Important Wheat Research Articles

Effect of orange-fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)-Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) composite flour on quality properties of pasta.

Non-wheat flours are gaining attention as substitutes for wheat flour, offering the potential to optimize local resource utilization and alleviate the demand for wheat. The study investigates the use of non-wheat flours, particularly a blend of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) (Ipomoea batatas) and Bambara groundnut (BG) (Vigna subterranean), as a partial replacement for wheat flour in pasta production. The aim is to improve the utilization of local resources, reduce the reliance on wheat, and enhance the nutritional quality of pasta. The production of OFSP and BG flour took place at Agricultural Research Council Roodeplaat Campus. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance, and significant means were separated using the Duncan multiple range test. The research found that pasta made from composite flour significantly influenced its composition and cooking characteristics when compared to 100% wheat pasta. The most nutritionally enriched pasta was achieved with a blend of 50% wheat, 25% OFSP, and 25% BG, featuring higher protein, ash, and fiber content. Consumers preferred pasta made from a composite flour of 70% wheat, 15% OFSP, and 15% BG. This research suggests the potential for producing pasta using OFSP and BG composite flour as a viable option. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The practical application of the research on orange-fleshed sweet potatoes-Bambara groundnut-based pasta has the potential to improve nutrition, stimulate local economies, enhance agricultural sustainability, and promote food security in regions where vitamin A deficiency is a concern and wheat importation is high.

Analisis Determinan Volume Impor Gandum di Indonesia

Wheat is one of the food commodities consumed by the Indonesian people. The need for wheat in Indonesia from year to year tends to increase but is almost entirely met through imports and makes Indonesia one of the world's largest wheat importers. Dependence on food commodities from the import side has a huge risk for national food security because in addition to the increasingly limited foreign exchange owned, there is also uncertainty in terms of quantity and price. The purpose of this study is to find out the factors that affect wheat imports in Indonesia. The variables in this study are foreign exchange reserves, international wheat prices, domestic rice prices, and the US dollar exchange rate. This study uses secondary data with a quantitative approach using 34 data. Data analysis techniques using descriptive statistical analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study show 1) Foreign Exchange Reserves, International Wheat Prices, Domestic Rice Prices, and the US Dollar Exchange Rate simultaneously have a positive and significant effect on the Volume of Wheat Imports in Indonesia, 2) Foreign Exchange Reserves partially have a positive and significant effect on the Volume of Wheat Imports in Indonesia, 3) International Wheat Prices partially have a negative and significant effect on the Volume of Wheat Imports in Indonesia, 4) Domestic Rice Prices and the US Dollar Exchange Rate have no significant effect on the Volume of Wheat Imports in Indonesia.

Fusarium species and assessments of mycotoxin (deoxynivalenol), in wheat seeds from different regions of Türkiye

Wheat cultivation is important in Turkish agriculture, which ranks 10th among international wheat producers, and is an important wheat exporter, particularly to Europe. Fusarium-related threats, such as Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) and Fusarium Crown and Root Rots (FCR, FRR), and related mycotoxin seed contamination, jeopardize product quality. This study analysed 65 wheat seed samples for presence of Fusarium species, from cultivars of Triticum aestivum (bread wheat) and T. durum (durum wheat) collected from seven regions of Türkiye. PCR with specific primers, and phylogenetic analyses of TEF1-α segments, discriminated Fusarium species. Levels of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) in flour samples were also evaluated. Out of 195 Fusarium isolates, the prominent species included F. graminearum (32% of isolates), F. proliferatum (16%), F. avenaceum (11%), F. clavum (11%), and F. verticillioides (7%). Less frequently isolated species were F. oxysporum (6%), F. acuminatum (3%), F. ramigenum (3%), F. culmorum (3%), F. poae (2%), F. sambucinum (2%), F. tricinctum (2%), Fusarium sp. FTSC12 (2%), F. andiyazi (1%), and F. equiseti, F. incarnatum, and F. fasciculatum (each 0.5%). Five of the 65 samples tested positive for DON, with two exceeding the European Commission threshold for mycotoxin contamination; one bread wheat from the Black Sea region, known for its annual rainfall, and a durum wheat sample from southeastern Anatolia, which had the highest detected DON level of 1730 μg kg-1. Among these samples F. graminearum was the predominant species. As F. andiyazi and F. ramigenum are not normally associated with wheat plants, a pathogenicity test was conducted with two isolates of each of these species, revealing no pathogenicity on the durum wheat cultivar ‘San Carlo’. These results provide a basis for managing fungal threats and mycotoxin contamination, safeguarding the quality of wheat grain as an essential agricultural product.

