Induction of Biosynthesis Antioxidant Molecules in Young Barley Plants by Trioxygen

Young barley plants are a good source of bioactive compounds. This paper presents the effects of gaseous O3 (trioxygen or ozone) on the biosynthesis of compounds, determining the antioxidant potential of young barley plants. The total content of polyphenols was determined along with their profile, as well as total antioxidant potential and vitamin C content. The highest contents of these compounds were identified in young barley plants exposed to gaseous O3. The main bioactive compound, representing polyphenols, determined in the examined raw materials was saponarin (isovitexin 7-O-glucoside). The induction of increased biosynthesis of these molecules was directly linked to the modification of the activity of selected enzymes. The increased polyphenol content resulted from the modified activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). On the other hand, the oxidative effect of ozone on barley plants was reduced, owing to the modified activities of catalases (CAT), glutathione peroxidases (SOD) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX). Analysis of the results showed that by applying gaseous O3 at a dose of 50 ppm for 10 min, the contents of bioactive compounds can be maximised in a residue-free way by activating oxidative stress defence mechanisms.

Impact of Soil Fertilized with Biomass Ash on Depth-Related Variability of Culturable Bacterial Diversity and Selected Physicochemical Parameters in Spring Barley Cultivation

This study investigated the effect of different doses of fertilization with biomass combustion ash (Salix viminalis L. willow) on changes in the biological, chemical, and physical properties of soil. The experiment was carried out on podzolic and chernozem soils in a one-way field experiment (fertilization dose: control (without fertilization), NPK (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)), 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 kg K₂O ha^-1). The biomass ash was characterized by a pH value of 12.83 ± 0.68 and a high content of macronutrients. The samples were collected from 0-5, 10-15, and 20-25 cm soil layers under the cultivation of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L) cv. Planet in April and August 2021. Mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used for microbiological analyses, which revealed the presence of 53 culturable species from 11 genera: Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus, Lysinibacillus, Pseudarthrobacter, Arthrobacter, Staphylococcus, Paenarthrobacter, Micrococcus, Rhodococcus, and Flavobacterium. The podzolic and chernozem soils exhibited the presence of 28 and 44 culturable species, respectively. The study showed an increase in the number of microorganisms in the top layer of the soil profile. However, the number of bacteria decreased at the depths of 10-15 cm and 20-25 cm. With depth, the bulk density (BD) and moisture increased.

Spatio-temporal Influences on Cereal Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Population Dynamics and the Incidence of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus

Problems with aphids in small grain cereals, either direct by feeding, or indirect by transmission of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus, are expected to increase due to climate change and a recent ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments by the European Union. Moreover, insecticide resistance against pyrethroid insecticides is reported at multiple locations throughout the world. Therefore, a better understanding of cereal aphid population dynamics and increased attention towards an integrated pest management is needed. In this study, cereal aphids were monitored on 193 maize and small grain cereal fields throughout Flanders, Belgium. The population dynamics and species distribution were observed throughout the year and the effects of spatio-temporal variables were explored. A significant negative effect was found of grassland in a 1,000 m radius and a positive effect of grain maize in a 3,000 m radius around a small grain cereals field on the maximum infestation rate with aphids in autumn within this field. In a 3,000 m and 5,000 m radius, a significant positive effect of grain maize and a significant negative effect of other small grain cereals was found on the maximum infestation rate during the whole growing season within this field. The mean daily average temperature from 118 to 19 d before sowing had a significant positive effect on the maximum infestation rate in autumn. Mean precipitation, wind speed, and humidity from 52 to 26, 46 to 23, and 107 to 13 d before sowing respectively, had a significant negative effect on the maximum infestation rate in autumn.

