A simplified index for an early estimation of durum wheat yield in Tuscany (Central Italy)

In nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs), site-specific techniques are needed to match N availability with durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum Desf.) requirements. Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers can improve efficient N supply and reduce leaching, contributing to sustainable agriculture. Two-year field experiments were carried out at two Mediterranean nitrate vulnerable zones in Central Italy (Pisa and Arezzo) to study the effects of nitrogen sources, timings, and application rates. The trial compared: (i) three N sources for the first topdressing application (urea, methylene urea, and urea with the nitrification inhibitor DMPP); (ii) two stages for the first topdressing N application (1st tiller visible—BBCH21 and 1st node detectable—BBCH31); (iii) two N rates: one based on the crop N requirements (Optimal—NO), the other based on action programme prescriptions of the two NVZs (Action Programme—NAP). Grain yield and yield components were determined, together with N uptake. The results showed that: (i) grain and biomass production were reduced with NAP at both locations; (ii) urea performed better than slow-release fertilizers; (iii) the best application time depended on the N source and location: in Pisa, enhanced-efficiency fertilizers achieved higher yields when applied earliest, while for urea the opposite was true; in Arezzo different N fertilizers showed similar performances between the two application timings. Different behaviors of topdressing fertilizers at the two localities could be related to the diverse patterns of temperatures and rainfall. Thus, optimal fertilization strategies would seem to vary according to environmental conditions.

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Engineered Durum Wheat Germplasm with Multiple Alien Introgressions: Agronomic and Quality Performance

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10040486 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 486 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ljiljana Kuzmanović ◽

Francesco Rossini ◽

Roberto Ruggeri ◽

Mario A. Pagnotta ◽

Carla Ceoloni

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Central Italy ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Breeding Value ◽

Chromosome Engineering ◽

Quality Performance ◽

Aegilops Longissima ◽

Alien Genes ◽

Yellow Index ◽

And Control

If genetic gains in wheat yield are to be achieved in today’s breeding, increasing the genetic variability of cultivated genotypes is an essential requisite to meet. To this aim, alien gene transfer through chromosome engineering (CE) is a validated and sound strategy. Attempts to incorporate more than one alien segment into cultivated wheat have been rare, particularly for tetraploid durum wheat. Here, we present the agronomic and quality performance of the first successful CE-mediated multiple introgression into the latter species. By assembling into 7AL, 3BS, and 1AS arms of a single genotype homoeologous segments of Thinopyrum ponticum 7el1L, Aegilops longissima 3SlS, and Triticum aestivum 1DS arms, respectively, we have stacked several valuable alien genes, comprising Lr19+Sr25+Yp (leaf and stem rust resistance and a gene increasing semolina yellowness), Pm13 (powdery mildew resistance), and Gli-D1/Glu-D3 (genes affecting gluten properties), respectively. Advanced progenies of single, double, and triple recombinants were field-tested across three years in a typical durum wheat growing area of central Italy. The results showed that not only all recombinants had normal phenotype and fertility, but also that one of the triple recombinants had the highest yield through all seasons compared with all other recombinants and control cultivars. Moreover, the multiple introgressions enhanced quality traits, including gluten characteristics and semolina yellow index. The presence of effective disease resistance genes confers additional breeding value to the novel and functional CE products, which can greatly contribute to crop security and safety.

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Engineered Durum Wheat Germplasm with Multiple Alien Introgressions: Agronomic and Quality Performance

10.20944/preprints202002.0402.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ljiljana Kuzmanović ◽

Francesco Rossini ◽

Roberto Ruggeri ◽

Mario A. Pagnotta ◽

Carla Ceoloni

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Central Italy ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Breeding Value ◽

