Cereal Grain Quality Research Articles

Yield and quality of winter wheat depending on sowing dates in the Southern Steppe of Ukraine

Changing climatic conditions necessitate continued research to refine sowing dates for new winter wheat varieties and determine the level of their influence on productivity indicators, taking into account the specific weather conditions of the year. Therefore, the study of sowing dates, especially for innovative varieties with intensive initial growth, remains a relevant issue. This research aimed to determine and adapt to the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine the optimal and permissible sowing dates for new winter wheat varieties to achieve the highest possible level of realisation of their genetic potential in terms of yield and grain quality. Field experiments were conducted in 2021-2023 under the conditions of the Odesa Region. The main method used in the experiment was field research, which was supplemented by analytical studies, measurements, calculations, and observations. The harvest was recorded using a continuous threshing method with a SAMPO selection combine. It was established that the highest grain yield of winter wheat over the three-year study was achieved with sowing on 5 October. In 2021-2022, the average yield was 3.60 t/ha, while in 2022/2023, it increased to 3.90 t/ha. The highest yields were recorded for the following winter wheat varieties sown on 5 October (average for 2021-2022): Dovira Odeska – 4.03 t/ha, Katrusia Odeska – 5.16 t/ha, Pokrovska – 4.48 t/ha, Hospodarka Odeska – 4.28 t/ha, and Udacha Odeska – 4.08 t/ha (2022/2023). It was found that the grain quality of winter cereals largely depends on the year’s weather conditions, variety, and sowing dates. The best results for these indicators were obtained with sowing on 5 October. However, for all winter wheat varieties, there was a tendency towards an increase in protein and gluten content in the grain when sown on 15 October. Thus, the practical value of this research lies in identifying the adaptability of new-generation winter wheat varieties to unfavourable growing conditions, realising their potential genetic yield, and determining the optimal and permissible sowing dates in the soil and climatic conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine

Global change impacts on mineral nutritional quality of cereal grains: Coordinated datasets and analyses to advance a systems-based understanding

ContextGlobal nutritional health outcomes are directly reliant on agroecosystem nutrient outputs. Appropriately, there is concern surrounding the impacts of a changing climate not only on crop yields, but also on crop nutritional quality (e.g., mineral nutrient concentrations). Quantifying the impacts of elevated CO2 concentrations, elevated temperature, drought stress, edaphic factors, and agronomic management on crop yields and mineral nutrition is critical, yet a systems-level understanding of these interactive factors is poorly developed, limiting our ability to effectively target solutions. Empirical data for climate impacts on crop nutritional quality remain scarce, with much of the research emerging from valuable, but geographically limited, Free-air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiments, several of which suggest that human nutrition will be adversely impacted by e[CO2]. Specific concerns center on observed declines in grain protein, iron, and zinc concentrations due to already wide-spread human nutritional deficiencies in these nutrients. ObjectivesAs global change experiments expand to pursue questions regarding interactive climate impacts on crop yields and nutritional quality, it is imperative to interrogate the measurements, data standardization, and metadata needed for unifying synthesis. The data reported for shifts in crop nutritional quality are often incomplete, precluding the generalizability and comparability of results. MethodsWe frame this review around six inter-reliant methods, tools, and practices to support maximally useful experimental datasets to inform questions of global change impacts on crop nutrition and aid in detecting genotypic differences in mineral nutrient density. The bulk of the data and discussion centers on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) due to the central role this crop plays in human nutrition and sustained biofortification efforts. ResultsTo permit experimental comparability and synthesis, datasets should (1) clearly delineate analytical methods and standards and (2) link mean nutrient concentrations with the covariate of yield. (3) Multi-year, multi-location data is required to identify genotypes with significant deviations in nutrient concentrations, with (4) data normalized for yield within appropriate analytical frameworks. (5) Inclusion of data on soil properties, weather, and abiotic and biotic stresses as well as (6) agronomic practices and nutrient management is essential for understanding global change impacts on nutritional outcomes. ConclusionsCoordinated, multi-dimensional data will permit the syntheses and meta-analyses needed to identify and quantify climate impacts on nutrition. ImplicationsThis work is essential to effectively target nutritional solutions, to develop modeling tools to support nutritional planning, and to identify areas where agronomic management and breeding can minimize climate impacts on nutritional outcomes.

