Response of Yield Components of Some Black Rice Cultivars to Spraying With The Amino Acid Phenylalanin

Three rice varieties (Goura, Chakhao and Local) were grown during two seasons 2019-2020, aimed to assessment of different levels of spraying of phenylalanine on performance of the grain yield components in different rice varieties. The selected three varieties (sub plots) were grown under the influence of four levels of phenylalanine spraying (main plots), included amino acid treatments occupied the main plates 50, 100 and 150 mg.L-1 as well as the control treatment (spraying distilled water only), the experiment applied in split plots arrangements in RCBD with three replications. The results showed a significant superiority of the Goura genotype selected by giving the highest averages in plant height, total grains number per panicles, 1000 grains weight, grain yield, Biological yield, percentage of harvest index and tillers number plant, that reached to 118.47 cm, 144.25 grains.panicl-1, 23.44 g, 6.70 tons.hectare-1, 12.06 tons.hectare-1,54.82% and 18.40 tillers.plant-1 respectively, while the genotype significantly superior to Local Selected by giving the highest averages in the leaves content of total chlorophyll pigments SPAD, which amounted to 39.13 SPAD. The spraying of the amino acid phenylalanine at a concentration of 50 mg.l-1 was significantly superior by giving the highest averages in the indicators of vegetative growth, yield and its components.

Glutacetine® Biostimulant Applied on Wheat under Contrasting Field Conditions Improves Grain Number Leading to Better Yield, Upgrades N-Related Traits and Changes Grain Ionome

Wheat is one of the most important cereals for human nutrition, but nitrogen (N) losses during its cultivation cause economic problems and environmental risks. In order to improve N use efficiency (NUE), biostimulants are increasingly used. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Glutacetine®, a biostimulant sprayed at 5 L ha−1 in combination with fertilizers (urea or urea ammonium nitrate (UAN)), on N-related traits, grain yield components, and the grain quality of winter bread wheat grown at three field sites in Normandy (France). Glutacetine® improved grain yield via a significant increase in the grain number per spike and per m2, which also enhanced the thousand grain weight, especially with urea. The total N in grains and the NUE tended to increase in response to Glutacetine®, irrespective of the site or the form of N fertilizer. Depending on the site, spraying Glutacetine® can also induce changes in the grain ionome (analyzed by X-ray fluorescence), with a reduction in P content observed (site 2 under urea nutrition) or an increase in Mn content (site 3 under UAN nutrition). These results provide a roadmap for utilizing Glutacetine® biostimulant to enhance wheat production and flour quality in a temperate climate.

Mining the potential of VRS1-5 gene to raise barley grain yield

VRS1-5 genes determine spike row types during the early stages of spike development in barley (Hordeum vulgare), yet their functions for the determination of grain yield during the late stages of spike development are largely unknown. To assess the role of VRS1-5 genes in determining grain yield components, we sequenced VRS1-5 genes from 894 worldwide barley accessions and measured 19 spike morphology traits in four environments. Single nucleotide polymorphism SNP markers and gene marker-based haplotypes for VRS1-5 displayed close associations with spike morphology traits. We further developed a spatiote-temporal transcriptome atlas (255 samples) at 17 stages and five positions along the spike, that linked spike morphology to spikelet development and expression patterns of VRS1-5 genes. Phenotypic measurements demonstrated that mutations in VRS1-5 suppress the initiation of spikelet primordia and, trigger spikelet abortion by increasing cytokinin content and improving sensitivity of spikelet primordia to cytokinin. Our integrated results illustrate how breeding can globally alter spike morphology through diversity at the VRS1-5 genes, which show great potential in increasing barley grain yield.