The Influence of Crops on the Content of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil Fertilized with Manure and Mineral Fertilizers

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are mainly accumulated in soil. Plants secrete enzymes that transform or biodegrade PAHs in soil. Some plant species are more effective in stimulating the biodegradation of these pollutants than other species. This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of crop rotation on PAH concentrations in soil. Four crops were grown in rotation: sugar beets, spring barley, maize, and spring wheat. Soil samples for the study were obtained from a long-term field experiment established in 1986 in Bałcyny, Poland. The concentrations of PAHs were analyzed in soil samples gathered over a period of 12 years (1998-2009). An attempt was made to evaluate the effect of crop rotation (sugar beets, spring barley, maize, and spring wheat) on PAH concentrations in soil. The content of PAHs in soil samples was measured by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. Data were processed statistically by repeated measures ANOVA. The concentrations of ∑16 PAHs were lowest in soil after sugar beet cultivation, and highest in soil after maize cultivation. It can be concluded that maize was the plant with the greatest adverse effect on the content of heavy PAH in the soil, a completely different effect can be attributed to spring wheat, which has always been shown to reduce the content of heavy PAH in the soil. Weather conditions affected PAHs levels in soil, and PAH content was highest in soil samples collected in a year with the driest growing season. This arrangement suggests a greater influence of weather conditions than of the cultivated plant.

Effect of integration of poultry manure and vinasse on the abundance and diversity of soil fauna, soil fertility index, and barley (Hordeum aestivum L.) growth in calcareous soils

BACKGROUND

In Egypt, calcareous soils represent a large part of desert soils suffering from a shortage of nutrients and organic matter, affecting production and biological diversity in agroecosystems. Organic wastes, negatively affect the environment, recycling it as a promising technology in different farming systems, and its impact on crop productivity and soil fauna is largely unknown. In this study, the effects of integrating poultry manure (PM) alone or combined with vinasse (V) at rates of 4.2 g kg^- 1 and 6.3 g kg^- 1 in pots, on improving soil fauna diversity, soil fertility, soil consistency and yield of barley (Hordeum aestivum L.) grown in a calcareous soil were investigated.

RESULTS

The results showed that the addition of PM alone or combined with V at different rates led to a significant increase in the microbial biomass carbon (MBC), organic matter (OM), NPK soil availability and yield of barley. The addition of 6.3 g PM and 4.2 g V kg^- 1 soil have the best results in OM with 65.0% compared to control, and V contributes more than 16% of them. Prostigmata and Collembola were the dominant groups and accounted for 43.3% and 50.0% in the PM1 and 50.0% and 20.0% in the PM2 of the total individuals, respectively. Shannon and Evenness indices increased significantly with the soil amended by PM alone or combined with V. Soil fauna plays a key role in soil consistency because of a significant relationship between soil fauna and soil OM, MBC and soil fertility index. The addition of 6.3 g PM and 4.2 g V kg^- 1 soil gave the best results in grain yield by 76.90% compared to the control.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the interaction between PM and V can be used as a promising organic amendments to increase barley yield and improve efficiency of a recycled PM and V on soil fauna and soil fertility of calcareous soil.

Effects of Different Extraction Methods on the Gelatinization and Retrogradation Properties of Highland Barley Starch

The purpose of this study was to compare the gelatinization and retrogradation properties of highland barley starch (HBS) using different extraction methods. We obtained HBS by three methods, including alkali extraction (A-HBS), ultrasound extraction (U-HBS) and enzyme extraction (E-HBS). An investigation was carried out using a rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA), texture profile analysis (TPA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). It is shown that the different extraction methods did not change the crystalline type of HBS. E-HBS had the lowest damaged starch content and highest relative crystallinity value (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, A-HBS had the highest peak viscosity, indicating the best water absorption (p < 0.05). Moreover, E-HBS had not only higher G′ and G″ values, but also the highest gel hardness value, reflecting its strong gel structure (p < 0.05). These results confirmed that E-HBS provided better pasting stability and rheological properties, while U-HBS provides benefits of reducing starch retrogradation.