The reality of agricultural investment in algeria and its role in achieving food security: an analytical study of the wheat market in Algeria (2016-2022)

Food security has become a primary concern for both developing and developed nations alike, as it is fundamentally linked to achieving national sovereignty and stability. Algeria, like many other countries, is actively striving to attain robust food security indicators, leveraging its abundant resources. Consequently, this research paper aims to illuminate the concept of food security and the pivotal role of the wheat market in its realization, while delving into its multifaceted dimensions. To achieve this objective, we have conducted an analytical study of Algeria's domestic wheat market spanning from 2016 to 2022. Our analysis encompassed production, wheat imports, consumption. Despite Algeria's diverse climate and vast land area, our findings reveal a persistent economic dependency on wheat imports. This reliance is attributed to the encroachment of urban areas on agricultural lands, coupled with inefficient domestic agricultural policies and outdated equipment that fails to keep pace with technological advancements.

Novel resistance loci for quantitative resistance to Septoria tritici blotch in Asian wheat (Triticum aestivum) via genome-wide association study

BackgroundSeptoria tritici blotch (STB) disease causes yield losses of up to 50 per cent in susceptible wheat cultivars and can reduce wheat production. In this study, genomic architecture for adult-plant STB resistance in a Septoria Association Mapping Panel (SAMP) having 181 accessions and genomic regions governing STB resistance in a South Asian wheat panel were looked for.ResultsField experiments during the period from 2019 to 2021 revealed those certain accessions, namely BGD52 (CHIR7/ANB//CHIR1), BGD54 (CHIR7/ANB//CHIR1), IND92 (WH 1218), IND8 (DBW 168), and IND75 (PBW 800), exhibited a high level of resistance. Genetic analysis revealed the presence of 21 stable quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) associated with resistance to STB (Septoria tritici blotch) on all wheat chromosomes, except for 2D, 3A, 3D, 4A, 4D, 5D, 6B, 6D, and 7A. These QTNs were predominantly located in chromosome regions previously identified as associated with STB resistance. Three Quantitative Trait Loci (QTNs) were found to have significant phenotypic effects in field evaluations. These QTNs are Q.STB.5A.1, Q.STB.5B.1, and Q.STB.5B.3. Furthermore, it is possible that the QTNs located on chromosomes 1A (Q.STB.1A.1), 2A (Q.STB_DH.2A.1, Q.STB.2A.3), 2B (Q.STB.2B.4), 5A (Q.STB.5A.1, Q.STB.5A.2), and 7B (Q.STB.7B.2) could potentially be new genetic regions associated with resistance.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate the importance of Asian bread wheat as a source of STB resistance alleles and novel stable QTNs for wheat breeding programs aiming to develop long-lasting and wide-ranging resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici in wheat cultivars.

