Wheat Grain Yield Research Articles

Effects of Seed and NPSB Rate on Yield and Yield Related Traits of Emmer Wheat (Triticumdiccocum) in the Highlands of Bale, South Eastern Ethiopia

The experiment was conducted at three districts (Sinana, Goba and Agarfa) of Bale zone for three years from 2020-2022 during the main cropping season with the objective of elucidating the effects of seeding and NPSB rate on agronomic performance of emmer wheat. The experimental design in all locations was RCBD with three replications. Four seeding rates (75,100, 125 and, 150 kg ha-1) and four fertilizer levels (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg NPSB ha-1) were used as a treatments. The main effects of seeding and NPSB rate significantly influenced emmer wheat grain yield and bio-mass yield, while interaction effects significantly influenced (p<0.05) thousand kernel weight and kernels per spike. Plant height, spike length and harvest index were not significantly influenced by applied seeding and NPSB rates. Main effects of seeding and NPSB rate significantly and variably influenced grain and bio-mass yield of emmer wheat. The highest grain yield 3506 kg ha-1 and 34069 kg ha-1 were recorded from 125 kg ha-1seed rate and 100 kg ha-1NPSB rate, respectively. The highest bio-mass yield 9693 kg ha-1and 10222 kg ha-1 were recordedfrom150 kg ha-1seed rate and 150 kg ha-1 NPSB rate, respectively. The .highest (56.7 kernels per spike and 50g thousand kernel weight) were obtained from the interaction effects of 125 kg ha-1 seed rate and100 kg ha-1 NPSB rate, respectively. According to the result of this study optimum emmer wheat grain yield was obtained at seeding rate of 125kg ha-1and 100 kg NPSB ha-1. Economic analysis also indicated that economically feasible emmer wheat and NPSB rate were 125 kg ha-1 and 100 kg ha-1, respectively. Therefore, emmer wheat producing farmers in the study area and similar agro-ecologies should use seeding rate of 125 kg ha-1and NPSB rate 100 kg ha-1 to realize maximum grain yield of emmer wheat.

Physiological and Biochemical Effects of Thermo-Priming on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Drought and Heat Stresses

Seed priming is a physical method for increasing the stress tolerance of crops against stressful environmental conditions. Drought and high temperatures are important environmental factors that limit the growth and grain yield of wheat. The aim of our study is to determine the physiological (germination rate, root and shoot length, specific leaf area (SLA), relative water content (RWC), biomass, total chlorophyll amount (SPAD)), and biochemical (protein amount, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) amount, catalase activity (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase activity (APX), glutathione reductase activity (GR)) changes that occur with thermo-priming in wheat seeds under drought stress (D) and heat stress (H). Our results showed that shoot lengths were drastically reduced with D, H, and HD compared to root lengths. Besides, combined stress protected RWC by 6.8% with 60 min thermo-priming compared to other stress treatments. Chlorophyll content decreased dramatically with D and H, while thermo-priming wasn’t limited to that decrease. In addition, SLA was decreased with all stress treatments, while it healed only with 60 min thermo-priming (HDT60) by 12%. H2O2 was increased with drought stress, while reduced with all heat stress treatments. Among them, HDT60 was found to be more effective than the others. GR activities were increased with thermo-priming by 14-18%, with D and H by 5%. Additionally, GR activity was increased with 30 min thermo-priming (HDT30) in HD treatment by 5.8%, while only with HD by 3.2%. Consequently, HDT60 seemed to effectively on biochemical parameters in wheat seedlings against drought and heat stresses.

Влияние биопрепаратов на урожайность озимой пшеницы

The article presents the results of research on the study of biological products for yield and grain quality of various varieties of winter wheat. As a result of the research, the positive effect of all the studied drugs on the yield of winter wheat grain has been established. Nevertheless, the highest biological yield was obtained when processing the Grom variety with Biostim grain preparation – 835 g/m2 and the Krasa Don variety with Extrasol preparation – 843 g/m2. Keywords: WINTER WHEAT, VARIETY, BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS, PLANT SAFETY BY SPRING, PLANT SURVIVAL BY HARVEST, BIOLOGICAL YIELD

Impact of cropping and tillage system on take-all disease of winter wheat (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici)