Phylogenetic, metabolic and pathogenic characteristics of Alternaria alternata strains from wheat in China

AbstractAlternaria is an important toxigenic fungal genus endangering the quality of cereal grains. No data are available in the literature regarding the composition of Alternaria species in wheat from the main wheat‐cultivating regions of China. In this study, a total of 282 strains were isolated from wheat kernels collected in various provinces. Phylogenetic characterization was performed using two informative loci, ASA10 and ASA19, demonstrating that all strains belonged to A. alternata. A low molecular diversity was observed, which did not appear to be influenced by geographic origin. The secondary metabolite profile of the strains was evaluated in rice culture. Altertoxin I was synthesized at a high concentration by the majority of the strains, while the accumulation of altenuene was lower in both frequency and level than that of alternariol and its derivative. A. alternata did not cause readily observable symptoms on wheat spikes after spraying of the conidia at anthesis, but a higher quantity of altertoxin I and Alternaria DNA were detected in inoculated grains. Artificial inoculations of apple fruit showed that all examined strains were capable of causing typical rot symptoms and producing all four toxins to a certain degree. The widespread occurrence of A. alternata on wheat grains and its ability to synthesize various toxic metabolites may pose a serious hazard for both growers and consumers.

Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacillus sp. Modulate Soil Exoenzyme Activities and Improve Wheat Growth

Phosphorus (P) is a vital mineral nutrient in agriculture and its deficiency results in reduced growth, yield, and grain quality in cereals. Much of the applied P in agriculture becomes fixed in soils, limiting its accessibility to plants. Thus, investigating sustainable strategies to release fixed P resources and enhance plant uptake is crucial. This study explored how plant-associated bacteria employ phosphate solubilizing mechanisms to improve P availability. The growth patterns of four bacterial strains, namely Bacillus subtilis ZE15 and ZR3, along with Bacillus megaterium ZE32 and ZR19, were examined in Pikovskaya’s broth culture with and without the addition of insoluble phosphorus (P). In the absence of P amendment, most strains reached a stationary growth phase by the fourth day. However, their responses diverged when exposed to P-amended media. Particularly, ZE15 demonstrated the highest P solubilization capability, achieving up to 130 µg mL−1 solubilization in vitro. All strains produced organic acids in Pikovskaya’s broth culture. A comparison of the influence of Ca3(PO4)2 revealed significantly greater organic acid quantities in the presence of insoluble P. Notably, strain ZE15 exhibited the highest phosphate esterase activity (3.65 nmol g−1 dry matter), while strain ZE32 showed the highest ß-D glucosidase activity (2.81 nmol g−1 dry matter) in the presence of insoluble P. The ability of Bacillus species to solubilize P in combination with increased exoenzyme activity in the rhizosphere could be used in future studies to support P uptake through enhanced solubilization and mineralization.

De novo creation of popcorn-like fragrant foxtail millet.

Popcorn aroma is a valuable flavor quality in cereals, but, despite more than ten thousand years of millet domestication, millet lacks traits that confer this desirable aroma. Here, we developed a popcorn-scented millet, providing an important resource for future breeding.

Effects of pre-anthesis low-temperature stress on the mineral components in wheat grains.

The nutritional value of wheat is important to human health. Despite minerals being essential nutrients for the human body, they are often neglected in consideration of the nutritional quality of cereal grains. Extreme low-temperature events have become more frequent due to the current environmental unpredictability, and it is yet unknown how the mineral components in grains are affected by low temperature. To provide valuable information for enhancing the nutritional quality of wheat under potential climatic conditions, we treated different cold-sensitive wheat cultivars at four low-temperature levels during the individual and combined stages of jointing and booting in controlled-environment phytotrons. In general, the contents of P, K, Ca, and Zn in the cold-sensitive cultivar (Yangmai16) and K in the cold-tolerant cultivar (Xumai30) were enhanced by low temperature. However, the accumulation of minerals in mature grains was reduced under low-temperature treatment, except for P, Ca, and Zn in Yangmai16. In addition, the mineral content and accumulation in Yangmai16 (except for Fe) were more susceptible to low temperature during the combined stages, while the mineral content and accumulation of K, Fe, and Zn in Xumai30 were more susceptible to low temperature during the booting stage. Moreover, Yangmai16 under extremely low temperatures (T3 and T4) during booting and Xumai30 under all low-temperature treatments during the combined stages had lower comprehensive evaluation values. These findings offer a crucial reference for enhancing the nutritional quality of wheat grains under climate change.

