Influence of the cultivar, environment and management on the grain yield and bread-making quality in winter wheat

Relationship between the baking quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and the protein composition and structure after shading

Although wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain protein content is increased by shade stress, the relationship between the baking quality of wheat flour and protein composition and structure remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of shade stress on wheat flour protein composition and structure. The contents of the flour protein, α/β-gliadins and disulfide and hydrogen bonds were significantly increased by shade stress. Glutenins, UPP%, and β-sheet contents also increased, whereas that of α-helices decreased. Spearman correlations revealed that the flour protein content, Glu:Gli ratio, and disulfide, hydrogen, and ionic bonds can predict the specific volume and number of crumb cells in bread, whereas α/β-gliadins content can predict the crumb cell wall thickness and diameter of bread. Under shade stress, variations in protein composition and structure help increase the specific volume and crumb cells number and decrease crumb cell wall thickness and diameter of bread, ultimately leading to improved baking quality.

Proline-mediated redox regulation in wheat for mitigating nickel-induced stress and soil decontamination

Nickel (Ni) is known as a plant micronutrient and serves as a component of many significant enzymes, however, it can be extremely toxic to plants when present in excess concentration. Scientists are looking for natural compounds that can influence the development processes of plants. Therefore, it was decided to use proline as a protective agent against Ni toxicity. Proline (Pro) is a popularly known osmoprotectant to regulate the biomass and developmental processes of plants under a variety of environmental stresses, but its role in the modulation of Ni-induced toxicity in wheat is very little explored. This investigation indicated the role of exogenously applied proline (10 mM) on two wheat varieties (V1 = Punjab-11, V2 = Ghazi-11) exposed to Ni (100 mg/kg) stress. Proline mediated a positive rejoinder on morphological, photosynthetic indices, antioxidant enzymes, oxidative stress markers, ion uptake were analyzed with and without Ni stress. Proline alone and in combination with Ni improved the growth, photosynthetic performance, and antioxidant capacity of wheat plants. However, Ni application alone exhibited strong oxidative damage through increased H2O2 (V1 = 28.96, V2 = 55.20) accumulation, lipid peroxidation (V1 = 26.09, V2 = 38.26%), and reduced translocation of macronutrients from root to shoot. Application of Pro to Ni-stressed wheat plants enhanced actions of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total soluble protein (TSP) contents by 45.70, 44.06, 43.40, and 25.11% in V1, and 39.32, 46.46, 42.22, 55.29% in V2, compared to control plants. The upregulation of antioxidant enzymes, proline accumulation, and uptake of essential mineral ions has maintained the equilibrium of Ni in both wheat cultivars, indicating Ni detoxification. This trial insight into an awareness that foliar application of proline can be utilized as a potent biochemical method in mitigating Ni-induced stress and might serve as a strong remedial technique for the decontamination of polluted soil particularly with metals.

The Effect of Different Cropping Systems on Yield, Quality, Productivity Elements, and Morphological Characters in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

The aim of this work was to study how certain applied cropping systems (conventional systems differentiated by fertilization level or sowing season and subsistence farming) influence yield, quality, productivity elements, and morphological characters in a collection of Romanian and foreign wheat cultivars. The following indicators were evaluated: productive potential (yield), quality (test weight, protein content, wet gluten content, deformation index, sedimentation index, and gluten index), as well as other elements that determine yield (number of ears/square meter, thousand kernel weight, number of grains/ear, and weight of grains/ear) and plant height. The results show that the cropping systems influenced all the elements studied except the thousand-kernel weight. The only characteristics influenced by higher nitrogen fertilization were test weight, protein content, wet gluten content, deformation index, and gluten index. The superiority of a delayed conventional system was shown by the number of grains/wheat ear and the deformation index. Protein content was differentiated between the conventional and the subsistence system, but especially between the low-input and the conventional system. Nitrogen supply is the most important factor for determining wheat productivity and grain quality.

Genetic Effects Analysis of QTLs for Rice Grain Size Based on CSSL-Z403 and Its Dissected Single and Dual-Segment Substitution Lines

Rice chromosomal segment substitution lines (CSSLs) are ideal materials for studying quantitative traits such as grain size. Here, a rice large-grain CSSL-Z403 was identified among progeny of the recipient Xihui18 and the donor Jinhui35 based on molecular marker-assisted selection. Z403 carried 10 substitution segments with average length of 3.01 Mb. Then, a secondary F2 population derived from a cross between Xihui18 and Z403 was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for grain size. Six QTLs distributed on chromosomes 5, 6, 7, 9 and 12 were detected. Finally four single-segment substitution lines (SSSLs) and two dual-segment substitution lines (DSSLs) carrying these target QTLs were constructed, and 10 novel QTLs were identified by four SSSLs. The large grain of Z403 was controlled at least by qGWT5, qGWT7, qGWT9 and qGWT12, and its grain weight was influenced through grain length QTL such as qGL5, qGL6, qGL9 and qGL12, as well as grain width QTL such as qGW5, qGW7, qGW9 and qGW12. Among 16 QTLs, four QTLs including qGL6, etc., might be novel compared with the reported documents. Again, positive or less negative epistatic effects between two non-allelic QTLs (additive effect > 0) may assist screening the genotype with larger grain size in further selection.