Diseases induced by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (G. g. tritici) are the most important wheat root diseases in all cropping areas around the world and significantly reduces yield and quality of wheat grain. A multi-year field experiment was used to evaluate infestation of winter wheat roots by G. g. tritici. The experimental factors included: I. cropping system (CS): 1) crop rotation (CR): pea – winter wheat – spring barley; 2) monoculture of winter wheat (MON); and II. tillage system (TS): 1) CT – conventional tillage, 2) RT – reduced tillage, and 3) NT – no-tillage. The following cultivation treatment were applied: a shallow ploughing after previous harvest and pre-sowing ploughing in the CT system; double cultivation instead of both aforementioned ploughing treatments in the RT system; and glyphosate in NT system. A cultivation set, consisting of a cultivator, a string roller, and a harrow, was used before wheat sowing. The value of the index of winter wheat roots infestation by G. g. tritici was significantly higher in the monoculture than in crop rotation. The value was also higher in NT than in CT system. In wheat monoculture with NT system, the percentage of highly and severely infested plants was higher than in crop rotation with CT system.

Influence of different top dressing on grain yield, protein content and hectoliter weight in winter wheat

Tijekom 2022. godine provedena su poljska istraživanja s ciljem utvrđivanja utjecaja varijante prihrane dušika na prinos zrna (kg/ha), sadržaj bjelančevina (%) i hektolitarsku masu (kg/hl) u ozimoj pšenici. Pokus je proveden na sorti Kraljica, najzastupljenijoj sorti ozime pšenice u Republici Hrvatskoj. Uz identičnu osnovnu gnojidbu na svim varijantama, istraživanje je provedeno na pet varijanti prihrane dušikom (mineralno gnojivo sa 27 % N). U pokusu primijenjene su sljedeće razine opskrbljenosti dušikom (0, 50, 75, 150 i 200 kg N/ha). Istraživanje je provedeno na poljoprivrednim površinama HAPIH-a - Centar za sjemenarstvo i rasadničarstvo, na lokaciji Osijek (N 45°31, E 18°40´) u četiri ponavljanja po blok metodi sa slučajnim rasporedom uz primjenu standardne agrotehnike za ozimu pšenicu. Rezultati pokazuju statistički značajne razlike (P<0,01) između varijanti prihrane. Najveći prosječni prinos, sadržaj bjelančevina kao i hektolitarsku masu ostvarila je varijanta prihrane s 200 kg N/ha.

Humalite enhances the growth, grain yield, and protein content of wheat by improving soil nitrogen availability and nutrient uptake

AbstractBackgroundThe application of synthetic chemical inputs in current agricultural practices has significantly increased crop production, but their use has caused severe negative consequences on the environment. Humalite is an organic soil amendment that is rich in humic acid and found in large deposits in southern Alberta, Canada. Humic products can enhance nutrient uptake and assimilation in plants by reducing nutrient losses and enhancing bioavailability in the soil.AimHere, we evaluated the effects of different humalite rates in the presence of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK) at recommended rates on soil nitrogen availability, wheat growth, grain yield, seed nutritional quality, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) under controlled environmental conditions.MethodsA series of studies were conducted by applying five different rates of humalite (0, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 kg ha−1) with NPK at recommended rates. Soil nitrogen availability and shoot and root growth parameters were recorded at flowering stage. NUE was calculated based on the grain yield at maturity stage.ResultsPlants grown in the presence of humalite augmented root morphological parameters (root length, volume, and surface area), plant biomass (shoot and root), and nutrient uptake (N, P, K, and S) compared to the plants supplied with recommended fertilizer alone. Furthermore, humalite application significantly increased grain yield (14%–19%), seed protein content (23%–30%), and NUE (14%–60%) compared to the fertilizer application alone.ConclusionThese findings suggest that humalite can be used as an organic soil amendment to reduce synthetic fertilizer application and improve plant growth and yield while enhancing fertilizer use efficiency.