Assessing risk from invasive alien plants in China: Reconstructing invasion history and estimating distribution patterns of Lolium temulentum and Aegilops tauschii.

The establishment of invasive alien plants (IAPs) is primarily driven by climate warming and human activities, and their populations have a negative impact on agricultural economics, ecological systems, and human health. Lolium temulentum and Aegilops tauschii are critical IAPs in China because they reduce the quality of cereal grains and decrease wheat yields. Lolium temulentum is a winter-temperate weed that spreads easily and is poisonous to humans and animals. Aegilops tauschii is resistant to herbicides, has a high reproductive rate, and frequently grows in wheat. Both species have been listed in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China's management catalog since 2006. In the present study, the historical occurrence and invasion of each species were collected and reconstructed, which showed that the population outbreak of L. temulentum began in 2010, whereas that of A. tauschii began in 2000. Using the optimal MaxEnt model, the geographical distributions of L. temulentum and A. tauschii were predicted based on screened species occurrences and environmental variables under the current and three future scenarios in the 2030s and 2050s (i.e., SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5). The mean AUC values were 0.867 and 0.931 for L. temulentum and A. tauschii, respectively. Human influence index (HII), mean temperature of coldest quarter (bio11), and precipitation of coldest quarter (bio19) were the most significant variables for L. temulentum, whereas human influence index, temperature seasonality (standard deviation×100) (bio4), and annual mean temperature (bio1) were the critical environmental variables for A. tauschi. Suitable habitat areas in China for L. temulentum and A. tauschii currently covered total areas of 125 × 104 and 235 × 104 km2, respectively. Future suitable areas of L. temulentum reached the maximum under SSP2-4.5, from 2021 to 2060, whereas for A. tauschii they reached the maximum under SSP5-8.5, from 2021 to 2060. Furthermore, the overlap area under the current climate conditions for L. temulentum and A. tauschii was approximately 90 × 104 km2, mainly located in Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hebei. The overlap areas decreased in the 2030s, increased in the 2050s, and reached a maximum under SSP1-2.6 (or SSP2-4.5) with an approximate area of 104 × 104 km2. The centroid of L. temulentum in Henan was transferred to the southwest, whereas for A. tauschii it transferred to higher latitudes in the northeast. Our findings provide a practical reference for the early warning, control, and management of these two destructive IAP populations in China.

A simple nanocomposite photocatalyst HT-rGO/TiO2 for deoxynivalenol degradation in liquid food

A simple nanocomposite photocatalyst HT-rGO/TiO2 for deoxynivalenol (DON) degradation was synthesized by hydrothermal method to maintain the quality of cereal grains and byproducts. The characterization of HT-rGO/TiO2 was analyzed by XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and XPS. Moreover, according to UV–vis DRS analysis, HT-rGO/TiO2 had a smaller band gap, indicating a wider response range to light and a higher utilized rate of quantum photons. Additionally, the results of LC-MS showed that the hydroxyl group at the C3 position, and the unsaturated bond between C9 and C10, and the epoxy group at C12 and C13 positions of DON molecule were destroyed step by step by photocatalytic degradation. These groups have active effects on the DON toxicity, which means it is successful to degrade DON in liquid-food by HT-rGO/TiO2 photocatalyst.