Quality Evaluation of Flour and Crackers Made from Acha and Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Composite Flour Supplemented with Fermented Cowpea Flour

The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of supplementing 60% acha and 40% orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) composite flour with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% fermented cowpea flour on the functional properties of the flour blends and on the proximate composition, mineral content, antinutrients, and sensory characteristics of the crackers made from the blends. The 100% composite of acha and orange-fleshed sweet potato flours served as the control sample. The results obtained showed that all the parameters evaluated varied with the proportion of fermented cowpea flour supplementation. The bulk density increased significantly while the water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, pH, wettability, and gelatinization temperature decreased significantly with the increase in fermented cowpea flour supplementation. The moisture and carbohydrate content of the crackers progressively decreased from 8.83% - 8.08% and from 68.34% - 54.33% respectively with increase in cowpea flour supplementation. The ash, fibre, fat and protein contents of the crackers progressively increased from 1.90 - 2.43%, 0.40 – 0.70%, 14.46 – 18.45% and 6.07 – 16.01% respectively with increase in fermented cowpea flour supplementation. The potassium content of the crackers decreased from 87.51 – 68.66 mg/100g while the calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc contents of the crackers increased progressively from 59.16 - 96.61 mg/100g, 12.60 – 36.69 mg/100g, 0.62 – 0.78 mg/100g and 0.78 – 1.08 mg/100g respectively with increase in fermented cowpea flour supplementation. The oxalate and phytate contents of the crackers decreased progressively, while the tannin content increased with increasing fermentation of cowpea flour supplementation. It is evident from the study that acceptable crackers of high nutritional value could be produced from a composite of 60% acha and 40% orange-fleshed sweet potato flour supplemented with 30% fermented cowpea flour. This would increase the utilization of these locally grown crops and reduce wheat importation into the country.

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the impact of daily temperature difference on male sterility in photo-thermo-sensitive male sterile wheat

BackgroundPhoto-thermo-sensitive male sterility (PTMS), which refers to the male sterility triggered by variations in photoperiod and temperature, is a crucial element in the wheat two-line hybrid system. The development of safe production and efficient propagation for male sterile lines holds utmost importance in two-line hybrid wheat. Under the stable photoperiod condition, PTMS is mainly induced by high or low temperatures in wheat, but the effect of daily temperature difference (DTD) on the fertility conversion of PTMS lines has not been reported. Here, three BS type PTMS lines including BS108, BS138, and BS366, as well as a control wheat variety J411 were used to analyze the correlation between fertility and DTD using differentially sowing tests, photo-thermo-control experiments, and transcriptome sequencing.ResultsThe differentially sowing tests suggested that the optimal sowing time for safe seed production of the three PTMS lines was from October 5th to 25th in Dengzhou, China. Under the condition of 12 h 12 °C, the PTMS lines were greatly affected by DTD and exhibited complete male sterility at a temperature difference of 15 °C. Furthermore, under different temperature difference conditions, a total of 20,677 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained using RNA sequencing. Moreover, through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and KEGG enrichment analysis, the identified DEGs had a close association with “starch and sucrose metabolism”, “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis”, “MAPK signaling pathway-plant”, “flavonoid biosynthesis”, and “cutin, and suberine and wax biosynthesis”. qRT-PCR analysis showed the expression levels of core genes related to KEGG pathways significantly decreased at a temperature difference of 15 ° C. Finally, we constructed a transcriptome mediated network of temperature difference affecting male sterility.ConclusionsThe findings provide important theoretical insights into the correlation between temperature difference and male sterility, providing guidance for the identification and selection of more secure and effective PTMS lines.

New Races with Wider Virulence Indicate Rapid Evolution of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in the Southern Cone of America.

Wheat yellow (stripe) rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat worldwide. Pst populations are composed of multiple genetic groups, each carrying one or more races characterized by different avirulence/virulence combinations. Since the severe epidemics in 2017, yellow rust has become the most economically important wheat foliar disease in Uruguay. A set of 124 Pst isolates collected from wheat fields in Uruguay between 2017 and 2021 were characterized phenotypically, and 27 of those isolates were subsequently investigated in-depth by additional molecular genotyping and race phenotyping analyses. Three genetic groups were identified, PstS7, PstS10, and PstS13, with the latter being the most prevalent. Two races previously reported in Europe, Warrior (PstS7) and Benchmark (PstS10), were detected in four and two isolates, respectively. A third race, known as Triticale2015 (PstS13), that was first detected in Europe in 2015 and in Argentina in 2017 was detected at several locations. Additional virulence to Yr3, Yr17, Yr25, Yr27, or Yr32 was detected in three new race variants within PstS13. The identification of these new races, which have not been reported outside South America, provides strong evidence of the local evolution of virulence in Pst during the recent epidemic years.

