low and intermediate yielding environments were the most important (17.34% and 6.88% yr–1 respectively), while GG was nonsignificant in high-yielding environments (4.62% yr–1). Within the same period, GPC showed a nonsignificant negative trend of –0.007% (–0.002% yr–1), while derivative parameters from GY and GPC indicated high positive genetic progress. More efforts should be deployed to implement a good balance between yield performance and quality in the new released cultivars despite the negative correlation between these two traits (r = –0.36; P < 0.001).Conclusion. Adopting advanced technologies, like genomic selection, adequate agronomic practices, and more efficient selection criteria are essential steps to further increase simultaneously grain yield and quality traits.

Productivity potential of maize hybrids developed at the P.P. Lukyanenko National Grain Center for deep grain processing

Background. The technology of deep grain processing is based on the use of operations that ensure separation of raw materials into various components and sequential processing of these components into products of high consumer value. The annual volume of deep grain processing products is over 100 million tons. Starch, as the most valuable component of processed grain, is used in the food industry, pharmacy, and in significant amounts for technical purposes. Studying the potential of domestic maize hybrids to provide raw materials for deep grain processing enterprises is a relevant task.Materials and methods. The material for field and laboratory studies included 17 commercial maize hybrids developed at the P.P. Lukyanenko National Grain Center. The content of starch, protein and oil in grain was measured with infrared spectroscopy on an Infratec 1241 Grain Analyzer. Actual extraction of native starch was implemented using the “plant-on-the-table” method developed at the All-Russian Research Institute of Starch Products, and breeding trials of maize hybrids were carried out in the steppe zone of Kabardino-Balkaria in 2020/2021.Results. As a result of the research, 13 hybrids with a mass fraction of starch in the range of 70.0–73.2% DM were identified: KR210MV, KR270MV, KR377AMV, KR385MV, KR415MV, ROSS198MV, KR433MV, KR514MV, KR575MV, LYUDMILA, ROSS190MV, and ROSS195MV. Of these, the grain yield in the range of 10–14 t/ha was shown by the hybrids KR270MV, KR315MV, KR377AMV, KR415MV, KR514MV, and KR575MV. In accordance with the results obtained, a number of hybrids can be recommended as source material for breeding and promising raw material for deep grain processing: KR415MV, KR393MV, and ROSS198MV, yielding 90.0–94.4% DW of starch when processed, and KR315MV, with a mass fraction of amylose in starch up to 38.6% DW.

Investigation on the Integration of Low-Cost NIR Spectrometers in Mill Flour Industries for Protein, Moisture and Ash Content Estimation.

The flour milling industry-a vital component of global food production-is undergoing a transformative phase driven by the integration of smart devices and advanced technologies. This transition promises improved efficiency, quality and sustainability in flour production. The accurate estimation of protein, moisture and ash content in wheat grains and flour is of paramount importance due to their direct impact on product quality and compliance with industry standards. This paper explores the application of Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a non-destructive, efficient and cost-effective method for measuring the aforementioned essential parameters in wheat and flour by investigating the effectiveness of a low-cost handle NIR spectrometer. Furthermore, a novel approach using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) is proposed to estimate the protein, moisture and ash content in grain seeds and flour, marking the first known application of FCMs in this context. Our study includes an experimental setup that assesses different types of wheat seeds and flour samples and evaluates three NIR pre-processing techniques to enhance the parameter estimation accuracy. The results indicate that low-cost NIR equipment can contribute to the estimation of the studied parameters.

Improving the Prediction of Grain Protein Content in Winter Wheat at the County Level with Multisource Data: A Case Study in Jiangsu Province of China