Applying covariance analysis to determine the factor influence on the control parameter in colorimetric study

The paper considers solutions to a scientific and practical problem of applying covariance analysis to determine the factor influence on the functional transformation of the control parameter in colorimetric study. The study implies determining the factor influence on the additive and multiplicative components of the measurement error of the colorimetric control parameter to assess the validity of conclusions about the factor influence on the transformation of the control parameter. The limitations on the number of basic levels (control parameters) and the factors influencing the result of colorimetric control are determined. During the study, the equations to assess the validity of statistical conclusions about the informational significance of the colorimetric control indicators for a simplified model of cross-classification were obtained.
 The need for the study is due to the fact that in colorimetric control of cereal grains, the measurement uncertainty of the results of measuring the values of the controlled indicators at given levels of the control parameter is quite high.
 In modern industry, colorimetry has a number of advantages over other methods, such as weight analysis. Colorimetric determinations are performed much faster. In the case of weight analysis, the chemical reaction is at the beginning of the determination followed by a series of long operations, while in the case of colorimetry, the colors are compared immediately after the chemical reaction. Therefore, the colorimetric method belongs to the methods of express control.
 The main task of colorimetric express control (in our case) is to determine the quality of cereal grains. The task is important and relevant because grain, namely flour, is the main ingredient of many foods, e.g. bread, pasta, pastries, and cookies. Quality products can be obtained only from quality raw materials. Thus, at present time, it is relevant to determine the quality of cereal grains, and flour as the derived product, in Ukraine.

A Fast Deployable Instance Elimination Segmentation Algorithm Based on Watershed Transform for Dense Cereal Grain Images

Cereal grains are a vital part of the human diet. The appearance quality and size distribution of cereal grains play major roles as deciders or indicators of market acceptability, storage stability, and breeding. Computer vision is popular in completing quality assessment and size analysis tasks, in which an accurate instance segmentation is a key step to guaranteeing the smooth completion of tasks. This study proposes a fast deployable instance segmentation method based on a generative marker-based watershed segmentation algorithm, which combines two strategies (one strategy for optimizing kernel areas and another for comprehensive segmentation) to overcome the problems of over-segmentation and under-segmentation for images with dense and small targets. Results show that the average segmentation accuracy of our method reaches 98.73%, which is significantly higher than the marker-based watershed segmentation algorithm (82.98%). To further verify the engineering practicality of our method, we count the size distribution of segmented cereal grains. The results keep a high degree of consistency with the manually sketched ground truth. Moreover, our proposed algorithm framework can be used as a great reference in other segmentation tasks of dense targets.

First report of Head blight of wheat caused by Fusarium vorosii in Serbia.

The cosmopolitan species Fusarium graminearum Schwabe directly reduces yield, as well as grain quality of cereals, due to its ability to synthesize mycotoxins. Previously it was considered to be one species occurring on all continents. However, phylogenetic analysis employing the GCPSR method (Genealogical Concordance Phylogenetic Species Recognition) revealed the existence of 15 phylogenetic species within what is now recognised as the Fusarium graminearum Species Complex (FGSC) (Sarver et al. 2011). During 1996-2008, a MRIZP collection of FGSC isolates was established and isolates originating from wheat (5), maize (3) and barely (2) were selected for further study. Morphological features including the appearance of colonies and macroconidia (average size 38.5-53.1 × 4.6-5.4 µm, No 50) of all 10 isolates on PDA were consistent with descriptions of F. graminearum (O'Donnell et al. 2004, Leslie and Summerell 2006). Total DNA was isolated from mycelium removed from 7-day old colonies of single-spore isolates grown on PDA using the DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden). Further identification was based on amplification and sequencing of elongation factor TEF-1α, histone H3 and β-tubulin in both directions, with primers ef1/ef2, H3-1a/H3-1b and T1/T22, respectively (Jacobs et al. 2010). The sequences were deposited in NCBI under accession numbers MF974399 - MF974408 (TEF-1α), MG063783 - MG063792 (β-tubulin) and MF999139 - MF999148 (histone H3). Sequence analysis was performed using BLAST while genetic similarity was calculated using MEGA 6.0 software. Isolate 1339 originating from wheat (collected at the locality of Kikinda in 2006), shared 100% nucleotide identity with TEF-1α (DQ459745), histone H3 (DQ459728) and β-tubulin (DQ459643) of F. vorosii isolate NRRL37605 (Starkey et al. 2007). The remaining nine isolates were identified as F. graminearum as they shared 99% to 100% nucleotide similarity with F. graminearum NRRL 28439 (O'Donnell et al. 2004). Pathogenicity was tested using artificial inoculations of spikes during wheat flowering (Mesterhazy et al. 1999). Thirty classes were inoculated with each isolate, in three replicates. Inoculum was prepared from 7-day colonies on PDA, and 30 ml of a conidia suspension (1x105 conidia/ml) was used. Control plants were inoculated with sterile water. Three weeks after inoculation, typical Fusarium head blight symptoms were visible on inoculated plants, from which all 10 isolates were successfully reisolated. Control spikes remained symptomless. Disease severity was estimated on the 1-7 scale (Blandino et al. 2012). Average pathogenicity of the F. vorosii isolate 1339 was 1.9, and 2.4 -5.1 of F. graminearum isolates. Toxin production was determined using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Kernels inoculated with the 10 isolates were ground and tested for the presence of deoxynivalenol (DON) and its acetyl derivatives 3ADON, 15ADON and NIV. F. vorosii isolate 1339 possessed the 15ADON chemotype, as well as eight F. graminearum isolates, while only one F. graminearum isolate was 3ADON chemotype. To date, F. vorosii has only been detected in Hungary on wheat (Toth et al. 2005) and Korea on barley, corn and rice (Lee et al. 2016). This is the first report of F. vorosii in Serbia, which is of great importance, because it indicates the spread of this toxigenic species. Further studies should be focused on determining the distribution, aggressiveness and toxicological profile of F. vorosii.