Development and characterisation of novel durum wheat-H. chilense 4Hch chromosome lines as a source for resistance to Septoria tritici blotch.

The use of wild species as a source of genetic variability is a valued tool in the framework of crop breeding. Hordeum chilense Roem. et Schult is a wild barley species that can be a useful genetic donor for sustainable wheat breeding which carries genes conferring resistance to some diseases or increasing grain quality, among others. Septoria tritici blotch (STB), caused by the Zymoseptoria tritici fungus, is one of the most important wheat diseases worldwide, affecting both bread and durum wheat and having a high economic impact. Resistance to STB has been previously described in H. chilense chromosome 4Hch. In this study, we have developed introgression lines for H. chilense chromosome 4Hch in durum wheat using interspecific crosses, advanced backcrosses, and consecutive selfing strategies. Alien H. chilense chromosome segments have been reduced in size by genetic crosses between H. chilense disomic substitution lines in durum wheat and durum wheat lines carrying the Ph1 deletion. Hordeum chilense genetic introgressions were identified in the wheat background through several plant generations by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. An STB infection analysis has also been developed to assess STB resistance to a specific H. chilense chromosome region. The development of these H. chilense introgression lines with moderate to high resistance to STB represents an important advance in the framework of durum breeding and can be a valuable tool for plant breeders.

A Study on the Effect of Imported Wheat Prices on Türkiye’s Pasta Exports: ARDL Approach

Türkiye has possessed significant agricultural opportunities throughout its history. Although the effective utilization of these opportunities is a subject of debate today, the country still plays a significant role in the global trade of some agricultural products. When discussions about Türkiye’s exports are examined, a common complaint is the external dependency of the export industry. However, there are also debates about the diminishing agricultural advantages that have been present since the past. When these discussions are brought together, the trade of certain processed agricultural products, whose raw materials are agricultural products, also becomes a noteworthy research topic due to a similar import dependency. In this study, an analysis was conducted using time series and the ARDL model to investigate whether there is a relationship between Türkiye’s pasta export quantity, as one of the leading pasta exporter’s globally, and the prices of wheat imports from Ukraine, Russia, and Bulgaria. Also robustness checks enhanced the analyzes by employing FMOLS and DOLS methods. The research findings indicate variations in the impact of wheat prices from country to country on the quantity of pasta exported by Türkiye. Recommendations regarding the importance of wheat production in Türkiye are also provided as a result of the research.

A study of European wheat price series forecasting based on multiple variants of Holt-Winters and LSTM models

Given the importance of wheat in global food security and agricultural economy, accurate price forecasts are of significant practical significance for growers, the food chain, and government macro-control. Four different time series forecasting models were used in this study, including the traditional Holt-Winters three-parameter exponential smoothing method and three improved models based on the Long Short-Term Memory Network (LSTM): the CNN-LSTM, the GRU, and the VMD-LSTM. By comparing the forecasting effects of these models under the same training and test sets, this study aims to select the best models using the best model for predicting European wheat prices from 2010 to 2023 after training. The results show that the CNN-LSTM model performs the best in predicting the European wheat price series, and the future wheat price will show a slow downward trend, and the CNN-LSTM model combines the feature extraction ability of convolutional neural network and the long-term dependency learning ability of LSTM, which can effectively capture the fluctuation characteristics of the price series and the trend characteristics. The GRU model also shows a better prediction ability, especially in dealing with long-term dependencies. in dealing with long-term dependencies. However, the VMD-LSTM model has certain shortcomings in its prediction effect when facing time series data with large fluctuations in the later period. In addition, the Holt-Winters model predicts that after a period of slow decline, wheat prices may rebound, which may be related to the adjustment of market supply and demand and changes in external factors.