Wheat is an important food crop in China. The quality of wheat affects the development of the agricultural economy. However, the high-quality wheat produced in China cannot meet the demand, so it would be an important direction for research to develop high-quality wheat. Grain protein content (GPC) is an important criterion for the quality of winter wheat and its content directly affects the quality of wheat. Studying the spatial heterogeneity of wheat grain proteins is beneficial to the prediction of wheat quality, and it plays a guiding role in the identification, grading, and processing of wheat quality. Due to the complexity and variability of wheat quality, conventional evaluation methods have shortcomings such as low accuracy and poor applicability. To better predict the GPC, geographically weighted regression (GWR) models, multiple linear regression, random forest (RF), BP neural networks, support vector machine, and long-and-short-term memory algorithms were used to analyze the meteorological data and soil data of Jiangsu Province from March to May in 2019–2022. It was found that the winter wheat GPC rises by 0.17% with every 0.1° increase in north latitude at the county level in Jiangsu. Comparison of the prediction accuracy of the coefficient of determination, mean deviation error, root mean square error, and mean absolute error by analyzing multiple algorithms showed that the GWR model was the most accurate, followed by the RF model. The regression coefficient of precipitation in April showed the smallest range of variation among all factors, indicating that precipitation in April had a more stable effect on GPC in the study area than the other meteorological factors. Therefore, consideration of spatial information might be beneficial in predicting county-level winter wheat GPC. GWR models based on meteorological and soil factors enrich the studies regarding the prediction of wheat GPC based on environmental data. It might be applied to predict winter wheat GPC and improve wheat quality to better guide large-scale production and processing.

Effects of Dietary Corn Malt-Sactic Mixed Concentrate with Rice Straw and Corn Husk on Rumen Fermentation, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Metabolites and Growth Performance in Growing Beef Heifers

The enhancement of protein content in grains is interesting because starch is the main energy component used in beef cattle feeds. Corn malt-sactic is a modified corn grain with increase protein content and improve digestibility through the process of malt germination and microbial fermentation. Therefore, the effects of feeding malt-sactic from corn grain as a high protein energy source in diet were investigated on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, and growth performance in beef heifers. Sixteen of 1-year-old Brahman crossbred growing beef heifers with an initial weight of 220 ± 24.5 kg were randomly assigned into 4 different rations according to completely randomized design (CRD). Experimental treatments were corn grain or corn malt-sactic mixed concentrates with roughage sources as follow, T1; corn grain mixed concentrate with corn husk, T2; con grain mixed concentrate with rice straw, T3; malt-sactic mixed concentrate with corn husk, and T4; corn malt-sactic mixed concentrate with rice straw. The results showed that total feed intake and digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, NDF and ADF were significantly higher in the heifers fed corn malt-sactic mixed concentrate diet than corn mixed concentrate diet (p < 0.05). Ruminal pH post-feeding, blood urea nitrogen, and blood glucose were not different among treatments (p > 0.05). Body weight gain and average daily gain were significantly higher (p < 0.05), while feed conversion ratio was lower in corn malt-sactic mixed concentrate diet as compared with corn mixed concentrate diet (p < 0.05). The source of roughage did not affect rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, or growth performance (p > 0.05). Results indicated that using corn malt-sactic as an ingredient in beef heifer diets can improve digestibility and growth performance. HIGHLIGHTS The addition of corn malt-sactic enhances both malt germination and microbial fermentation. Incorporating a corn malt-sactic mixed concentrate diet boosts heifers' feed intake and improves digestibility. Utilizing a corn malt-sactic mixed concentrate diet leads to improved Average Daily Gain (ADG) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) in heifers. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Molecular and genetic bases of rice cooking and eating quality: An updated review

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesRice grain quality is a primary determinant of its market price and consumer acceptance. Although milling quality, appearance, cooking and eating quality (CEQ), and nutritional quality represent the main features of grain quality, rice CEQ is the most important feature in terms of price. Starch physicochemical properties and sensory evaluation have been widely applied to predict and assess rice CEQ. Understanding the genetic and molecular bases of CEQ formation will facilitate improvements in rice quality through a molecular breeding strategy.FindingsThe major genes responsible for rice CEQ formation have already been characterized in previous studies. Waxy (Wx) encoding granule‐bound starch synthase I (GBSSI) controls the apparent amylose content (AAC), starch synthase IIa (SSIIa) controls the gelatinization temperature, and fragrant gene (fgr) controls the aroma of cooked rice. Many natural variations (allelic variants) have been identified in these genes among rice germplasm. The protein content in rice grains is not only responsible for the nutritional quality but also CEQ. Two major genes that control the protein content have been identified and cloned. Pyramiding of different alleles by marker‐assisted selection and creation of new alleles by genome editing technology have facilitated improvements in new rice varieties with desirable CEQ.ConclusionsIn addition to presenting updates on the advances made in the important CEQ genes, we have identified some future challenges. These include the need to exploit new alleles in these genes, especially in Wx, to confer low AAC with a transparent appearance; identification of alleles in Wx that can improve the texture of cooked rice with high AAC and high‐resistant starch; formulation of methods to manipulate genes and modify agronomic practices to reduce the protein content to improve CEQ; and development of methods to breed climate‐smart rice with good, stable CEQ in changing environments.Significance and NoveltyThis article identifies some priorities for future research, which can enhance our understanding of the molecular basis of CEQ to improve this important rice quality attribute.