Short-term effects of combined freeze–thaw and saline–alkali stresses on the physiological response in highland barley (Hordeum vulgare)

Highland barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), as the dominant crop on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, is a typical representative of plants adapted to extreme environmental conditions. However, the harsh environment, severe salinisation and frequent freezing and thawing in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are main limiting factor for crop growth in this region. The physiological response of highland barley to salinisation and freeze-thaw stresses was studied in this paper. Under the combined stresses of 60mmol/LNaCl·60mmol/LNaHCO3 and freeze-thaw cycles (10, -5, and 10°C), the changes in the relative moisture content, relative electrical conductivity, soluble protein, malondialdehyde (MDA) and photosynthetic indices Pn and E in seedling leaves of eight groups of treatments (CK, S, A, S-A, CK (FT), S (FT), A (FT), and S-A (FT)) were analysed. Results showed that a single stress did not cause a change in the MDA content. All of the combined stresses in S-A, CK (FT), S (FT), A (FT), and S-A (FT) treatments increased the MDA content of barley seedlings, and the MDA content of S-A (FT) reached 28.438 at T2 (-5°C) μmol/g. During the freeze-thaw cycle, the cell membrane of seedlings was damaged more seriously by alkali stress, which showed a significant increase in relative conductivity. The relative moisture content value of seedlings was more than 100% because the seedlings could absorb more moisture due to mechanical injury. The protein content of osmoregulatory substances in highland barley seedlings increased with increasing stress, indicating resistance to stress. Moreover, the effect of freeze-thaw stress on photosynthesis was more significant. The changes in indices proved that an appropriate amount of salt stress could improve the resistance of the plant cell membrane. Alkali stress had a significant effect on the growth of highland barley seedlings. Freezing and thawing can aggravate the damage of saline-alkali stress to highland barley seedlings, resulting in changes in the biological membrane permeability and photosynthesis of seedlings. The fluctuation of osmoregulation substance content confirmed that highland barley seedlings had a certain degree of stress resistance. Freeze-thaw cycles will aggravate the damage of land salinisation to highland barley seedlings. To better reduce the impact and loss of land salinisation and freeze-thaw disasters on agriculture in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, priority should be given to solving freeze-thaw stress in the process of grain production.

Effects of Adding Different Levels of Hydroponic Barley Fodder on the Productive Performance and Economic Value of Broiler Chickens

The present study was conducted to disclose the impact of adding different levels of hydroponic barley fodder (HBF) on some productive features of the economic value of broilers chickens. One hundred forty-four one-day-old Ross 308 chicks were used in this study. Birds were randomly distributed into four treatments, with three replicates per each treatment (12 birds per replicate): The first treatment had no addition (T1:control). As for T2 and T3 treatments, 10% and 20% of HBF were added to the feed pellet. In T4, fresh HBF was chopped and fed as an additional free fodder. Results reflected an increase in the weekly live body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of T2 birds; along with an improvement in the cumulative BWG, FI, and FCR of T2 and T4 during the 3rd to 5th weeks compared with the other treatments. Bacteriology and gut morphology demonstrated a decrease in total fungi, bacteria, and E. coli count with an increase in Lactobacillus count, in conjunction with an increase in the villus height and crypt depth of the jejunum of T2 birds. Economic value measures showed an increase in the production index and economic marker for broilers treated with T2 and T4. It can be concluded that there is an opportunity to include HBF by 10% or present it as freshly chopped HBF to ameliorate production performance, improve economic indicators and reduce broiler production costs by 9%.

Seven years of pig slurry fertilization: impacts on soil chemical properties and the element content of winter barley plants

Intensive pig farming produces large amounts of slurry, which is applied to agricultural soils as fertilizer. A 7-year field study was performed to check the effect of pig slurry on soil properties and on the accumulation of some essential nutrients and heavy metals in a calcareous silty-loam soil (0-0.3 m) and in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants in two cropping seasons with contrasting amounts of rainfall. Five fertilization treatments, control (no N applied), mineral fertilizer (90 kg N ha-1), and different N doses of pig slurry (146, 281, 534 kg N ha-1), were applied at sowing of a barley crop. Organic carbon, available P and K, and total P in soil increased with slurry dose. No differences were found in Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Pb soil concentrations. Slurries increased Cu, Mn, and Zn extractions and plant concentrations of P in straw and Zn in grain. However, the lowest slurry rate was able to maintain the highest grain yields while improving fertility. The results of this research study support the sustainability of pig slurry fertilization at appropriate rates in relation to soil chemical quality.