Interactive effects of long-term management of crop residue and phosphorus fertilization on wheat productivity and soil health in the rice–wheat

In the context of degradation of soil health, environmental pollution, and yield stagnation in the rice–wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia, an experiment was established in split plot design to assess the long-term effect of crop residue management on productivity and phosphorus requirement of wheat in rice–wheat system. The experiment comprised of six crop residue management practices as the main treatment factor with three levels (0, 30 and 60 kg P2O5 ha–1) of phosphorus fertilizer as sub-treatments. Significant improvement in soil aggregation, bulk density, and infiltration rate was observed under residue management (retention/incorporation) treatments compared to residue removal or residue burning. Soil organic carbon (SOC), available nutrient content (N, P, and K), microbial count, and enzyme activities were also significantly higher in conservation tillage and residue-treated plots than without residue/burning treatments. The residue derived from both crops when was either retained/incorporated improved the soil organic carbon (0.80%) and resulted in a significant increase in SOC (73.9%) in the topsoil layer as compared to the conventional practice. The mean effect studies revealed that crop residue management practices and phosphorus levels significantly influenced wheat yield attributes and productivity. The higher grain yield of wheat was recorded in two treatments, i.e. the basal application of 60 kg P2O5 ha–1 without residue incorporation and the other with half the P-fertilizer (30 kg P2O5 ha–1) with rice residue only. The grain yield of wheat where the rice and wheat residue were either retained/incorporated without phosphorus application was at par with 30 and 60 kg P2O5ha–1. Phosphorus levels also significantly affected wheat productivity and available P content in the soil. Therefore, results suggested that crop residue retention following the conservation tillage approach improved the yield of wheat cultivated in the rice–wheat cropping system.

Impact of soil and water conservation structures on the spatial variability of topsoil moisture content and crop productivity in semi-arid Ethiopia

Plant available soil moisture and its spatial variability is among the most important limiting factors for crop and livestock productivity in semi-arid Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were therefore: 1) to measure the effects of land use and slope gradient on spatial variability of topsoil moisture content. 2) to analyze the variability of topsoil moisture content and crop responses under different soil and water conservation (SWC) structures and 3) to analyze whether topsoil moisture content, grain and biomass yields vary in relation to SWC structures. In total, 21 large runoff plots (600–1000 m2) were installed and treated with stone bunds, trenches, stone bunds with trenches and a control plot at each site. Plot sites were located on gentle (5%), medium (12%) and steep (16%) slopes of cropland and rangeland. Topsoil (0–15 cm) moisture content for plots were monitored daily using soil moisture probes (Theta-Probes) and weekly using manual sampling over two growing seasons. Crop performance was monitored during two growing seasons and grain and biomass yield were measured at harvest. Results show that average gravimetric moisture content of the topsoil during growing seasons is remarkably higher for cropland (33–25 g/100 g) compared to rangelands (24–20 g/100 g). This is due to tillage-induced runoff retention and infiltration. Soil moisture content decreases with increasing slope gradients, owing to increased drainage. Considering the effects of SWC structures, average topsoil moisture contents at accumulation and erosion zones are generally higher as compared to middle zone between two successive SWC structures. Average seasonal volumetric soil moisture content of 38.2 (cm3/100 cm3) in 2011 and 39.4 (cm3/100 cm3) in 2012 for accumulation zone of plots with stone bunds with trenchers are significantly higher than at other sampling locations. Crop growth performance, grain and biomass yield varied among plots and depended on slope gradients and SWC structures. Grain yields of wheat in 2011 and barley in 2012 were significantly higher for plots with SWC structures as compared to control plots and are highly correlated to topsoil moisture content (r = 0.64; p < 0.04 in 2011 and r = 0.59, p < 0.01 in 2012). Even when taking into account the cropland area occupied by SWC structures, grain yield increased by (4.2%−33%) for plots with SWC structures as compared to control plots. Overall, our results show that implemented measures may not only reduce runoff and soil loss, but also increase crop productivity by enhancing soil moisture and thus can significantly contribute to sustainability of agro-ecosystems in semi-arid environments.