Bread Wheat Landraces Adaptability to Low-Input Agriculture

Bread wheat landraces were an important source of biodiversity used in agriculture before the widespread adoption of high-yielding commercial cultivars adapted to high inputs. Could future agriculture exploit these landraces in different cropping systems in organic or lower-input environments? A two-year field trial was conducted to evaluate grain yield, agronomic performance, and grain quality of bread wheat landraces under different cropping systems, including low-input/organic/conventional environments. Significant variability was found for almost all characteristics among landraces, which makes landraces valuable sources of genetic variation for breeding programs aimed at achieving high and consistent production as well as high-quality products in low-input/organic environments. Additionally, landraces play a crucial role in expanding the genetic diversity of cultivated bread wheat and mitigating biodiversity erosion, thereby enabling crops to better withstand the challenges of low-input/organic agriculture. The landrace "Xilokastro Lamias" had the highest yield among the landraces evaluated in the first growing season (2.65 t·ha^-1) and one of the highest yields (2.52 t·ha^-1) of all genotypes in the second growing season, which shows promising potential as a starting material in breeding programs targeting high and stable yields. GGE biplot analysis identified the landrace "Xilokastro Lamias", along with commercial cultivars "Yecora E" and "Panifor", as suitable candidates for direct use in low-input/organic wheat farming systems to achieve enhanced productivity. In the conventional environment (C2-IPGRB), commercial cultivars showed the highest values (3.09 to 3.41 ton·ha^-1). Of the landraces, only the X4 showed a high GY (3.10 ton·ha^-1) while the other landraces had ~33-85% lower yield. In the organic environment (O2-IPGRB), the highest productivity was found in the commercial cultivar X5 and the landrace X4. Commercial cultivars X8 and X7 showed ~68% reduction in GY in the organic environment compared to the conventional, while this reduction was half for the landraces. Finally, the reduction in grain yield between conventional and organic environments was observed to be 45% for commercial cultivars, while it was only half for landraces. This finding confirms the adaptability of landraces to organic agriculture.

Effect of high molecular weight glutenin subunits on wheat quality properties, across a wide range of climates and environments in Iran

High molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs) at the Glu-1 loci play an important role in the variation of dough strength, elasticity, and end-use quality of bread wheat. Multilocation trials in a wide range of climatic conditions and crop management practices help explain the role of HMW-GSs in the rheological properties of dough. In the current study, allelic variation of HMWs and quality scores were determined in 28 bread wheat cultivars across a wide range of climates and locations in Iran. Twelve HMW-GSs subunits (3 at Glu-A1, 7 at Glu-B1 and 2 at Glu D-1) in 16 unique combinations were identified in the studied cultivars. In the most rheological properties associated with good bread-making quality, the compositions of 1/17 + 18/5 + 10, 1/13 + 16/5 + 10 and 2*/7 + 9/5 + 10 (all with a quality score of 10) had significantly higher values than the other allelic compositions. While, the lowest values were observed in 1/21 + 19/2 + 12 (quality score of 6). The degree of dough softening was significantly greater in 1/21 + 19/2 + 12 than other allelic combinations. At Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-D1, 2*, 17 + 18 and 5 + 10 had significantly greater qualitative and rheological properties than the other subunits, which are related to the good quality of wheat flour. While null at Glu-A1, subunits 21 + 19 at Glu-B1 and 2 + 12 at Glu-D1 were associated with weak baking quality. Moreover, the highest dough softening values at Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-D1 were observed in null, 21 + 19 and 2 + 12 subunits, respectively. A negative and significant correlation (P < 0.05) was observed between the degree of dough softening and other qualitative and rheological properties related to good bread-making performance. The results of this study demonstrated the role of HMW-GSs in determining the end-use quality of bread wheat across a wide range of climates and environments.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01324-6.

Investigating the Contribution of Blending on the Dough Rheology of Roller-Milled Hard Red Wheat

The flour functionality and particle size distribution of wheat flour obtained on roller milling are dependent on the type of wheat, tempering conditions, and milling conditions. In this study, the impact of the tempering conditions (moisture and time) on the chemical and rheological properties of flour from blends of hard red wheat were analyzed. The wheat blends B1-25:75 (hard red spring (HRS)/hard red winter (HRW)), B2-50:50, and B3-75:25, which were tempered to 14%, 16%, and 18% for 16, 20, and 24 h, respectively, were milled using a laboratory-scale roller mill (Buhler MLU-202). Protein, damaged starch, and particle characteristics were influenced by blending, tempering, and milling streams. For all the blends, the protein content varied significantly among the break flour streams; the damaged starch content varied greatly in the reduction streams. The increased damaged starch content of the reduction streams proportionally increased water absorption (WA). Higher proportions of HRS in the blends significantly decreased the pasting temperature of the dough, as measured using Mixolab. Principal component analysis proved that the protein content was the key determinant in particle characteristics, WA, and pasting properties of the flour, especially in blends with a higher proportion of HRS.