Environmental factors contributing to variations in CO2 flux over a barley-rice double-cropping paddy field in the Korean Peninsula

Understanding the CO₂ flux over agricultural crop fields is critical because the temporal cycle is driven by both ecological environment and anthropogenic change. We analyzed the net ecosystem exchange of CO₂ measured over a barley-rice double-cropping field using the eddy covariance method for 5 years. We conducted gap-filling based on u_*-threshold criteria and partitioned the net ecosystem exchange into gross primary production and respiration. The relative importance analysis of solar radiation, temperature, soil heat flux, soil water content, and vapor deficit revealed that solar radiation and temperature were the dominant contributors to net ecosystem exchange. The annual variation in the net ecosystem exchange followed a bimodal pattern driven by CO₂ uptake by both barley and rice, displaying two negative peaks in late April and mid-August. The elongation stages of the crops exhibited the highest flux. Gross primary production and respiration were closely related to solar radiation and nighttime temperature, respectively. The relative importance of the other environmental variables was affected by the cultivation season and irrigation water. In the period of rice cultivation, respiration was approximately 3 µmol m^-2 s^-1 higher during rice drainage than during the flooded period. The accumulated net ecosystem production was estimated to be 315 gC m^-2 and 349 gC m^-2 for the barley and rice growing periods, respectively, and 649 gC m^-2 for the annual total. These values are comparable with the results of other studies on barley-rice double-cropping fields.

Response characteristics of highland barley (Hordeum vulgare) seedlings to the stress of salinity and artemisinin under freeze–thaw environment

In Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, crops are commonly subjected to freeze-thaw and salt stress factors simultaneously, and allelopathy is common, which affects the growth of highland barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), the largest food crop in Tibet. In order to explore the effects of artemisinin, salt and freeze-thaw (FAS) stress on physiological characteristics of highland barley seedlings, hydroponic experiment was carried out with the addition of 20mg/L artemisinin and 150mMNaCl as well as the simulation of freeze-thaw environment. The results suggested that under combined stress, the soluble protein content in combined stresses of artemisinin, FAS increased by 97.8%, the variation of relative conductivity in FAS group was lower than that in combined salt and freeze-thaw stress (FS), the relative water content decreased significantly (P <0.05), the malondialdehyde (MDA), H2 O2 and soluble sugar content in FAS group accumulated but less than those in FS group, and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in combined artemisinin and freeze-thaw stress (FA) and FAS groups decreased. In addition, after freeze-thaw treatment, photosynthesis was weakened, and internal CO2 conentration (C i ) in FAS group significantly decreased (P <0.05). This study proved that appropriate amount of artemisinin can alleviate the damage of salt and freeze-thaw stress on barley seedlings.

Plant species-specific impact of polyethylene microspheres on seedling growth and the metabolome

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous contaminants. In recent decades, the hazardous impacts of MPs on the environment have raised significant concern. However, little attention has been focused on the interaction between MPs and plants in terrestrial agroecosystems. This study aims to investigate the effects of polyethylene microspheres (PE-MS) on the germination, morphology, and metabolism of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Specifically, seeds were soaked in PE-MS solutions at three concentrations (10, 100, and 1000 mg L^-1), while control seeds were treated with distilled water. After five days, the morphological parameters of barley (i.e., shoot and root biomass, length, and average diameter) were significantly affected by PE-MS treatment, even at the lowest concentration, without a dose dependency. On the other hand, the effect of PE-MS on the morphological parameters of cucumber and tomato was evident only at the highest concentration (1000 mg L^-1). PE-MS also induced metabolomic reprogramming of shoots and roots in all three plant species. There was a downregulation of fatty acids and secondary metabolites (except in tomato shoots). In addition, the response of amino acids and hormones was highly heterogeneous among species and plant parts. In particular, the response of metabolites changed within species among different plant parts. In conclusion, we found a strong influence of MS-PE on the metabolic profile of the three plant species and a positive priming of seedling growth, especially in barley, where all the morphological parameters considered were significantly improved. Further investigations are needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying MP-plant interactions, especially in the long term.