Sorghum Grains Grading for Food, Feed, and Fuel Using NIR Spectroscopy.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) is a non-destructive, fast, and low-cost method to measure the grain quality of different cereals. However, the feasibility for determining the critical biochemicals, related to the classifications for food, feed, and fuel products are not adequately investigated. Fourier-transform (FT) NIR was applied in this study to determine the eight biochemicals in four types of sorghum samples: hulled grain flours, hull-less grain flours, whole grains, and grain flours. A total of 20 hybrids of sorghum grains were selected from the two locations in China. Followed by FT-NIR spectral and wet-chemically measured biochemical data, partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to construct the prediction models. The results showed that sorghum grain morphology and sample format affected the prediction of biochemicals. Using NIR data of grain flours generally improved the prediction compared with the use of NIR data of whole grains. In addition, using the spectra of whole grains enabled comparable predictions, which are recommended when a non-destructive and rapid analysis is required. Compared with the hulled grain flours, hull-less grain flours allowed for improved predictions for tannin, cellulose, and hemicellulose using NIR data. This study aimed to provide a reference for the evaluation of sorghum grain biochemicals for food, feed, and fuel without destruction and complex chemical analysis.

Climate Change, Crop Yields, and Grain Quality of C3 Cereals: A Meta-Analysis of [CO2], Temperature, and Drought Effects.

Cereal yield and grain quality may be impaired by environmental factors associated with climate change. Major factors, including elevated CO2 concentration ([CO2]), elevated temperature, and drought stress, have been identified as affecting C3 crop production and quality. A meta-analysis of existing literature was performed to study the impact of these three environmental factors on the yield and nutritional traits of C3 cereals. Elevated [CO2] stimulates grain production (through larger grain numbers) and starch accumulation but negatively affects nutritional traits such as protein and mineral content. In contrast to [CO2], increased temperature and drought cause significant grain yield loss, with stronger effects observed from the latter. Elevated temperature decreases grain yield by decreasing the thousand grain weight (TGW). Nutritional quality is also negatively influenced by the changing climate, which will impact human health. Similar to drought, heat stress decreases starch content but increases grain protein and mineral concentrations. Despite the positive effect of elevated [CO2], increases to grain yield seem to be counterbalanced by heat and drought stress. Regarding grain nutritional value and within the three environmental factors, the increase in [CO2] is possibly the more detrimental to face because it will affect cereal quality independently of the region.