Chromosome Engineering ◽

Quality Performance ◽

Aegilops Longissima ◽

Alien Genes ◽

Yellow Index ◽

And Control

If genetic gains in wheat yield are to be achieved in today’s breeding, increasing genetic variability of cultivated genotypes is an essential requisite to meet. To this aim, alien gene transfer through chromosome engineering (CE) is a validated and sound strategy. Attempts to incorporate more than one alien segment into cultivated wheat have been rare, particularly for tetraploid durum wheat. Here we present the agronomic and quality performance of the first successful CE-mediated multiple introgression into the latter species. By assembling into 7AL, 3BS and 1AS arms of a single genotype homoeologous segments of Thinopyrum ponticum 7el1L, Aegilops longissima 3SlS, and Triticum aestivum 1DS arms, respectively, we have stacked several valuable alien genes, comprising Lr19+Sr25+Yp (leaf and stem rust resistance and a gene increasing semolina yellowness), Pm13 (powdery mildew resistance) and Gli-D1/Glu-D3 (genes affecting gluten properties), respectively. Advanced progenies of single, double and triple recombinants were field-tested across three years in a typical durum wheat growing area of Central Italy. The results showed that not only all recombinants had normal phenotype and fertility, but also that one of the triple recombinants had the highest yield through all seasons compared with all other recombinants and control cultivars. Moreover, the multiple introgressions enhanced quality traits, including gluten characteristics and semolina yellow index. Presence of effective disease resistance genes confers additional breeding value to the novel and functional CE products, which can greatly contribute to crop security and safety.

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Durum Wheat Yield and N Uptake as Affected by N Rate, Timing and Source in Two Mediterranean Environments

10.20944/preprints202105.0651.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Silvia Pampana ◽

Marco Mariotti

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Triticum Turgidum ◽

N Uptake ◽

Central Italy ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

N Availability ◽

Slow Release Fertilizers ◽

N Rates

In Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) site-specific techniques are needed to match N availability with durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum Desf.) requirements. Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers (EEF) can improve efficient N supply and reduce leaching, thus contributing to sustainable agriculture. To study the effects of rates, sources and timings of nitrogen application, two-year field experiments were carried out at two Mediterranean NVZs of Central Italy (Pisa and Arezzo). The trial compared: i) two N rates: one based on the crop N requirements (NO), the other on the Action Programmes’ prescriptions of the two NVZ (NAP); ii) three N sources (urea, methylene urea (MU), and nitrification inhibitor (NI) 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP); and two top-dressing timings (1st tiller visible and 1st node detectable). Grain yield and yield components were determined, together with N uptake. Results showed that: i) grain and biomass production were reduced with NAP at both locations; ii) urea performed better than slow-release fertilizers; iii) the best application time varied depending on N source and location: at Pisa enhanced-efficiency fertilizers achieved higher yields when applied earliest, while for urea the contrary was true; at Arezzo different N fertilizers showed similar performances between the two application timings. Different behaviors of top-dressing fertilizers at the two localities could be related to the diverse patterns of temperatures and rainfall. Therefore, optimal fertilization strategies vary according to environmental conditions.

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Small RNAs and their targets are associated with the transgenerational effects of water-deficit stress in durum wheat

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83074-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Haipei Liu ◽

Amanda J. Able ◽

Jason A. Able

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Water Deficit ◽

Small Rna ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Water Deficit Stress ◽

Integrated Analysis ◽

Sequencing Analysis ◽

Biological Interactions ◽

Transgenerational Effects ◽

Nutrient Metabolism

AbstractWater-deficit stress negatively affects wheat yield and quality. Abiotic stress on parental plants during reproduction may have transgenerational effects on progeny. Here we investigated the transgenerational influence of pre-anthesis water-deficit stress by detailed analysis of the yield components, grain quality traits, and physiological traits in durum wheat. Next-generation sequencing analysis profiled the small RNA-omics, mRNA transcriptomics, and mRNA degradomics in first generation progeny. Parental water-deficit stress had positive impacts on the progeny for traits including harvest index and protein content in the less stress-tolerant variety. Small RNA-seq identified 1739 conserved and 774 novel microRNAs (miRNAs). Transcriptome-seq characterised the expression of 66,559 genes while degradome-seq profiled the miRNA-guided mRNA cleavage dynamics. Differentially expressed miRNAs and genes were identified, with significant regulatory patterns subject to trans- and inter-generational stress. Integrated analysis using three omics platforms revealed significant biological interactions between stress-responsive miRNA and targets, with transgenerational stress tolerance potentially contributed via pathways such as hormone signalling and nutrient metabolism. Our study provides the first confirmation of the transgenerational effects of water-deficit stress in durum wheat. New insights gained at the molecular level indicate that key miRNA-mRNA modules are candidates for transgenerational stress improvement.