Investigation of climate-quality relationship in bread wheat (T. aestivum L.) by novel statistical approach (ESOGÜ quality index)

In this study, precipitation; temperature (maximum, minimum, and average temperature) values of Eskişehir, Konya, Afyonkarahisar, Uşak, and Kütahya for years (2007-2018); and protein content, macro sedimentation (MSDS), thousand kernel weight (KW), test weight (TW) relations, and the effect of climate values on quality were investigated. The Kriging method was used by ArcGIS software for creating quality maps of Eskişehir, Konya, Afyonkarahisar, Uşak, and Kütahya provinces in the light of obtained data from these examined quality criteria, yield, and climate factors. The quality of bread wheat, which includes protein content, macro sedimentation, thousand kernel weight, and test weight, is highly affected by the subject precipitation, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, average temperature, and precipitation. While the months of November, March, and April and the total annual precipitations affect the quality, the most effective precipitation is the months of April and November. Again, the fact that the winter months are hot, especially in January and February, causes the plant to be inadequate to withstand the winter, causing the plant to be more affected by the low temperatures in the early spring and to reduce the quality due to insufficient plant growth. Climatic factors affect quality in total, not alone, but cumulatively. It was concluded that the best quality wheat can be obtained from Konya, Eskişehir, and Afyonkarahisar provinces. It was concluded that ESOGÜ quality index (EQI), evaluating and integrating protein content, macro sedimentation, thousand kernel weight, and test weigh together, can be used safely in bread wheat genotypes.

Yield and Grain Quality of Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Depending on the Different Farming Systems (Organic vs. Integrated vs. Conventional)

Genotype (cultivar), soil and climatic conditions, the agrotechnology used, and the interaction of the factors mentioned play a key role in the yield and quality of wheat grain. Currently, the European Union recommends the balanced use of mineral fertilisers and plant protection products in agricultural production (integrated production) or the use of only natural production methods (organic production). The aim of the study was to compare the yield and grain quality of four spring common wheat cultivars Harenda, Kandela, Mandaryna, and Serenada, grown under three farming systems: organic (ORG), integrated (INT), and conventional (CONV). A three-year field experiment was conducted between 2019 and 2021 at the Osiny Experimental Station (Poland, 51°27' N; 22°2' E). The results showed that significantly the highest wheat grain yield (GY) was obtained at INT, while the lowest was obtained at ORG. The physicochemical and rheological characteristics of the grain were significantly influenced by the cultivar factor and, with the exception of 1000 grain weight (TGW) and ash content (AC), by the farming system. There were also numerous interactions between the cultivar and farming systems, which suggests different performances of cultivars and, in fact, that some cultivars are better or worse suited to different production systems. The exceptions were protein content (PC) and falling number (FN), which were significantly highest in grain with CONV and lowest in grain with ORG farming systems.

Effect of Production Technology Intensity on the Grain Yield, Protein Content and Amino Acid Profile in Common and Durum Wheat Grain

Products derived from wheat grains are an important source of protein in the daily diet of people in many parts of the world. The biological value of protein is determined by its amino acid composition and the proportions of the individual amino acids. Synthesis of these compounds in wheat grains is influenced by genetic factors, as well as habitat conditions and the agrotechnology applied in cultivation. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of production technology (integrated, intensive) on the grain yield and the content amino acid profile of protein in common and durum wheat grain. Field research was conducted at the Experimental Station IUNG-PIB in Osiny (Poland) in two growing seasons. It was found that grain yield significantly depended on the weather conditions in the years of harvesting and genotype, but did not depend on the production technology. On the other hand, the protein content and their amino acid composition depended significantly on the production technology and genotype. A significantly higher content of protein substances was found in durum wheat grain. Increasing the intensity of production technology had a positive effect on the total protein content and the content of individual amino acids, both exogenous and endogenous. The amino acid limiting the biological value of protein contained in grains of both wheat species was lysine, and the deficiency of this amino acid was significantly lower in grain protein from intensive than integrated cultivation technology.

Effect of Heavy Metal Stress on Phenolic Compounds Accumulation in Winter Wheat Plants

Heavy metal stress can lead to many adverse effects that inhibit cellular processes at various levels of metabolism, causing a decrease in plant productivity. In response to environmental stressors, phenolic compounds fulfill significant molecular and biochemical functions in plants. Increasing the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in plants subjected to heavy metal stress helps protect plants from oxidative stress. A pot experiment was carried out to determine the effect of the accumulation of copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) salts at concentrations of 200, 500, and 1000 ppm on seed germination, the activity of enzymes in the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase pathway (PAL) and tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL), along with the total phenol and flavonoid contents in seedlings of hybrid Triticum aestivum L. (winter wheat) cultivars. The accumulation of heavy metals, especially Cu, had a negative impact on the seed germination process. The cultivar "Hyacinth" reacted most strongly to heavy metal stress, which was confirmed by obtaining the lowest values of the germination parameters. Heavy metal stress caused an increase in the activity of PAL and TAL enzymes and an increase in the accumulation of phenolic compounds. Under the influence of Cu, the highest activity was shown in cv. "Hyvento" (especially at 200 ppm) and, due to the accumulation of Pb, in cv. "Hyacinth" (1000 ppm) and cv. "Hyking" (200 ppm). The cultivar "Hyking" had the highest content of phenolic compounds, which did not increase with the application of higher concentrations of metals. In other cultivars, the highest content of total phenols and flavonoids was usually observed at the lowest concentration (200 ppm) of the tested heavy metals, Cu and Pb.

Does Nitrogen Fertilization Affect the Secondary Structures of Gliadin Proteins in Hypoallergenic Wheat?