Effects of high-pressure carbon dioxide on microbial quality and germination of cereal grains and beans

Decontamination of low aw foods without impairing the food quality is challenging, particularly for sprouting seeds. This study aimed to explore the lethality of high pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) to Salmonella enterica, E. coli AW1.7, A. niger, P. roquforti, and Fusarium on beans, cereal grains, and ground pepper. The optimal antimicrobial effect of HPCD was achieved by equilibration of the aw to 0.75, followed by soaking in water and treatments with water-saturated CO2. HPCD reduced the viable cell counts of E. coli and Salmonella by 3–10 log(CFU/g), and prevented fungal growth during 10 d of incubation. More than 90% of mung beans germinated but the germination of oats was impaired after fungicidal or bactericidal treatments with HPCD. Overall, HPCD can be a promising antimicrobial treatment but treatment parameters need to be optimized for each type of seed.

Managing Quality of Cereal Grains

Quality control can happen at the farm level. However, adoption of better agricultural practices largely depends on the availability of appropriate technology, the introduction of improved varieties, and farmers’ awareness and training.

The grain mineral composition of barley, oat and wheat on soils with pH and soil phosphorus gradients

The decreasing mineral concentrations in the grains of cereals have recently stimulated research to better understand the cropping determinants of grain mineral composition. This study aimed to analyze the effects of liming on the mineral concentrations in the grains of three cereal crops: barley, oat, wheat. The hypothesis tested was that soil pH is the main driver of the grain nutrient concentrations in crops, through its influence on the soil extractable minerals. Macro nutrients (Ca, K, Mg, P, S), micro-nutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn) and some trace elements (As, Cd, Pb) were analyzed. Two long term liming trials in SE England (1962 -) were studied, with the same crops sown in the same years. On each site, four liming rates were applied to 32 plots to create a pH range from approximately 4.5 to 7.5. The trials were subdivided into two P fertiliser treatments, consisting of a nil and regular P inputs. For a given crop, the effects of pH, soil type, concentrations of nutrients in soil extracts and of P treatment on the grain mineral concentrations were tested. This pairwise analysis was followed by a multiple linear regression analysis in order to determine the main explanatory variable for crop mineral concentration. Liming had a significant impact on most of the soil extractable mineral concentrations, except extractable K and Mg. The grain mineral concentrations exhibited significant differences between crops, the concentrations in wheat being the smallest. pH proved to have a larger direct effect on mineral concentrations in grain (e.g. Ca, Mg, P, Mn) than through its influence on extractable nutrients (e.g. Cd). Grain nutrients responses to pH were, however, not the same in the three crops. Differences in Cu and Zn were mostly accounted for by the effect of soil type, the soil with the higher CEC leading to the higher grain concentrations. For Fe, Pb and K, no correlation could be found between the grain mineral concentrations and the explanatory variables. Difficulties in explaining the grain mineral concentrations are due to specific crop responses to nutrients, usefulness of soil extractions, and complex physiological processes in mineral translocation from roots to grains. The results underline the difficulty of using ordinary soil analysis for predicting the quality of cereal grains for nutrition, and caution in the use of grain testing to recommend soil fertility enhancing practices.

A Wild Allele of Pyrroline-5-Carboxylate Synthase1 Leads to Proline Accumulation in Spikes and Leaves of Barley Contributing to Improved Performance Under Reduced Water Availability.

Water stress (WS) during spike development strongly affects final grain yield and grain quality in cereals. Proline, an osmoprotectant amino-acid, may contribute to alleviating the effects of cell and tissue dehydration. We studied five spring barley genotypes contrasting in their drought response, including two introgression lines, S42IL-143 and S42IL-141, harboring a Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase1- P5cs1 allele originating from the wild barley accession ISR42-8. We tested the hypothesis that barley genotypes harboring a wild allele at P5cs1 locus are comparatively more drought-tolerant at the reproductive stage by inducing proline accumulation in their immature spikes. At the booting stage, we subjected plants to well-watered and WS treatments until physiological maturity. Several morpho-physiological traits had significant genotype by treatment interaction and reduction under WS. Varying levels of genotypic proline accumulation and differences in WS tolerance were observed. Spike proline accumulation was higher than leaf proline accumulation for all genotypes under WS. Also, introgression lines carrying a wild allele at P5cs1 locus had a markedly higher spike and leaf proline content compared with the other genotypes. These introgression lines showed milder drought symptoms compared with elite genotypes, remained photosynthetically active under WS, and maintained their intrinsic water use efficiency. These combined responses contributed to the achievement of higher final seed productivity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of whole spikes at the soft dough stage showed an increase in seed abortion among the elite genotypes compared with the introgression lines 15 days after WS treatment. Our results suggest that proline accumulation at the reproductive stage contributes to the maintenance of grain formation under water shortage.