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Influence of Previous Crop on Durum Wheat Yield and Yield Stability in a Long-term Experiment

Italian Journal of Agronomy ◽

10.4081/ija.2007.333 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 333 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Matteo Stelluti ◽

Angelo Caliandro ◽

Anna Maria Stellacci

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Yield Stability ◽

Previous Crop ◽

Term Experiment ◽

Long Term Experiment

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Adaptive Traits to Improve Durum Wheat Yield in Drought and Crown Rot Environments

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21155260 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (15) ◽

pp. 5260 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Samir Alahmad ◽

Yichen Kang ◽

Eric Dinglasan ◽

Elisabetta Mazzucotelli ◽

Kai P. Voss-Fels ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Triticum Turgidum ◽

Association Studies ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Crown Rot ◽

Physiological Traits ◽

Yield Potential ◽

Genome Wide Association Studies ◽

Stay Green

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum) production can experience significant yield losses due to crown rot (CR) disease. Losses are usually exacerbated when disease infection coincides with terminal drought. Durum wheat is very susceptible to CR, and resistant germplasm is not currently available in elite breeding pools. We hypothesize that deploying physiological traits for drought adaptation, such as optimal root system architecture to reduce water stress, might minimize losses due to CR infection. This study evaluated a subset of lines from a nested association mapping population for stay-green traits, CR incidence and yield in field experiments as well as root traits under controlled conditions. Weekly measurements of normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) in the field were used to model canopy senescence and to determine stay-green traits for each genotype. Genome-wide association studies using DArTseq molecular markers identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on chromosome 6B (qCR-6B) associated with CR tolerance and stay-green. We explored the value of qCR-6B and a major QTL for root angle QTL qSRA-6A using yield datasets from six rainfed environments, including two environments with high CR disease pressure. In the absence of CR, the favorable allele for qSRA-6A provided an average yield advantage of 0.57 t·ha−1, whereas in the presence of CR, the combination of favorable alleles for both qSRA-6A and qCR-6B resulted in a yield advantage of 0.90 t·ha−1. Results of this study highlight the value of combining above- and belowground physiological traits to enhance yield potential. We anticipate that these insights will assist breeders to design improved durum varieties that mitigate production losses due to water deficit and CR.

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Early prediction of durum wheat yield in Spain using radial basis functions interpolation models based on agroclimatic data

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture ◽

10.1016/j.compag.2019.01.018 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 157 ◽

pp. 427-435 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

H. Rocha ◽

J.M. Dias

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Radial Basis Functions ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Basis Functions ◽

Early Prediction ◽

Radial Basis

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Effects of Genotype, Growing Season and Nitrogen Level on Gluten Protein Assembly of Durum Wheat Grown under Mediterranean Conditions

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10050755 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 755

Author(s):

Anna Gagliardi ◽

Federica Carucci ◽

Stefania Masci ◽

Zina Flagella ◽

Giuseppe Gatta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

High Temperatures ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Growing Season ◽

Mediterranean Area ◽

Protein Assembly ◽

Gluten Protein ◽

Nitrogen Levels ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Assembly Factor

Water deficit and high temperatures are the main environmental factors which affect both wheat yield and technological quality in the Mediterranean climate. The aim of the study was to evaluate the variation in the gluten protein assembly of four durum wheat genotypes in relation to growing seasons and different nitrogen levels. The genotypes, Marco Aurelio, Quadrato, Pietrafitta and Redidenari, were grown under three nitrogen levels (36, 90 and 120 kg ha−1) during two growing seasons in Southern Italy. Significant lower yield and a higher protein concentration were observed in the year characterized by a higher temperature at the end of the crop cycle. The effect of the high temperatures on protein assembly was different for the genotypes in relation to their earliness. Based on PCA, in the warmer year, only the medium-early genotype Quadrato showed positive values along the “protein polymerization degree” factor, while the medium and medium-late genotypes, Marco Aurelio and Pietrafitta showed negative values along the “proteins assembly” factor. No clear separation along the two factors was observed for the early genotype Redidenari. The variation in gluten protein assembly observed in the four genotypes in relation to the growing season might help breeding programs to select genotypes suitable for facing the ongoing climate changes in Mediterranean area.

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