Knocking Out OsAAP11 to Improve Rice Grain Quality Using CRISPR/Cas9 System.

The demand for rice grain quality, particularly in terms of eating and cooking quality, is increasingly concerning at present. However, the limited availability of rice-quality-related gene resources and time-consuming and inefficient traditional breeding methods have severely hindered the pace of rice grain quality improvement. Exploring novel methods for improving rice grain quality and creating new germplasms is an urgent problem that needs to be addressed. In this study, an amino-acid-transporter-encoding gene OsAAP11 (Os11g0195600) mainly expressed in endosperm was selected as the target for gene editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in three japonica genetic backgrounds (Wuyungeng30, Nangeng9108, and Yanggeng158, hereafter referred to as WYG30, NG9108, and YG158). We successfully obtained homozygous osaap11 mutants without transgenic insertion. Subsequently, we conducted comprehensive investigations on the agronomic traits, rice grain quality traits, and transcriptomic analysis of these mutants. The results demonstrate that loss of OsAAP11 function led to a reduced amino acid content and total protein content in grains without affecting the agronomic traits of the plants; meanwhile, it significantly increased the peak viscosity, holding viscosity, and final viscosity values during the cooking process, thereby enhancing the eating and cooking quality. This study not only provides valuable genetic resources and fundamental materials for improving rice grain quality but also provides novel technical support for the rapid enhancement of rice grain quality.

Effect of Storage Containers on Nutritional Qualitiy of Indegenous Scented Rice (cv. Gobindabhog)

A storage study was done during 2010-11 and 2011-12 at Rice Laboratory, Department of Agronomy, BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India. The change in mean relative humidity over two years from 71.2 (2-month) to 82.2% (6-month) in the laboratory experiments probably caused a slight increasing trend in moisture content in grain irrespective of storage container used in the study. The variation in material of the containers including their temperature sensitivity, porosity, etc. influenced the moisture content of whole paddy grains at different storage period during both 2011 and 2012. Among containers (viz. Gunny bag, Polythene bag, Cloth bag, Earthen pot and Galvanized iron (GI) bin), earthen pot recorded lowest moisture content than other four tested in the experiment. The physical properties of grain (viz. kernel length, kernel breadth, L / B ratio, shape, colour, etc.) did not differ significantly among five storage containers during the ageing or storage period. On an average, the protein content in the Gobindabhog rice grain remained largely unchanged during entire 6-month storage time, but amylose content improved slightly upto 4-month, and alkali value and elongation ratio upto 6-month period including non-significant variations among the containers in the experiment. There was a steady decrease in intensity of aroma of Gobindabhog rice during post-harvest storage from 2-month to 6-month period irrespective of container used in the study. The average aroma score over containers after 2-month storage (score 2.53 ± 0.18) declined by 13.83% after 4-month (score 2.18 ± 0.06) and 29.64% after 6-month (score 1.78 ± 0.37). Among storage containers, earthen pot performed best for retention of aroma while jut-made gunny bag appeared unfit for long-term storage of Gobindabhog paddy with respect to grain quality parameters, especially aroma.