Barley Leaf Ameliorates Citrobacter rodentium-Induced Colitis through Preventive Effects

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been increasing globally and progressively in recent decades. Barley leaf (BL) is a nutritional supplement that is shown to have health-promoting effects on intestinal homeostasis. Our previous study demonstrated that BL could significantly attenuate Citrobacter rodentium (CR)-induced colitis, but whether it exerts a prophylactic or therapeutic effect remains elusive. In this study, we supplemented BL before or during CR infestation to investigate which way BL acts. The results showed that BL supplementation prior to infection significantly reduced the disease activity index (DAI) score, weight loss, colon shortening, colonic wall swelling, and transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia. It significantly reduced the amount of CR in the feces and also markedly inhibited the extraintestinal transmission of CR. Meanwhile, it significantly reduced the levels and expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFNγ), and interleukin-1β (IL1β). In addition, pretreatment with BL improved CR-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis by reducing the content of Proteobacteria, while increasing the content of Lactobacillus. In contrast, the effect of BL supplementation during infestation on the improvement of CR-induced colitis was not as good as that of pretreatment with BL. In conclusion, BL protects against CR-caused colitis in a preventive manner.

Highland Barley Polyphenol Delayed the In Vitro Digestibility of Starch and Amylose by Modifying Their Structural Properties

Slowing starch digestibility can delay or even prevent the occurrence and development of type 2 diabetes. To explore the hypoglycemic potential of highland barley polyphenols (HBP), this study investigated the structural characteristics and starch digestibility of individual or mixed HBP-starch complexes. The results showed that a V-type structure was formed in HBP-starch complexes through non-covalent bonds, resulting in a decrease in rapidly digestible starch and an increase in resistant starch. Specially, the compounding of HBP extracted by acetone significantly reduced the rapidly digestible starch content in amylose from 41.11% to 36.17% and increased the resistant starch content from 6.15% to 13.27% (p < 0.05). Moreover, due to different contents and types of monomer phenols, the HBP extracted with acetone were more effective in inhibiting starch digestion than those extracted with methanol. Ferulic acid and catechin were two key components of HBP. Further results indicated that with the increased content of ferulic acid and catechin (from 1% to 5%), they formed a more ordered structure with amylose, resulting in the lower digestibility of the complex. Collectively, this study suggested that highland barley polyphenols could effectively delay starch digestion by forming a more ordered starch crystal structure. Highland barley polyphenols can be used as functional ingredients in regulating the digestive properties of starchy foods.

Seed germination studies on Chickpeas, Barley, Mung beans and Wheat with natural biomass and plastic waste derived C-dots

Agronomical providence of nanoparticles in enhancing food productivity has brought new revolution in agricultural sector. However, the comprehensive ingenuity of their synergetic impact on environment and living flora and fauna is still poorly explored. The current study endeavours to tackle this apprehension by systematically exploring the agronomical paradigm of six different types of C-dots derived from natural biomass and plastic waste on the four different types of seeds viz. black chick peas (Cicer arietinum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), mung beans (Vigna radiata) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) at room temperature. C-dots have displayed a dose responsive effect (250 to 5000 mg/L) on the growth of chosen seeds, including the elongation of root length and coleoptile length. The development of seedlings under atmospheric conditions exhibited excellent physiological stability in presence of synthesized C-dots for all types of seeds with concentrations as high as 3000 mg/L for dry seed. The direct exposure of C-dots resulted in enhanced growth as compared to the water exposure and considered as the most important novel aspect of present work. The developed C-dots provide more nutrient content and easy penetration to the seeds due to their enhanced surface area and very small size. The germination and Vigor index have also been augmented in presence of C-dots after 7 days of exposure. C-dots have affected the chlorophyll content in mung beans as a function of time and concentration. The developed C-dots possess excellent biocompatible behaviour and help in the complete growth of the different types of seeds which suggest their enhanced utilization in the agronomical field. This is one of the detailed studies, which explore the impact of C-dots on widely used food crops with the non-toxic and biocompatible C-dots. The information achieved herein will allow the usage of C-dots as a capable nanopriming agent for the natural germination of seeds.