Similarities in the US Department of Agriculture international baseline projections

AbstractThe US Department of Agriculture (USDA) international baseline projections are crucial for US agricultural policy. Using a dynamic time warping algorithm, we examine whether corn, soybean, and wheat baselines exhibit a lack of significant distance indicating similarity in projections across countries. We then examine whether projections for countries with more similarity with the United States projections exhibit higher projection errors. We discover evidence of projections being similar to the United States, which is associated with lower errors for corn yield, harvested area, and exports and wheat import projections, but not for other variables. These findings offer valuable insights for USDA and stakeholders.

The adult plant resistance (APR) genes Yr18, Yr29 and Yr46 in spring wheat showed significant effect against important yellow rust races under North-West European field conditions

Yellow rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is one of the most important wheat diseases. Adult plant resistance (APR) genes have gained the attention of breeders and scientists because they show higher durability compared to major race-specific genes. Here, we determined the effect of the APR genes Yr18, Yr29 and Yr46 in North-West European field conditions against three currently important Pst races. We used three pairs of sibling wheat lines developed at CIMMYT, which consisted of a line with the functional resistance gene and a sibling with its non-functional allele. All APR genes showed significant effects against the Pst races Warrior and Warrior (–), and a race of the highly aggressive strain PstS2. The effects of Yr18 and Yr46 were especially substantial in slowing down disease progress. This effect was apparent in both Denmark, where susceptible controls reached 100 percent disease severity, and in United Kingdom where disease pressure was lower. We further validated field results by quantifying fungal biomass in leaf samples and by micro-phenotyping of samples collected during early disease development. Microscopic image analyses using deep learning allowed us to quantify separately the APR effects on leaf colonization and pustule formation. Our results show that the three APR genes can be used in breeding yellow rust resistant varieties of spring wheat to be grown in North-West European conditions, and that deep learning image analysis can be an effective method to quantify effects of APR on colonisation and pustule formation.

Some Economic Indicators of Food Security for Egyptian Wheat Imports in Light of the Current Global Changes

Some Economic Indicators of Food Security for Egyptian Wheat Imports in Light of the Current Global Changes

Association mapping of septoria tritici blotch resistance in bread wheat in Bale and Arsi highlands, Ethiopia

Septoria tritici blotch (STB) caused by the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici, anamorph Septoria tritici Rob. ex Desm., is an important wheat pathogen worldwide, reported to be major wheat production threating factor, posing considerable yield loss every year. Developing resistant cultivars is an efficient, economical, environmentally friendly and simple approach for managing STB. This study was carried out to evaluate spring bread wheat lines for their reaction to STB disease under field conditions; to associate phenotypic and genotypic data for identification of STB disease resistance; and to identify genomic region(s) associated with resistance to STB in spring bread wheat lines. Two hundred forty (240) spring bread wheat lines were evaluated under field conditions in non-replicated trials, using an augmented design. The trials were conducted at three locations (Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, Madda Walabu University Research Site and Sinana Agricultural Research Center) in 2017 main cropping season (July to December). Out of these 240 wheat lines, 123 of them were genotyped with 10263 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) markers and population structure and association mapping analysis was done. The wheat lines showed significant variations in percentage disease severity and area under the disease progress curve at all the three locations they were evaluated. The wheat lines were classified as resistant, moderately resistant, moderately susceptible and susceptible based on the percentage disease severity scored. Five wheat lines were found to be resistant to STB in all the three locations and are recommended for direct release by the national program and parentage purposes in wheat breeding programs. The 123 wheat lines were clustered into 3 subpopulations in which the first cluster contained 99 wheat lines; the second 17 and the last one 7. Among the polymorphic 8127 SNPs markers, 26 markers on chromosomes 7B, 1D, 3A, 2B, 6B and 3D were found to be significantly (P < 0.001) associated with STB resistance so that they can be utilized for marker assisted selection and gene pyramiding in resistance breeding programs.