Registration of ‘Ascend‐SD’ hard red spring wheat

AbstractHard red spring wheat (HRSW; Triticum aestivum L). production in South Dakota has decreased by nearly 50% over a recent 10‐year timespan due to grower preferences for producing corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. End‐users of HRSW are concerned with grain protein concentration (GPC). Among growers that still produce HRSW, cultivar selection decisions are heavily based on grain yield potential, and they become most concerned with GPC only when it is low enough to result in sales price discounts. It is important that HRSW breeding programs release new cultivars that balance the needs of both end‐users and growers. The objective of this research was to release a HRSW cultivar possessing both high grain yield potential and GPC for South Dakota and regional producers. ‘Ascend‐SD’ (Reg. no. CV‐1204, PI 700966) was developed by the SDSU‐HRSW breeding program and released by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station to certified seed producers in early 2022. The cross MN10261‐1/SD4389 was completed during fall 2013, and the resulting population was advanced via an early‐generation bulk‐testing program, where F4:7 seed was included in the 2018 preliminary yield trial and designated as SD4873. Prior to release, SD4873 also was tested in the advanced yield trial from 2019 through 2021 as well as crop performance testing trials in 2020 and 2021. Ascend‐SD was released for its competitive combination of high grain yield potential and GPC.

Effect of plant growth-promoting bacteria and undersown crops on the total protein content of spring barley grain grown in organic agriculture

Effect of plant growth-promoting bacteria and undersown crops on the total protein content of spring barley grain grown in organic agriculture

Selection and application of four QTLs for grain protein content in modern wheat cultivars

The grain protein content (GPC) is the key parameter for wheat grain nutritional quality. This study conducted a resampling GWAS analysis using 406 wheat accessions across eight environments, and identified four previously reported GPC QTLs. An analysis of 87 landraces and 259 modern cultivars revealed the loss of superior GPC haplotypes, especially in Chinese cultivars. These haplotypes were preferentially adopted in different agroecological zones and had broad effects on wheat yield and agronomic traits. Most GPC QTLs did not significantly reduce yield, suggesting that high GPC can be achieved without a yield penalty. The results of this study provide a reference for future GPC breeding in wheat using the four identified QTLs.

Androgenic response of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties and lines – sources of high grain protein content

Aim. Protein content is known to be one of the most important characters of grain quality. Investigation was aimed to determine the capability to haploid production in anther culture in vitro of spring barley accessions which are the sources of high protein content in grain. Methods. Infrared spectroscopy was used for evaluation of variability of barley genotypes in protein content. Anthers isolated from cold-pretreated spikes were cultivated on agar solidified nutrient medium containing N6 macro-and MS micronutrients, physiologically active substances and maltose (9.0 %). Results. Three years testing showed that mean grain protein contents in six spring barley accessions varied from 12.6 to 19.1 %. Commercial variety Yavir, accessions IR06605 and DD-21 from germplasm collection of the National Plant Gene Pool of Ukraine were selected as genotypes with a stable expression of this char-acter. Response to androgenesis in vitro varied from 6.9 to 45.9 % of morphogenic anthers and from 0.64 до 14.7 green plants per 100 cultivated anthers in dependence of genotype and donor plant growth conditions. Conclusions. Because of association between high protein content in grains and a relatively high androgenic response, varieties Velikan and Yavir were considered to be the most valuable ones for use in spring barley breeding for improvement of protein content via anther culture in vitro.

АНАЛИЗ БИОХИМИЧЕСКОГО СОСТАВА ЗЕРНА ЯЧМЕНЯ КОНТРОЛЬНОГО ПИТОМНИКА

The paper presents calculations of static characteristics of a selection of breeding material by the mass fraction of protein, fat, starch in barley grain. The mathematical processing of the data was carried out for the most part with high accuracy, therefore, it is possible to monitor the entire assembly. The maximum protein content of grain (14.1-14.8 %) was noted in only 2 % of varieties, starchiness (60.7-62.8 %) in 10 %, oil content (1.8-2.2 %) in 22 % of varieties of the control nursery - which are recommended for further research. According to the obtained data of the correlation analysis, the relationship between the content of protein and starch in the grain is the average inverse ( r = -0.40), and between the content of starch and crude fat - a weak direct ( r = 0.26).