Dimension Reduction of Digital Image Descriptors in Neural Identification of Damaged Malting Barley Grains

The paper covers the problem of determination of defects and contamination in malting barley grains. The analysis of the problem indicated that although several attempts have been made, there are still no effective methods of identification of the quality of barley grains, such as the use of information technology, including intelligent sensors (currently, quality assessment of grain is performed manually). The aim of the study was the construction of a reduced set of the most important graphic descriptors from machine-collected digital images, important in the process of neural evaluation of the quality of BOJOS variety malting barley. Grains were sorted into three size fractions and seed images were collected. As a large number of graphic descriptors implied difficulties in the development and operation of neural classifiers, a PCA (Principal Component Analysis) statistical method of reducing empirical data contained in the analyzed set was applied. The grain quality expressed by an optimal set of transformed descriptors was modelled using artificial neural networks (ANN). The input layer consisted of eight neurons with a linear Postsynaptic Function (PSP) and a linear activation function. The one hidden layer was composed of sigmoid neurons having a linear PSP function and a logistic activation function. One sigmoid neuron was the output of the network. The results obtained show that neural identification of digital images with application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) combined with neural classification is an effective tool supporting the process of rapid and reliable quality assessment of BOJOS malting barley grains.

Metabologenomic Approach Reveals Intestinal Environmental Features Associated with Barley-Induced Glucose Tolerance Improvements in Japanese: A Randomized Controlled Trial

(1) Background: Consumption of barley has been known to exert beneficial effects on glucose tolerance; however, it has also been reported that there are inter-individual differences in these responses. Recent evidence has suggested that these individual differences are mediated by the gut microbiota. (2) Methods: In the present study, we aimed to understand the relationship between the intestinal environment, including intestinal microbiome and their metabolome, and glucose tolerance. A randomized controlled trial with a 4-week consumption of barley or control food was conducted. We conducted an integrated analysis of the intestinal microbiome and metabolome and analyzed the relationship with improvement of glucose tolerance. (3) Results: We found that metabolites such as azelate were significantly increased after barley consumption. Furthermore, the subjects whose glucose tolerance was slightly impaired showed improvement in their glucose tolerance index following the barley consumption. Additionally, the analysis showed that the increase in the abundance of the Anaerostipes was correlated with the improvement in the glucose tolerance index. (4) Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the effects of barley consumption for glucose tolerance are partly defined by the intestinal environment of consumers, providing a quantitative measurement of the dietary effect based on the intestinal environment.

Capability of the TrueColor Sensor Array for Determining the Nitrogen Supply in Winter Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

In agriculture, efforts are being made to reduce pesticides and fertilizers because of the possible negative environmental impacts, high costs, political requirements, and declining social acceptance. With precision farming, significant savings can be achieved by the site-specific application of fertilizers. In contrast to currently available single sensors and camera-based systems, arrays or line sensors provide a suitable spatial resolution without requiring complex signal processing and promise significant potential regarding price and precision. Such systems comprise a cost-effective and compact unit that can be extended to any working width by cascading into arrays. In this study, experiments were performed to evaluate the applicability of a TrueColor sensor array in monitoring the nitrogen supply of winter barley during its growth. This sensor is based on recording the reflectance values in various channels of the CIELab color space: luminosity, green-red, and blue-yellow. The unique selling point of this sensor is the detection of luminosity because only the CIELab color space provides this opportunity. Strong correlations were found between the different reflection channels and the nitrogen level (R² = 0.959), plant coverage (R² = 0.907), and fresh mass yield (R² = 0.866). The fast signal processing allows this sensor to meet stringent demands for the operating speed, spatial resolution, and price structure.