Changes in microbial community structure and yield responses with the use of nano-fertilizers of nitrogen and zinc in wheat–maize system

The growing popularity of nano-fertilization around the world for enhancing yield and nutrient use efficiency has been realized, however its influence on soil microbial structure is not fully understood. The purpose of carrying out this study was to assess the combined effect of nano and conventional fertilizers on the soil biological indicators and crop yield in a wheat–maize system. The results indicate that the at par grain yield of wheat and maize was obtained with application of 75% of recommended nitrogen (N) with full dose of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) through conventional fertilizers along with nano-N (nano-urea) or nano-N plus nano-Zn sprays and N100PK i.e. business as usual (recommended dose of fertilizer). Important soil microbial property like microbial biomass carbon was found statistically similar with nano fertilizer-based management (N75PK + nano-N, and N75PK + nano-N + nano-Zn) and conventional management (N100PK), during both wheat and maize seasons. The experimental data indicated that the application of foliar spray of nano-fertilizers along with 75% N as basal is a sustainable nutrient management approach with respect to growth, yield and rhizosphere biological activity. Furthermore, two foliar sprays of nano-N or nano-N + nano-Zn curtailed N requirement by 25%, furthermore enhanced soil microbial diversity and the microbial community structure. The specific microbial groups, including Actinobacteria, Bacteroidia, and Proteobacteria, were present in abundance and were positively correlated with wheat and maize yield and soil microbial biomass carbon. Thus, one of the best nutrient management approaches for sustaining productivity and maintaining sound microbial diversity in wheat–maize rotation is the combined use of nano-fertilizers and conventional fertilizers.

Zero-tillage in Mung Bean-Wheat Cropping System: Impact on Soil Properties and Crop Productivity

Background: Inclusion of legume crops in efficient cropping system is important to maintain soil bio-physical property for sustainable production systems. Conservation agriculture (CA) practices have been demonstrated to be successful in cereal based systems. But the information on zero-tillage as CA practice in legume based systems is lacking, which may further help in conservation of soil resources on sustainable basis. Hence study on impact of zero-tillage on soil biological and physico-chemical properties was undertaken at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Bawal (Rewari), India during 2019-20 and 2020-21. Methods: The soil of experimental site was loamy sand in texture and low in organic carbon, N and P, while medium in K. The treatments included nine tillage combinations for crop establishment under mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system (MWCS) viz., Zero-tillage mung bean (ZTM) fb zero-tillage wheat (ZTW), ZTM fb reduced tillage wheat (RTW), ZTM fb conventional tillage wheat (CTW), reduced tillage mung bean (RTM) fb ZTW, RTM fb RTW, RTM fb CTW, Conventional tillage mung bean (CTM) fb ZTW, CTM fb RTW, CTM fb CTW. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. Result: After two years, there was no change in soil texture and EC of the soil due to different crop establishment methods, while the bulk density of upper soil layer (0-15 cm) decreased marginally under system-based ZT method. The Infiltration rate increased with decrease in the frequency of tillage in both the crops. Organic carbon in upper layer increased while pH decreased marginally under ZTM-ZTW as compared to CTM-CTW. Available N and P showed increasing trend with decrease in number of tillage operations after two years of MWCS. Tillage practices had no significant effect on available K. The grain yield of wheat was not influenced by tillage during 2019-20, but in 2020-21 it was significantly higher under ZT wheat sown after ZTM (5025 kg ha-1) than RTW (4622-4722 kg ha-1) and CTW (4593-4641 kg ha-1), irrespective of tillage practices in mung bean. The seed, stover and biological yields of mung bean were similar under all crop establishment methods in MWCS. This indicated sustainability of zero-tillage methods of establishment in MWCS.

Iron biofortification and yield of wheat grain in response to Fe fertilization and its driving variables: A meta-analysis

Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for human nutrition and health, but its deficiency is prevalent worldwide. Wheat biofortification offers a potential strategy to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies in humans. However, the effects of Fe fertilization on grain Fe concentration and yield of wheat remain inconsistent. A global meta-analysis of 107 publications including 171 records of grain Fe concentration and 378 records of yield was conducted to quantify the contribution of Fe fertilization to wheat biofortification. Overall, compared with no Fe addition, Fe application significantly increased grain Fe concentration by 20.5% and yield by 12.4%. Foliar and soil application of Fe fertilizer increased grain Fe concentration by 18.2% and 26.7%, and grain yield by 15.1% and 9.5%, respectively. Results showed that higher foliar Fe fertilizer rate (>0.1%) and multiple applications before the flowering stage had a stronger effect on grain Fe concentration than lower Fe fertilizer rate (<0.1%) and only one application after flowering stage. Under severe soil Fe deficiency conditions (DTPA-Fe < 6 mg kg−1), the foliar application increased yield by 13.9%, more than the yield increase (4.0%) when soil DTPA-Fe was greater than 6 mg kg−1. Soil application of Fe was more effective to improve yield and grain Fe of wheat grown on high pH soil with lower available Fe. Furthermore, there was a positive relationship between the increase in the wheat grain yield and the increase in grain Fe concentration. In summary, our findings indicate that Fe fertilization can be managed in ways that simultaneously enhance grain nutritional quality and achieve high wheat yields.