One of the macronutrients indispensable for plant growth and development is nitrogen (N). It is responsible for starch and storage protein (gliadins and glutenins) biosynthesis and, in consequence, influences kernels’ quality and yields. However, applying N-fertilizers increases gluten content in wheat, and it may intensify the risk of developing allergy symptoms in gluten-sensitive individuals. The purpose of our research was to analyse whether and how the elimination of N-fertilizers during the cultivation of wasko.gl− wheat (modified genotype lacking ω-gliadins) changes the secondary structures of gliadin proteins. To this aim, using the FT-Raman technique, we examined flour and gliadin protein extracts obtained from kernels of two winter wheat lines: wasko.gl+ (with a full set of gliadin proteins) and wasko.gl− (without ω-gliadin fraction) cultivated on two different N-fertilization levels—0 and 120 kg N·ha⁻¹. On the basis of the obtained results, we proved that nitrogen fertilization does not have a major impact on the stability of the secondary structures of gliadin proteins for wasko.gl− wheat line with reduced allergenic properties. Furthermore, the results presented herein suggest the possibility of increasing the stability of glutenin structures as a result of the N-fertilization of wasko.gl− wheat line, which gives hope for its use in the production of wheat articles devoted to people suffering from diseases related to gluten sensitivity.

Protein use efficiency and stability of baking quality in winter wheat based on the relation of loaf volume and grain protein content

A novel approach based on the loaf volume-grain protein content relation is suggested to consider the static protein use efficiency and stability as efficient quality-related descriptors for wheat varieties. The most important trait for baking quality of winter wheat is loaf volume (V). It is mostly determined by grain protein content (GPC) and quality. New varieties with a high potential of grain protein use efficiency (ProtUE) are very important for reducing the surplus use of nitrogen fertilizer in areas where nitrogen leaching is large. This is also an important goal of agricultural policies in the European Union. Additionally, ProtUE needs to be very stable across environments in the face of progressing climate change with more volatile growing conditions. We evaluated a new approach to assess ProtUE and stability based on the V-GPC relationship instead of using only single traits. The study comprised 11,775 baking tests from 355 varieties grown 1988-2019 in 668 different environments in Germany. V was predicted by quadratic and linear regression functions for quality groups, indicating a reduction of ProtUE from 1988 to 2019. We introduced a dynamic and a static approach to assess ProtUE and stability as potential criteria in variety registration. We found a considerably lower heritability of the dynamic ProtUE (h² = 43%) compared to the static ProtUE (h² = 92%) and a lower dynamic stability (h² = 32%) than for the static stability (h² = 51%). None of these measures is in conflict with the selection for high V. In particular, V and static ProtUE are strongly genetically associated (r = 0.81), indicating an advantage of the static over the dynamic approach.

Scientific breeding of winter bread wheat in the Non-Сhernozem zone of Russia: the history, methods and results

The article describes the main stages and achievements of the breeding of winter bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Non-Chernozem zone for more than a century. The beginning of breeding work was laid by D.L. Rudzinsky on the experimental field of the Moscow Agricultural Institute. Beginning from the 1940s, under the leadership of Academician N.V. Tsitsin, and then Prof. G.D. Lapchenko, the method of distinct hybridization with blue wheatgrass (Agropyron glaucum (Desf. ex DC.) Roem. & Schult.) was actively used. The resulting wheat-wheatgrass hybrids had an average winter hardiness, increased grain quality and productivity. Cultivar Zarya developed in the 1970s (by individual selection from the F3 cross combination of cv. Mironovskaya 808×line 126/65 (in the pedigree of this line, there is a wheat-wheatgrass hybrid PPG 599)) had a high yield and was widely used in further crosses. In the 1980s, Academician B.I. Sandukhadze achieved a significant increase in yield by using the method of intermittent backcrosses due to the producing of varieties with a new morphoecotype (cvs Inna, Pamyati Fedina, etc.), namely, winter-hardy, short stemmed (dwarf), and productive. Cultivar Moskovskaya 39 (registration in 1999) was referred to strong wheat, with a stable protein content of 15-16 %, gluten 30-35 %. Produced in the 2000s, cvs Moskovskaya 56, Nemchinovskaya 57, Galina, Nemchinovskaya 24, Nemchinovskaya 17, and Moskovskaya 40 have a high adaptability to the environment of the region; give a high yield and quality of grain. The area of crops of these cultivars in Russia occupies more than 2 million ha. The current trends in wheat breeding are indicated, the production yield of commercial cultivars of breeding by the Federal Research Center "Nemchinovka" over 12.0 tons per ha and the protein content in the grain up to 17 % are shown. As a result of succession, originality and application of the methodology of scientific breeding, the yield of winter bread wheat in the period from the beginning of the last century to the present has increased from 1.0 to 12.0 and more tons per ha.