Effect of substrate properties and phosphorus supply on facilitating the uptake of rare earth elements (REE) in mixed culture cropping systems of Hordeum vulgare, Lupinus albus and Lupinus angustifolius

This study presents how phosphate (P) availability and intercropping may influence the migration of rare earth elements (REEs) in legume-grass associations. In a replacement model, Hordeum vulgare was intercropped with 11% Lupinus albus and 11% Lupinus angustifolius. They were cultivated on two substrates, A (pH = 7.8) and B (pH = 6.6), and treated with 1.5 g P m^-2 or 3 g P m^-2. Simultaneously, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to quantify carboxylate release. There, one group of L. albus and L. angustifolius was supplied with either 200 µmol L^-1 P or 20 µmol L^-1 P. L. albus released higher amounts of carboxylates at low P supply than L. angustifolius, while L. angustifolius showed the opposite response. Plants cultivated on substrate B accumulated substantially higher amounts of nutrients and REE, compared to substrate A. Higher P supply did not influence the leaf and stem P concentrations of H. vulgare. Addition of P decreased REE accumulation in barley monocultures on alkaline soil A. However, when H. vulgare was cultivated in mixed culture with L. angustifolius on alkaline substrate A with high P supply, the accumulation of REE in H. vulgare significantly increased. Conversely, on acidic substrate B, intercropping with L. albus decreased REE accumulation in H. vulgare. Our findings suggest a predominant effect of soil properties on the soil-plant transfer of REEs. However, in plant communities and within a certain soil environment, interspecific root interactions determined by species-specific strategies related to P acquisition in concert with the plant's nutrient supply impact REE fluxes between neighbouring plants.

Speed vernalization to accelerate generation advance in winter cereal crops

There are many challenges facing the development of high-yielding, nutritious crops for future environments. One limiting factor is generation time, which prolongs research and plant breeding timelines. Recent advances in speed breeding protocols have dramatically reduced generation time for many short-day and long-day species by optimizing light and temperature conditions during plant growth. However, winter crops with a vernalization requirement still require up to 6-10 weeks in low-temperature conditions before the transition to reproductive development. Here, we tested a suite of environmental conditions and protocols to investigate whether the vernalization process can be accelerated. We identified a vernalization method consisting of exposing seeds at the soil surface to an extended photoperiod of 22 h day:2 h night at 10°C with transfer to speed breeding conditions that dramatically reduces generation time in both winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and winter barley (Hordeum vulgare). Implementation of the speed vernalization protocol followed by speed breeding allowed the completion of up to five generations per year for winter wheat or barley, whereas only two generations can be typically completed under standard vernalization and plant growth conditions. The speed vernalization protocol developed in this study has great potential to accelerate biological research and breeding outcomes for winter crops.

The clinical cross-reactivity and immunological cross-antigenicity of wheat and barley

BACKGROUND

Some patients with wheat allergy have been reported to show clinical cross-reactivity to barley. However, it is not clear whether the development of barley allergy in patients with wheat allergy is due to cross-antigenicity between wheat and barley. This study aimed to determine the clinical cross-reactivity and immunological cross-antigenicity of wheat and barley.

METHODS

The results of barley oral food challenges (OFCs) were compared before and after oral immunotherapy (OIT) for wheat in nine patients with wheat allergy to estimate the clinical cross-reactivity of wheat and barley. Moreover, we performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) inhibition and immunoblotting inhibition using serum from seven patients allergic to wheat and barley.

RESULTS

Nine patients who had positive barley-OFC results performed before OIT for wheat were all negative on barley-OFC performed after OIT. In ELISA inhibition, preincubation of serum from patients allergic to wheat and barley with a high barley extract concentration inhibited binding of IgE to wheat extract by less than 10%. On the other hand, wheat and barley extracts equally inhibited binding to barley sIgE at high concentrations. In the immunoblotting inhibition test, the spots of wheat were inhibited but weakly by barley extracts, and most of the spots of barley were inhibited even by low concentrations of the wheat and barley extract.

CONCLUSIONS

We showed that barley allergy associated with wheat allergy is caused by cross-reactivity from wheat. The OIT for wheat is one of the promising options for barley allergy.

Modelling human health risks from pesticide use in innovative legume-cereal intercropping systems in Mediterranean conditions

BACKGROUND

The adoption of innovative cropping systems with low pesticide inputs would reduce environmental degradation and dependency on the use of plant protection products. Evaluating the pesticide risk to human health is a growing concern in the assessment of the sustainability of cropping practices. The assessment of human health risks linked to pesticide use in either conventional or innovative cropping systems is poorly documented in the literature.