Bespoke ZnO NPs Synthesis Platform to Optimize Their Performance for Improving the Grain Yield, Zinc Biofortification, and Cd Mitigation in Wheat

Bespoke ZnO NPs Synthesis Platform to Optimize Their Performance for Improving the Grain Yield, Zinc Biofortification, and Cd Mitigation in Wheat

Trait Based Selection of Elite Wheat Genotypes under Irrigated, Heat Stress, and Heat Drought Conditions

Environmental factors affects yield and yield-attributing parameters of wheat. To explore direct and indirect association and to identify the most appropriate trait for trait based selection of elite wheat genotypes under irrigated, heat stress and heat drought conditions, correlation, path and principal component analysis were performed. The field experiment was conducted using serpentine alpha lattice design at the agronomy farm of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Paklihawa campus, Nepal that comprised of twenty elite wheat genotypes. The grain yield of wheat was found to have significant negative association with days to heading (DTH) and days to booting (DTB) under all tested conditions. Plant height (Ph) was found to have a significant negative association with grain yield of wheat under irrigated conditions while significant positive association was observed across heat stress and heat drought conditions (p≤0.05). DTB, DTH, and Ph had a direct influence on the yield across all tested conditions. For the breeding program, dwarf genotypes that are earlier in booting and heading should be promoted under irrigated conditions whereas the taller genotypes that are earlier in booting and heading should be promoted under heat stress and heat drought conditions. Based on selected traits, BL 4919 and NL 1350 were selected as high yielding genotypes under irrigated condition, NL 1369 and NL 1417 under heat stress condition and NL 1350 and Bhrikuti under the heat drought condition. These genotypes should be promoted in the varietal improvement program of Nepal to release as a potential climate resilient variety.

Microbiological preparations based on strains of associative bacteria in the cultivation of spring wheat in Central Yakutia

The studies were conducted in Central Yakutia on permafrost taiga-pale-yellow soils with a low humus content from 2016 to 2020. The use of biological products of associative bacteria is an environmentally friendly way to increase crop yields and improve soil fertility. The effect of pre-sowing inoculation of spring wheat seeds with various biological preparations of associative bacteria: Rhizoagrin, Mobilin, Mizorin was studied. The responsiveness of the culture to the use of biological preparations was noted: inoculation of seeds contributed to the formation of grain yield of spring wheat. In the experimental variants, a significant increase in the yield of spring wheat grain was noted — on average up to 1.6 t/ha in the variant using the preparation Mizorin. Pre-sowing inoculation of spring wheat seeds contributed to increased plant growth in height (up to 14%), an increase in the amount of grain (up to 16%), as well as an increase in the mass of roots (up to 35%), leaves (up to 60%), inflorescences (up to 24%), straw (up to 48%). The use of the studied biopreparations based on strains of associative bacteria had a positive effect on both the growth and development of plants and an increase in the yield of spring wheat grain.

Effect of foliar supplementation of water soluble fertilizer on growth, yield and economics of wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L.)