Optimizing the Sowing Date to Improve Water Management and Wheat Yield in a Large Irrigation Scheme, through a Remote Sensing and an Evolution Strategy-Based Approach

This study aims to investigate the effects of an optimized sowing calendar for wheat over a surface irrigation scheme in the semi-arid region of Haouz (Morocco) on irrigation water requirements, crop growth and development and on yield. For that, a scenario-based simulation approach based on the covariance matrix adaptation–evolution strategy (CMA-ES) was proposed to optimize both the spatiotemporal distribution of sowing dates and the irrigation schedules, and then evaluate wheat crop using the 2011–2012 growing season dataset. Six sowing scenarios were simulated and compared to identify the most optimal spatiotemporal sowing calendar. The obtained results showed that with reference to the existing sowing patterns, early sowing of wheat leads to higher yields compared to late sowing (from 7.40 to 5.32 t/ha). Compared with actual conditions in the study area, the spatial heterogeneity is highly reduced, which increased equity between farmers. The results also showed that the proportion of plots irrigated in time can be increased (from 40% to 82%) compared to both the actual irrigation schedules and to previous results of irrigation optimization, which did not take into consideration sowing dates optimization. Furthermore, considerable reduction of more than 40% of applied irrigation water can be achieved by optimizing sowing dates. Thus, the proposed approach in this study is relevant for irrigation managers and farmers since it provides an insight on the consequences of their agricultural practices regarding the wheat sowing calendar and irrigation scheduling and can be implemented to recommend the best practices to adopt.

Identification of Novel Genomic Regions for Biofortification Traits Using an SNP Marker-Enriched Linkage Map in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Micronutrient and protein malnutrition is recognized among the major global health issues. Genetic biofortification is a cost-effective and sustainable strategy to tackle malnutrition. Genomic regions governing grain iron concentration (GFeC), grain zinc concentration (GZnC), grain protein content (GPC), and thousand kernel weight (TKW) were investigated in a set of 163 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between cultivated wheat variety WH542 and a synthetic derivative (Triticum dicoccon PI94624/Aegilops tauschii [409]//BCN). The RIL population was genotyped using 100 simple-sequence repeat (SSR) and 736 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and phenotyped in six environments. The constructed genetic map had a total genetic length of 7,057 cM. A total of 21 novel quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified in 13 chromosomes representing all three genomes of wheat. The trait-wise highest number of QTL was identified for GPC (10 QTL), followed by GZnC (six QTL), GFeC (three QTL), and TKW (two QTL). Four novel stable QTL (QGFe.iari-7D.1, QGFe.iari-7D.2, QGPC.iari-7D.2, and QTkw.iari-7D) were identified in two or more environments. Two novel pleiotropic genomic regions falling between Xgwm350-AX-94958668 and Xwmc550-Xgwm350 in chromosome 7D harboring co-localized QTL governing two or more traits were also identified. The identified novel QTL, particularly stable and co-localized QTL, will be validated to estimate their effects on different genetic backgrounds for subsequent use in marker-assisted selection (MAS). Best QTL combinations were identified by the estimation of additive effects of the stable QTL for GFeC, GZnC, and GPC. A total of 11 RILs (eight for GZnC and three for GPC) having favorable QTL combinations identified in this study can be used as potential donors to develop bread wheat varieties with enhanced micronutrients and protein.

Combining Protein Content and Grain Yield by Genetic Dissection in Bread Wheat under Low-Input Management

The simultaneous improvement of protein content (PC) and grain yield (GY) in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under low-input management enables the development of resource-use efficient varieties that combine high grain yield potential with desirable end-use quality. However, the complex mechanisms of genotype, management, and growing season, and the negative correlation between PC and GY complicate the simultaneous improvement of PC and GY under low-input management. To identify favorable genotypes for PC and GY under low-input management, this study used 209 wheat varieties, including strong gluten, medium-strong gluten, medium gluten, weak gluten, winter, semi-winter, weak-spring, and spring types, which has been promoted from the 1980s to the 2010s. Allelic genotyping, performed using kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (KASP) technology, found 69 types of GY-PC allelic combinations in the tested materials. Field trials were conducted with two growing season treatments (2018–2019 and 2019–2020) and two management treatments (conventional management and low-input management). Multi-environment analysis of variance showed that genotype, management, and growing season had extremely substantial effects on wheat GY and PC, respectively, and the interaction of management × growing season also had extremely significant effects on wheat GY. According to the three-sigma rule of the normal distribution, the GY of wheat varieties Liangxing 66 and Xinmai 18 were stable among the top 15.87% of all tested materials with high GY, and their PC reached mean levels under low-input management, but also stably expressed high GY and high PC under conventional management, which represents a great development potential. These varieties can be used as cultivars of interest for breeding because TaSus1-7A, TaSus1-7B, TaGW2-6A, and TaGW2-6B, which are related to GY, and Glu-B3, which is related to PC, carry favorable alleles, among which Hap-1/2, the allele of TaSus1-7A, and Glu-B3b/d/g/i, the allele of Glu-B3, can be stably expressed. Our results may be used to facilitate the development of high-yielding and high-quality wheat varieties under low-input management, which is critical for sustainable food and nutrition security.