OBJECTIVES

This study focused on the assessment of pesticide exposure and human health risks from pesticide use in arable cropping systems (two monoculture and one intercropping system) associated with the use of various tillage practices (conventional tillage, reduced tillage, and no tillage).

METHODS

Human exposure (operators and residents) and health risks from pesticide use were assessed and compared between three conventional and six innovative cropping systems. We used the previously published BROWSE (Bystanders, Residents, Operators, and WorkerS Exposure) model based on data collected from interviews with the farmers and expert knowledge to compare the human health risk from pesticide use in the Setif area. Environmental conditions and the physical characteristics of the farmers were collected on three different farms from 2019 to 2021.

RESULTS

The modelling results demonstrate that human exposure to pesticides was systematically high under conservation tillage (no or reduced tillage) and monoculture cropping (pea and barley) conditions. It was also confirmed that operators experienced the highest cumulated exposure to pesticides (56 mg kg^-1 bw day^-1), followed by resident children seven days after pesticide application (0.66 mg kg^-1 bw day^-1). BROWSE simulations showed that dermal absorption was the most dominant route and represented more than 98% of the total amount of pesticides applied in all cropping × tillage system combinations. Regarding the overall results of the simulated human health risk, barley-pea intercropping was the most interesting system to reduce the risks for both operators and residents for all tillage practices. In addition, intercropping combined with conventional tillage was the most sustainable cropping system in terms of both agronomic performance (crop yield, Land Equivalent Ratio) and human health risk. Furthermore, the availability of advanced crop protection equipment was associated with a significant decrease in exposure and human health risk for both operators and residents.

CONCLUSIONS

The prediction of human health risks using BROWSE could help farmers to make the decision to adopt conventional barley-pea intercropping as a good alternative to barley monocultures and pea monocultures under conservation tillage.

The role of root hairs in water uptake: recent advances and future perspectives

Sufficient water is essential for plant growth and production. Root hairs connect roots to the soil, extend the effective root radius, and greatly enlarge the absorbing surface area. Although the efficacy of root hairs in nutrient uptake, especially phosphorus, has been well recognized, their role in water uptake remains contentious. Here we review recent advances in this field, discuss the factors affecting the role of root hairs in water uptake, and propose future directions. We argue that root hair length and shrinkage, in response to soil drying, explain the apparently contradictory evidence currently available. Our analysis revealed that shorter and vulnerable root hairs (i.e. rice and maize) made little, if any, contribution to root water uptake. In contrast, relatively longer root hairs (i.e. barley) had a clear influence on root water uptake, transpiration, and hence plant response to soil drying. We conclude that the role of root hairs in water uptake is species (and probably soil) specific. We propose that a holistic understanding of the efficacy of root hairs in water uptake will require detailed studies of root hair length, turnover, and shrinkage in different species and contrasting soil textures.

The short- and long-term impacts of climate change on the irrigated barley yield in Iran: an application of dynamic ordinary least squares approach

Given the extensive impacts of climate change on the agricultural sector and their interactions, the climate change is known as one of the main factors influencing agricultural production. The present study aims to explore the short- and long-term impacts of climate change on the yield of irrigated barley in 28 Iranian provinces over the 1999-2015 period. The research uses panel data and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) method. The study also estimated the threshold levels of temperature and rainfall which confirmed an inverted U-shaped relationship between climate change variables and irrigated barley yield. The threshold levels of temperature and rainfall are estimated to be 15.48 °C and 239 mm, respectively; beyond these threshold levels, the increase in temperature and rainfall have negative impact on barley yield in Iran. The long-term elasticity of temperature shows that the yield will be reduced with the increase in temperature in the long run. Same is the case with the precipitation and barley yield. The findings of the study suggest the need of a comprehensive national climate change policy and alignment of sectoral policies with it mitigate and adapt the climate change and global warming. Moreover, it also provided the guidelines for the government and policy-makers to introduce the use of modern eco-friendly and resource saving technologies such as water-saving methods of irrigation, use of fertilizer in required quantities, and improved seeds use. The government should also introduce the climate change awareness programs especially for farmers.