The wheat tan spot pathosystem in Australia: A showcase of effector‐assisted breeding

AbstractTan spot disease of wheat (also known as yellow spot) is caused by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Pyrenophora tritici‐repentis (Ptr). Initially described as a grass pathogen, Ptr has become a wheat pathogen of global importance. In Australia, tan spot was first recorded in 1952 as a minor wheat disease. However, by the 1970s tan spot had reached epidemic levels in Australia with yield losses of up to 49% reported in the north‐eastern region. A national survey carried out in 2007/2008 placed tan spot as the most economically important wheat disease with an estimated yield loss of 6%, corresponding to nearly a quarter of all disease losses. The incidence of tan spot in Australia has now markedly reduced with some wheat breeding programmes no longer considering tan spot disease resistance to be a priority trait. The disease can be effectively managed with integrated control strategies such as crop rotation, timely application of fungicides and removal of surface stubble. However, the key to the success of controlling tan spot disease in Australia has been achieved through wheat breeding programmes. The development of tan spot resistance resources suitable for the Australian climate was a concerted effort between national and international research organizations and Australian wheat breeders, supported by the Australian Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC). While traditional breeding was essential to combat the disease, this article highlights the value of effector biology in assisting the development of resistant cultivars.

Characterisation of wholegrain composite for pretzels: a comprehensive nutritional and functional analysis

SummaryWholegrain composite flours are used for bakery products to enhance their nutritional value and to decrease the reliance on wheat importation as well as to ensure food security in most developing countries. This work aimed to optimise oat, maize, barley and wheat flour levels in the development of nutritionally enriched wholegrain pretzels. Composite flour blends were prepared by mechanical mixing of oat flour (OF), barley flour (BF), maize flour (MF) and wheat flour (WF) in the following proportion: WF (100%) (T0 – control), W:B (90:10) (T1), W:M (90:10) (T2), W:O (90:10) (T3), W:B:M:O (85:5:5:5) (T4), W:B:M:O (76:8:8:8) (T5) and W:B:M:O (70:10:10:10) (T6). Wholegrain composite flour mixes were analysed for their proximate composition and antioxidant properties. The fat, protein, ash and moisture content significantly changed (P &lt; 0.05) in all treatments, while the fibre content increased. DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic and flavonoid content showed significant changes compared to the control. A rapid visco analyser determined multigrain flour's rheological and pasting properties, and the values showed significant (P &lt; 0.05) differences for peak viscosity, final viscosity and pasting temperature. The final product was analysed for proximate analysis, texture, colour and sensory evaluation. The increase in moisture, protein, fibre and ash content of the product was observed. Moisture, fat and fibre content of pretzels exhibited significant correlations (P &lt; 0.05) with the sensory parameters. A grouping of the samples in function of the chemical and sensory characteristics was depicted from the principal component analysis. Texture and colour analysis showed significant differences (P &lt; 0.05). Sensory evaluation results showed that the overall score for acceptability found for composite flour mix which contains 10% barley, 10% oat and 10% maize with wheat in a 30:70 ratio was accepted by the consumer. Consumption of wholegrain pretzels as snack food can contribute to a nutritious and balanced diet.