Current Situation and Key Parameters for Improving Wheat Quality in China

Processing quality of winter-wheat is affected by genotype, environmental conditions, and crop husbandry practices. In the present study, a data set of 17 quality-related traits for 211 main winter-wheat varieties in China during 2006 to 2018 was extracted from China Wheat Quality Report. Analysis was carried out to evaluate the quality status and variations, to reveal correlation between quality-related traits, as well as to identify key influencing factors. Results indicated that the quality indicators of medium-gluten or medium-strong-gluten wheat varieties were acceptable, whereas those of weak- and strong-gluten wheat varieties were far below national standard, especially hardness index (HI), crude protein content (CPC), wet gluten content (WG), and water absorption for weak-gluten wheat and sedimentation value (SV), stability time (ST), and stretch area (SA) for strong-gluten wheat, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that WA, WG, development time, HI, CPC, falling number, ST, and tractility directly affected the overall quality of winter-wheat. CPC, SV, and WG in medium-gluten wheat had no significant correlation with the processing quality of noodles score, whereas gluten index significantly correlated with noodle score (P < 0.001). This implied that protein quality might play a more important role than protein quantity in determining medium-gluten wheat quality. Furthermore, analysis of variance showed that genetic characteristics (cultivars) had significant influences on the restriction indexes (SV, ST, and SA) of strong-gluten wheat, whereas genetic characteristics, environment conditions, and crop growing practices (cultivars, locations, and years) significantly affected the restriction indexes (HI, CPC, WG, and WA) of weak-gluten wheat. The results suggest that improvement of Chinese strong-gluten wheat should mainly focus on cultivating new varieties. As to weak-gluten wheat, cultivation and husbandry practices should be paid more attention to limit undesired high grain protein content.

Locally Adapted and Organically Grown Landrace and Ancient Spring Cereals-A Unique Source of Minerals in the Human Diet

Consumer interest in local and organic produce, sustainability along the production chain and food products contributing to health, are laying the foundation for local and organic-based diets using nutrient-dense food. Here, we evaluated 25 locally adapted landrace and ancient spring cereal genotypes per location over four locations and three years, for mineral content, nutritional yield and nutrient density. The results showed a large variation in minerals content and composition in the genotypes, but also over cultivation locations, cultivation years and for genotype groups. Highest minerals content was found in oats, while highest content of Zn and Fe was found in ancient wheats. The wheat Diamant brun, the wheat landrace Öland and naked barley showed high mineral values and high content of Zn and Fe when grown in Alnarp. Nutritional yield, of the cereals evaluated here, was high related to values reported internationally but lower than those found in a comparable winter wheat material. The nutrient density was generally high; less than 350 g was needed if any of the evaluated genotype groups were to be used in the daily diet to reach the recommended value of Zn and Fe, while if the suggested Novel Nordic Diet mix was used, only 250 g were needed. A transfer from currently consumed cereals to those in the present study, along the New Nordic Diet path, showed their potential to contribute as sustainable and nutrient-rich sources in the human diet.

Genetic Progress of Seed Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Brazilian carioca Common Bean Cultivars Using Bayesian Approaches

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide and is considered an essential source of proteins, fibers, and minerals in the daily diet of several countries. Nitrogen (N) is considered the most important nutrient for common bean crop. On the other hand, the reduction of chemical fertilizers is a global challenge, and the development of cultivars with more N use efficiency (NUsE) is considered one of the main strategies to reduce the amount of N fertilizers. Genetic progress of NUsE has been reported in several crops; however, there was still no quantity in common bean. In this study, our goal was to analyze the genetic progress of seed yield (SY) and NUsE-related traits of 40 carioca common bean cultivars release from 1970 to 2017 in eight environments under low (zero) or high N (40 kg ha-1) in top-dressing. Genetic progress, principal component analysis, correlations among traits, and cultivar stability were analyzed using Bayesian approaches. The lowest values of the deviance information criterion (DIC) for the full model tested indicated the presence of the genotype × N × environment interaction for all evaluated traits. Nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE) and nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE) were the traits that most contributed to discriminate cultivars. The genetic progress of SY under high N (0.53% year-1, 95% HPD = 0.39; 0.65% year-1) was similar to that obtained in low N conditions (0.48% year-1, 95% HPD = 0.31; 0.64% year-1). These results indicate that modern cultivars do not demand more N fertilizers to be more productive. In addition, we observed a high genetic variability for NUsE-related traits, but there was no genetic progress for these variables. SY showed negative correlation with seed protein content (Prot) in both N conditions, and there was no reduction in Prot in modern cultivars. Both modern and old cultivars showed adaptability and stability under contrasting N conditions. Our study contributed to improve our knowledge about the genetic progress of common bean breeding program in Brazil in the last 47 years, and our data will help researchers to face the challenge of increase NUsE and Prot in the next few years.

Strengths and Weaknesses of National Variety Trial Data for Multi-Environment Analysis: A Case Study on Grain Yield and Protein Content

Multi-environment trial studies provide an opportunity for the detailed analysis of complex traits. However, conducting trials across a large number of regions can be costly and labor intensive. The Australian National Variety Trials (NVT) provide grain yield and protein content (GPC) data of over 200 wheat varieties in many and varied environments across the Australian wheat-belt and is representative of similar trials conducted in other countries. Through our analysis of the NVT dataset, we highlight the advantages and limitations in using these data to explore the relationship between grain yield and GPC in the low yielding environments of Australia. Eight environment types (ETs), categorized in a previous study based on the time and intensity of drought stress, were used to analyze the impact of drought on the relationship between grain yield and protein content. The study illustrates the value of comprehensive multi-environment analysis to explore the complex relationship between yield and GPC, and to identify the most appropriate environments to select for a favorable relationship. However, the NVT trial design does not follow the rigor associated with a normal genotype × environment study and this limits the accuracy of the interpretation.