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2015-16 at Agronomy Research Farm of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, to evaluate the effects of foliar application of water soluble fertilizers on growth, yield attributes and yield of wheat. The soil of the experimental plot was sandy loam in texture, low in available nitrogen (131.3 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (17.2 kg ha-1), and high in available potassium (335.4 kg ha-1). The soil was alkaline in reaction (pH 7.8). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 17 treatments having three replications. The treatments comprising two fertilizers level i.e., Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) (150 kg N + 60 kg P2O5 + 60 kg K2O ha-1) and 75% of RDF and supplemented with foliar application of water soluble fertilizers viz. Urea phosphate (17:44) @ 1.5%, NPK (18:18:18) @ 1.5%, ZnSO4 @ 0.5% and Urea 2% at different stages. One treatment was control where no fertilizer applied. Growth parameters viz, plant height, dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate and leaf area index were increased with T9 i.e., RDF along with foliar application of water soluble fertilizers NPK (18:18:18) @ 1.5% at 40 DAS followed by Urea phosphate (17:44) @ 1.5% at 65 DAS. Among treatments, application of RDF along with foliar application of water soluble fertilizers NPK (18:18:18) @ 1.5% at 40 DAS followed by Urea phosphate (17:44) @ 1.5% at 65 DAS exhibited the highest values of yield attributes, viz. effective tillers/ meter row length (mrl), number of spikeletes/spike, number of grains/spike and 1000-grains weight which led to the highest grain yield (6220 kg ha-1) However, alternate application of NPK (18:18:18) @ 1.5% and Urea phosphate (17:44) @ 1.5% or vice versa produced statistically similar grain yield of wheat at the same level of fertilizer application. RDF or 75% RDF along with foliar application of NPK (18:18:18) @ 1.5% was slightly superior as compared to RDF or 75% RDF along with foliar application of Urea phosphate (17:44) @ 1.5% irrespective of time of application.

Optimizing Nitrogen Sources in Top Dressing for Wheat: Field Study on Growth, Yield, and Ammonia Volatilization.

In alkaline calcareous soils, ammonia volatilization is the primary nitrogen (N) loss process, resulting in the reduced N use efficiency of crops. This study aimed at assessing the impact of different N sources for top dressing on ammonia volatilization, as well as their effects on wheat growth and yield over two years. In each year, half of the recommended N was applied as a basal dose using diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea. The remaining half was top-dressed 35 days after sowing with various sources: prilled urea (PU), granular urea (GU), ammonium sulfate (AS), and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) in the first year; PU, urea coated with a urease inhibitor from 20 g (VnU-20) and 40 g (VnU-40) leaves of Vachellia nilotica, biochar-coated urea (BU), and urease inhibitor paraphenylenediamine-coated urea (PPDU) in the second year. Ammonia volatilization losses were tracked for up to 12 weeks from sowing. Ammonia losses from basal-applied N remained consistent in both years, comprising around 4% of the applied N. In the first year, top-dressed AS resulted in the highest losses, followed by GU, while losses from urea and CAN were statistically similar. In the second year, coated fertilizers showed lower ammonia losses compared to PU, with VnU-40 displaying the least losses, 48% less than PU. Nitrogen concentration in wheat grain and straw exhibited a negative correlation with ammonia losses. The choice of top-dressed N source influenced tillering, biological, straw, and grain yields of wheat. In the first year, CAN provided maximum yield benefits, and in the second year, VnU-20 exhibited 27% more grain yield than PU. These findings suggest that top dressing with coated urea, especially VnU-20, has the potential to reduce ammonia losses, improve crop nitrogen status, and enhance economic yield compared to other nitrogen sources.

In situ charcoal production in Acacia decurrens‐based taungya system improved soil properties and productivity of three agricultural crops in the highlands of Ethiopia

AbstractShort‐term in situ charcoal production‐induced changes in soil properties and crop productivity of acidic soil in Acacia decurrens‐based taungya system were assessed in the Guder watershed of northwestern Ethiopia. Data were collected through field study, pot experiment and interviews with local farmers. The field study involved a survey of 36 paired charcoal production kiln sites and adjacent reference sites in 18 croplands to analyse soil physicochemical properties and productivity of tef (Eragrostis tef), barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). A pot experiment was undertaken with wheat to investigate seed germination and chemical fertilizer needs at charcoal production sites. Local farmers were interviewed for their perceptions and management practices. The production and short‐term presence of charcoal in kiln sites significantly increased sand fraction, pH, organic carbon, available phosphorous, exchangeable Mg2+ and exchangeable K+ compared with the reference sites. Charcoal production practice raised pH by 0.83 units, organic carbon, available P and exchangeable K+ by 40%, 92% and 303%, respectively. Exchangeable acidity and exchangeable Al3+ were lowered by over 80% at kiln sites. Both aboveground biomass and grain yield of tef, barley and wheat were, on average, 135% higher at kiln sites than at the reference sites. Furthermore, crops grown at kiln sites were taller and had greener and larger leaves. Farmers' responses indicated higher crop productivity and reduced inorganic fertilizer application at kiln sites. Results from the pot experiment provided evidence of faster seed germination, enhanced crop productivity and reduced inorganic fertilizer needs in charcoal‐treated soils. The study suggests that the inclusion of charcoal remnants and heating can increase carbon storage, improve soil properties which promote crop productivity and reduce the need for inorganic fertilizer in degraded, acidic agricultural soil.