Wheat-plantain flour blends enriched with velvet beans flours: Vitamins and mineral composition

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) has been the major ingredient in the production of different kind of foods but relatively low in total protein especially in lysine and other amino acids, which could be supplemented by other nutrient dense flours to produce composite flours. This would reduce the over dependence on the importation of wheat. Hence, the need for strategic development in the use of inexpensive local and underutilized fruits and legumes in the production of functional foods. The vitamins and mineral composition of the flour blends processed from wheat, plantain and velvet bean were investigated for their end uses. Wheat, plantain and velvet composite flours were prepared in the ratio 240:37.5:22.5, 210:60:30 and 150:105:45 respectively and 100% wheat flour was used as the control. Vitamins and mineral composition of the flour blends were investigated using standard methods. Vitamins and mineral revealed that vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, B12 and C ranged from 0.46 – 0.56 µg/100 g, 0.59 – 0.68 mg/g, 0.67 – 0.79 mg/g, 0.71 – 0.89 mg/g, 0.09 – 0.39 µg/100 g and 30.86 – 38.48 mg/g ; calcium, iron and zinc ranged from 48.97 – 105.97, 3.62 to 4.03 and 1.65 – 2.27 mg/100 g respectively. This study, therefore, shows that fortification of wheat-plantain flour blends with velvet beans flour significantly (p &lt; 0.05) enhanced the vitamins and mineral composition of the flour blends. Hence, the fortification of wheat-plantain flour with velvet beans flour should be encouraged to be used as nutritional ingredient in the production of functional foods. Hence, their food applications are highly recommended.

Global Shocks and Local Impacts: A CGE Analysis on the Impact of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine Conflict on Pakistan's Wheat Sector

Wheat is one of the most important and vital sectors of Pakistan adding around 2% to the country's GDP growth each year. The crop has been in turmoil for the past four years. The primary drivers of this turmoil are the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which have impacted wheat production. The current study employs a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model focusing on the individual and combined effects of these two global shock scenarios. The study initiates by exploring the baseline scenario which assumes that there is no existence of Covid-19 or Russia Ukraine Conflict, then the results are calculated firstly for the productivity loss due to pandemic and then due to the Russian Ukraine conflict. Finally, both the productivity shocks are combined to study the shared effect of both the losses. The results indicate that the sector has experienced a significant loss, with spillover effects on its subsidiaries, including flour mills, bakery and confectionary industries, animal feed industries, and processed food industries. The labor and export markets shocks are also simulated highlighting the loss in both sectors attributing to disrupted supply chains and restrictions in covid nineteen and high dependency on Ukraine and Russia wheat imports. Welfare analysis has also been done for all the four scenarios to capture the welfare losses faced in the previous 4 years and the results are compared to the baseline scenario to compare the damage. To mitigate these losses, two policy scenarios are proposed: an expansionary fiscal policy and increased subsidies, followed by increased tariffs and a shift towards locally produced wheat instead of relying on imports.

Phytochemical studies of wheat-plantain composite flours enriched with velvet beans flours

Wheat, which is an expensive grain, is not adequate to meet the nutritional requirements of the end users. Hence, enrichment of wheat with easily affordable underutilized legumes and fruits that have superior nutritional value is a good approach to producing functional foods and this is also a good way to reduce the cost of wheat importation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition of the flour blends processed from wheat-plantain flour blends enriched with velvet bean. Wheat, plantain and Velvet flours composite were prepared in the ratio 240:37.5:22.5, 210:60:30 and 150:105:45 respectively and 100% wheat flour was used as the control. Phytochemicals revealed that total phenolic, total flavonoids, total carotenoids, L-Dopa, DPPH and FRAP ranged from 41.22 – 383.09 mg/GAE/100 g, 42.94 – 83.11 mg/CE/100 g, 0.41– 1.66 mg/100 g, 0.91 – 1.21%, 33.12 – 46.85 mg/AAE/100 g and 4.05 – 6.29 mg/FeSO4/100 g, respectively. Addition of plantain and velvet beans flour blends to the wheat flour significantly (p &lt; 0.05) enhanced the phytochemical properties of the flour blends. The blends could therefore be used to produce any functional food. Hence, its food applications are highly recommended.