Winter Wheat Yield Response to Plant Density as a Function of Yield Environment and Tillering Potential: A Review and Field Studies

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield response to plant density is inconsistent, and the mechanisms driving this response are unclear. A better understanding of the factors governing this relationship could improve plant density recommendations according to specific environmental and genetics characteristics. Therefore, the aims of this paper were to: i) execute a synthesis-analysis of existing literature related to yield-plant density relationship to provide an indication of the need for different agronomic optimum plant density (AOPD) in different yield environments (YEs), and ii) explore a data set of field research studies conducted in Kansas (USA) on yield response to plant density to determine the AOPD at different YEs, evaluate the effect of tillering potential (TP) on the AOPD, and explain changes in AOPD via variations in wheat yield components. Major findings of this study are: i) the synthesis-analysis portrayed new insights of differences in AOPD at varying YEs, reducing the AOPD as the attainable yield increases (with AOPD moving from 397 pl m^-2 for the low YE to 191 pl m^-2 for the high YE); ii) the field dataset confirmed the trend observed in the synthesis-analysis but expanded on the physiological mechanisms underpinning the yield response to plant density for wheat, mainly highlighting the following points: a) high TP reduces the AOPD mainly in high and low YEs, b) at canopy-scale, both final number of heads and kernels per square meter were the main factors improving yield response to plant density under high TP, c) under varying YEs, at per-plant-scale, a compensation between heads per plant and kernels per head was the main factor contributing to yield with different TP.

Effect of wheat grain protein composition on end-use quality

The quality of wheat products has been a new challenge next to wheat production which was achieved substantially during green revolution. The end-use quality of wheat is an essential factor for its commercial demand. The quality of wheat is largely based on the wheat storage proteins which extensively influences the dough properties. High molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMWGS), low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMWGS) and gliadins significantly influence the end-use quality. Genomics and proteomics study of these gluten proteins of bread and durum wheat have explored new avenues for precise identification of the alleles and their role in end-use quality improvement. Secalin protein of Secale cereale encoded by Sec-1 loci and is associated with 1RS.1BL translocation has been known for deterioration of end-use quality. Chromosomal manipulations using various approaches have led to the development of new recombinant lines of wheat without secalin. Advanced techniques associated with assessment of end-use quality have integrated the knowledge of useful or deteriorating HMWGS/LMWGS alleles and their potential role in end-use quality. This review gives a comprehensive insight of different aspects of the end-use quality perspective for bread making in wheat along with some information on the immunological interference of gluten in celiac disease.

Dissecting the genetics underlying the relationship between protein content and grain yield in a large hybrid wheat population

Additive and dominance effect QTL for grain yield and protein content display antagonistic pleiotropic effects, making genomic selection based on the index grain protein deviation a promising method to alleviate the negative correlation between these traits in wheat breeding. Grain yield and quality-related traits such as protein content and sedimentation volume are key traits in wheat breeding. In this study, we used a large population of 1604 hybrids and their 135 parental components to investigate the genetics and metabolomics underlying the negative relationship of grain yield and quality, and evaluated approaches for their joint improvement. We identified a total of nine trait-associated metabolites and show that prediction using genomic data alone resulted in the highest prediction ability for all traits. We dissected the genetic architecture of grain yield and quality-determining traits and show results of the first mapping of the derived trait grain protein deviation. Further, we provide a genetic analysis of the antagonistic relation of grain yield and protein content and dissect the mode of gene action (pleiotropy vs linkage) of identified QTL. Lastly, we demonstrate that the composition of the training set for genomic prediction is crucial when considering different quality classes in wheat breeding.

Genotype, environment, seeding rate, and top-dressed nitrogen effects on end-use quality of modern Nebraska winter wheat

BACKGROUND

Fine-tuning production inputs such as seeding rate, nitrogen (N), and genotype may improve end-use quality of hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivium L.) when growing conditions are unpredictable. Studies were conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm (ARF; Lincoln, NE, USA) and the High Plains Agricultural Laboratory (HPAL; Sidney, NE, USA) in 2014 and 2015 in Nebraska, USA, to determine the effects of genotype (6), environment (4), seeding rate (3), and flag leaf top-dressed N (0 and 34 kg N ha^-1 ) on the end-use quality of winter wheat.

RESULTS

End-use quality traits were influenced by environment, genotype, seeding rate, top-dressed N, and their interactions. Mixograph parameters had a strong correlation with grain volume weight and flour yield. Doubling the recommended seeding rate and N at the flag leaf stage increased grain protein content by 8.1% in 2014 and 1.5% in 2015 at ARF and 4.2% in 2014 and 8.4% in 2015 at HPAL.