Influence of soil fertility on the yield and grain quality of spring wheat in the conditions of Central Siberia

The article presents the results of studies on the effect of mineral fertilizers on the yield and quality of spring wheat grain in the conditions of the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe. The studies were carried out in 2022 at the Minino station of the KrasNIISKh in the soil and climatic conditions of the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe. The soil of the experimental plot is represented by leached chernozem. The results of the research showed that the maximum yield of the studied grain crops was noted when applying a complex mineral fertilizer (azofoska) at a dose of 60 kg. a.i./ha - 2.85 t/ha (increase to control 0.96 t/ha).

Enhancing the potential of phenomic and genomic prediction in winter wheat breeding using high-throughput phenotyping and deep learning.

Integrating high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) based traits into phenomic and genomic selection (GS) can accelerate the breeding of high-yielding and climate-resilient wheat cultivars. In this study, we explored the applicability of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)-assisted HTP combined with deep learning (DL) for the phenomic or multi-trait (MT) genomic prediction of grain yield (GY), test weight (TW), and grain protein content (GPC) in winter wheat. Significant correlations were observed between agronomic traits and HTP-based traits across different growth stages of winter wheat. Using a deep neural network (DNN) model, HTP-based phenomic predictions showed robust prediction accuracies for GY, TW, and GPC for a single location with R2 of 0.71, 0.62, and 0.49, respectively. Further prediction accuracies increased (R2 of 0.76, 0.64, and 0.75) for GY, TW, and GPC, respectively when advanced breeding lines from multi-locations were used in the DNN model. Prediction accuracies for GY varied across growth stages, with the highest accuracy at the Feekes 11 (Milky ripe) stage. Furthermore, forward prediction of GY in preliminary breeding lines using DNN trained on multi-location data from advanced breeding lines improved the prediction accuracy by 32% compared to single-location data. Next, we evaluated the potential of incorporating HTP-based traits in multi-trait genomic selection (MT-GS) models in the prediction of GY, TW, and GPC. MT-GS, models including UAV data-based anthocyanin reflectance index (ARI), green chlorophyll index (GCI), and ratio vegetation index 2 (RVI_2) as covariates demonstrated higher predictive ability (0.40, 0.40, and 0.37, respectively) as compared to single-trait model (0.23) for GY. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of integrating HTP traits into DL-based phenomic or MT-GS models for enhancing breeding efficiency.

Genetic analyses of grain yield and yield-attributing traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under terminal heat stress

Abstract (286) Terminal heat stress is a key constraint in wheat cultivation and its impact is anticipated to increase in the current context of climate change. Heat stress poses a serious threat, especially during the reproductive and grain-filling stages in wheat that can causes a significant reduction in yield. The current research was carried out to assess the nature of genetic variability and the relationship between yield and yield attributing traits of 30 different wheat genotypes grown under terminal heat stress and also to isolate the best performing genotypes based on stress tolerance indices. The highest estimates of PCV and GCV were observed for plant height (67 and 65, respectively). Most of the traits showed high heritability, among which days to germination (98.45%), plant height (96.51%), total grain per plant (99.71%) exhibited the highest. The highest genetic advance was estimated in filled spikelet per spike (97.37%). Total grain weight and hundred grain weight had strong positive correlation with yield per plant. The characters viz., plant height, chlorophyll content, no. of tiller per plant, days to 50% flowering, filled grain, hundred grain weight, flag leaf length, days to booting, total grain weight had a positive direct effect on grain yield. In this experiment, SADH-2, DSN-76, NK-5, NE-3, SA-2 had the lowest value of TOL which indicated that they had high tolerance towards heat stress. The highest value of YSI was observed in DSN-76, NE-3, BAW 1008, NK-5, SADH-22 which indicated that they had lower yield reduction and higher yield stability under heat stress. The optimum sowing date showed better performance for all the examined traits compare to heat stress condition. The identified genotypes hold promise for future breeding programs aimed at developing wheat varieties resilient to terminal heat stress.