Lead Toxicity in Cereals: Mechanistic Insight Into Toxicity, Mode of Action, and Management.

Cereals are the major contributors to global food supply, accounting for more than half of the total human calorie requirements. Sustainable availability of quality cereal grains is an important step to address the high-priority issue of food security. High concentrations of heavy metals specifically lead (Pb) in the soil negatively affect biochemical and physiological processes regulating grain quality in cereals. The dietary intake of Pb more than desirable quantity via food chain is a major concern for humans, as it can predispose individuals to chronic health issues. In plant systems, high Pb concentrations can disrupt several key metabolic processes such as electron transport chain, cellular organelles integrity, membrane stability index, PSII connectivity, mineral metabolism, oxygen-evolving complex, and enzymatic activity. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has been recommended as an inexpensive strategy for remediating Pb-contaminated soils. A diverse group of Ascomycetes fungi, i.e., dark septate endophytes is successfully used for this purpose. A symbiotic relationship between endophytes and host cereal induces Pb tolerance by immobilizing Pb ions. Molecular and cellular modifications in plants under Pb-stressed environments are explained by transcription factor families such as bZIP, ERF, and GARP as a regulator. The role of metal tolerance protein (MTP), natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (NRAMP), and heavy metal ATPase in decreasing Pb toxicity is well known. In the present review, we provided the contemporary synthesis of existing data regarding the effects of Pb toxicity on morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of major cereal crops. We also highlighted the mechanism/s of Pb uptake and translocation in plants, critically discussed the possible management strategies and way forward to overcome the menace of Pb toxicity in cereals.

Genomics of grain quality in cereals

Rapid advances in genomics are providing the tools to determine the genetic basis of quality (both nutritional and functional) in cereals. This promises to allow increased rates of genetic gain in breeding by reducing the need for extensive end-product testing of new varieties. Many quality traits are the result of relatively recent human selection and are thus likely to be controlled by only a few major genes. This makes identification of these genes for use in breeding selection an attractive target for breeders. Examples of the discovery of genes that are major contributors to key grain quality attributes include, fragrance and cooking temperature in rice (identified by re-sequencing) and loaf volume and milling yield in wheat (identified by transcriptome analysis). Extension of genomic tools to an analysis of the wider gene pool including wild relatives will enable the identification of alleles that may contribute to improved or novel grain quality in the future and may be critical to ensuring quality is retained in a changed climate. Completely new cereal species might be produced.

The influence of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) on the technological quality of cereal grains treated with diatomaceous earth

Laboratory bioassays (temperature 26 ± 1 °C and 60 ± 5% r. h.) were performed to evaluate the insecticidal effect of three different diatomaceous earths (DE) against Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) in wheat, triticale and rye. In order to achieve this, the amount of damaged kernels, amount of debris, wet gluten content, gluten index and rheological properties were assessed in infested samples, infested samples treated with DE Protect-It and two DEs originating from Serbia (S-1 and S-2) and were compared to control (uninfested) samples using Chopin Mixolab. The most susceptible to beetle infestation were rye sample and wheat variety Planeta. The lowest weight of damaged grain was found after applying DE Protect-It to all grain types. The amount of damaged kernels, the amount of debris and loss of mass were the highestin sample treated with DE S-2. While infestation resulted in increase in the amount of damaged kernels and debris and decrease in wet gluten content, and provoked weakening of gluten network structure as well as starch damage, an addition of DE, especially Protect-It, resulted in grain samples of similar technological quality to control (uninfested) sample. The susceptibility of different cereals used in breadmaking to infestation by R. dominica, as well as their response to the insecticidal effect of diatomaceous earth largely varied. Both cereal type and quality, as measured by wet gluten content and gluten index, influenced grain response to infestation. Insecticidal effect of diatomaceous earth, especially DE S-1and DE S-2, was the least effective in terms of triticale. These findings suggest that the application of DE in cereals storage management might largely be affected with grain type as well as grain composition and technological quality.