CONCLUSION

The key finding of this research is that increasing seeding rates up to double the current recommendations with N at the flag leaf stage improved most of the end-use quality traits. This will have a significant effect on the premium for protein a farmer could receive when marketing wheat. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

New insight into the function of wheat glutenin proteins as investigated with two series of genetic mutants

Among the three major food crops (rice, wheat and maize), wheat is unique in accumulating gluten proteins in its grains. Of these proteins, the high and low molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs and LMW-GSs) form glutenin macropolymers that are vital for the diverse end-uses of wheat grains. In this work, we developed a new series of deletion mutants lacking one or two of the three Glu-1 loci (Glu-A1, -B1 and -D1) specifying HMW-GSs. Comparative analysis of single and double deletion mutants reinforced the suggestion that Glu-D1 (encoding the HMW-GSs 1Dx2 and 1Dy12) has the largest effects on the parameters related to gluten and dough functionalities and breadmaking quality. Consistent with this suggestion, the deletion mutants lacking Glu-D1 or its combination with Glu-A1 or Glu-B1 generally exhibited strong decreases in functional glutenin macropolymers (FGMPs) and in the incorporation of HMW-GSs and LMW-GSs into FGMPs. Further examination of two knockout mutants missing 1Dx2 or 1Dy12 showed that 1Dx2 was clearly more effective than 1Dy12 in promoting FGMPs by enabling the incorporation of more HMW-GSs and LMW-GSs into FGMPs. The new insight obtained and the mutants developed by us may aid further research on the control of wheat end-use quality by glutenin proteins.

Effects of γ-irradiation on the quality changes of fresh noodles prepared from wheat cultivated with N-fertilization treatments

Quality changes of fresh noodles prepared from wheat cultivated with N-fertilization treatments, followed by γ-irradiation were investigated. The protein content of the KPS60 was the highest of all treated samples, and protein contents of wheat cultivated with N-fertilizer was increased. γ-Irradiation did not affect the protein contents of the samples. However, the water holding capacity and resistant starch contents was increased by irradiation. The dry gluten and wet gluten contents of samples were further increased by γ-irradiation. The pasting properties were influenced by γ-irradiation but not N-fertilization. The hardness of noodles made with irradiated wheat flour was decreased, but the degree of decrease was small compared with that of viscosity. The gumminess and chewiness of noodles made with irradiated flour having higher protein content and WG showed also higher score. Thus, treatment of wheat flour with N-fertilization and γ-irradiation may improve the quality of Korean-style noodles during storage.

Breeding progress, environmental variation and correlation of winter wheat yield and quality traits in German official variety trials and on-farm during 1983-2014

Over the last 32 years, a large gain in grain yield (24 %) was achieved in official German variety trials, and despite considerable loss in protein concentration (-7.9 %), winter wheat baking quality was partially improved over the last 32 years. On-farm gain in grain yield (32 %) exceeded gain in trials, but at yield level about 25 dt ha ^-1 lower. Breeding progress was very successfully transferred into both progress in grain yield and on-farm baking quality. Long-term gains in grain yield and baking quality of 316 winter wheat varieties from German official trials were evaluated. We dissected progress into a genetic and a non-genetic part to quantify the contribution of genetic improvement. We further investigated the influence of genotype and environment on total variation by estimating variance components. We also estimated genetic and phenotypic correlation between quality traits. For trial data, we found a large gain in grain yield (24%), but a strong decline in protein concentration (-8.0%) and loaf volume (-8.5%) relative to 1983. Improvement of baking quality could be achieved for falling number (5.8%), sedimentation value (7.9%), hardness (13.4%), water absorption (1.2%) and milling yield (2.4%). Grain yield, falling number and protein concentration were highly influenced by environment, whereas for sedimentation value, hardness, water absorption and loaf volume genotypes accounted for more than 60% of total variation. Strong to very strong relations exist among protein concentration, sedimentation value, and loaf volume. On-farm yields were obtained from national statistics, and grain quality data from samples collected by national harvest survey. These on-farm data were compared with trial results. On-farm gain in grain yield was 31.6%, but at a mean level about 25 dt ha^-1 lower. Improvement of on-farm quality exceeded trial results considerably. A shift to varieties with improved baking quality can be considered as the main reason for this remarkable improvement of on-farm baking quality.

Effects of different fertilization treatments on the physicochemical and noodle-making properties of Korean winter wheat cultivars

Changes in the quality of white salted noodles prepared with different types of Korean winter wheat were examined. Crude protein and amylose contents of various wheat cultivars ranged from 7.17 to 9.97 and 24.78 to 29.37%, respectively. The water holding capacities of Jokyung with base N-fertilizer (NF) and Keumkang with 40% increased NF compared with NF at the supplementary manuring (SM) were 95.70 and 70.69%, respectively. The dry gluten content of the Keumkang with 20% increased NF compared with SM at the panicle initiation stage (PS) was 12.5%, and the final viscosities of several cultivars with NF, PS, and SM did not differ. PS treatment increased the thickness of the noodle sheet, and the hardnesses of cooked noodles prepared using Goso, Baekjoong, Younbaek, and Keumkang wheat with PS or SM treatment were increased. The thickness was strongly positively correlated with dry gluten content (DG) and water binding in wet gluten. In order to improve the quality of fresh noodles, wheat flour prepared using Hojung, Goso, and Baekjoong cultivars under PS cultivation condition or wheat flour with higher protein content, DG contents, and WBG should be used.

The Future of Field Trials in Europe: Establishing a Network Beyond Boundaries

We propose the establishment of a European Consortium for Open Field Experimentation (ECOFE) that will allow easy access of European plant and soil scientists to experimental field stations that cover all major climatological regions. Coordination and quality control of data extraction and management systems will greatly impact on our ability to cope with grand challenges such as climate change and food security.