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Melash AA, Bogale AA, Bytyqi B, Nyandi MS, Ábrahám ÉB. Nutrient management: as a panacea to improve the caryopsis quality and yield potential of durum wheat ( Triticum turgidum L.) under the changing climatic conditions. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1232675. [PMID: 37701803 PMCID: PMC10493400 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1232675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
The increasing human population and the changing climate, which have given rise to frequent drought spells, pose a serious threat to global food security, while identification of high-yielding drought-tolerant genotypes coupled with nutrient management remains a proficient approach to cope with these challenges. An increase in seasonal temperature, recurring drought stress, and elevated atmospheric CO2 are alarmingly affecting durum wheat production, productivity, grain quality, and the human systems it supports. An increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide can improve wheat grain yield in a certain amount, but the right amount of nutrients, water, and other required conditions should be met to realize this benefit. Nutrients including nitrogen, silicon, and sulfur supply could alleviate the adverse effects of abiotic stress by enhancing antioxidant defense and improving nitrogen assimilation, although the effects on plant tolerance to drought stress varied with nitrogen ionic forms. The application of sewage sludge to durum wheat also positively impacts its drought stress tolerance by triggering high accumulation of osmoregulators, improving water retention capacity in the soil, and promoting root growth. These beneficial effect of nutrients contribute to durum wheat ability to withstand and recover from abiotic stress conditions, ultimately enhance its productivity and resilience. While these nutrients can provide benefits when applied in appropriate amounts, their excessive use can lead to adverse environmental consequences. Advanced technologies such as precision nutrient management, unmanned aerial vehicle-based spraying, and anaerobic digestion play significant roles in reducing the negative effects associated with nutrients like sewage sludge, zinc, nanoparticles and silicon fertilizers. Hence, nutrient management practices offer significant potential to enhance the caryopsis quality and yield potential of durum wheat. Through implementing tailored nutrient management strategies, farmers, breeders, and agronomists can contribute to sustainable durum wheat production, ensuring food security and maintaining the economic viability of the crop under the changing climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anteneh Agezew Melash
- Kálmán Kerpely Doctoral School of Crop Production and Horticultural Science, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Debark University, Debark, Ethiopia
| | - Amare Assefa Bogale
- Institute of Crop Production, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Bekir Bytyqi
- Kálmán Kerpely Doctoral School of Crop Production and Horticultural Science, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Muhoja Sylivester Nyandi
- Kálmán Kerpely Doctoral School of Crop Production and Horticultural Science, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Éva Babett Ábrahám
- Faculty of Agricultural, Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Crop Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Melash AA, Bytyqi B, Nyandi MS, Vad AM, Ábrahám ÉB. Chlorophyll Meter: A Precision Agricultural Decision-Making Tool for Nutrient Supply in Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) Cultivation under Drought Conditions. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13030824. [PMID: 36983979 PMCID: PMC10059945 DOI: 10.3390/life13030824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
How crop biodiversity adapts to drought conditions and enhances grain yield became the most important issue facing agronomists and plant breeders at the turn of the century. Variations in genetic response, inadequacy of nutrients in the soil, and insufficient access to nutrients are factors that aggravate drought stressors. The development of screening tools for identifying drought tolerance is important in the deployment of durum wheat varieties suited to drought-prone environments. An experiment was conducted to evaluate durum wheat varieties under a range of nutrient supplies in naturally imposed drought conditions. The treatments consisting of two nitrogen regimes (i.e., control and 60 kg ha−1), four durum wheat varieties, and three types of nutrients (control, sulfur, and zinc) that were arranged in a split-split plot design with three replications. Both foliar-based sulfur and zinc fertilization were employed at the flag leaf stage, at a rate of 4 and 3-L ha−1, respectively. The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) genetic variation in chlorophyll concentration, grain protein content, tillering potential, and leaf area index. Varieties that contained better leaf chlorophyll content had improved grain yield by about 8.33% under 60 kg/ha nitrogen. A combined application of nitrogen and zinc at flag leaf stage significantly improved grain yield of Duragold by about 21.3%. Leaf chlorophyll content was found to be a more important trait than spikes per m2 to discriminate durum wheat varieties. Foliar application of sulfur increased the grain yield of drought-stressed plants by about 12.23%. Grain yield and protein content were strongly correlated with late-season SPAD readings. Significant (p < 0.05) correlation coefficients were obtained between normalized difference vegetation index, leaf area index, grain yield, and protein content with late-season chlorophyll content, revealing the importance of chlorophyll content in studying and identifying drought-tolerant varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anteneh Agezew Melash
- Kálmán Kerpely Doctoral School of Crop Production and Horticultural Science, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Debark University, North Gondar, Debark P.O. Box 90, Ethiopia
- Correspondence:
| | - Bekir Bytyqi
- Kálmán Kerpely Doctoral School of Crop Production and Horticultural Science, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Muhoja Sylivester Nyandi
- Kálmán Kerpely Doctoral School of Crop Production and Horticultural Science, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Attila Miklós Vad
- Institutes for Agricultural Research and Educational Farm, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Éva Babett Ábrahám
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural, Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Melash AA, Bogale AA, Migbaru AT, Chakilu GG, Percze A, Ábrahám ÉB, Mengistu DK. Indigenous agricultural knowledge: A neglected human based resource for sustainable crop protection and production. Heliyon 2023; 9:e12978. [PMID: 36711305 PMCID: PMC9876958 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e12978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Indigenous knowledge, developed over generations and owned by communities or individuals within a community, offers alternative strategies and perspectives on resource management and use. However, as emphasized in the contemporary agricultural history of Ethiopia, the most effective indigenous agricultural knowledge has not been well documented and some of them are replaced by modern techniques. This study was therefore conducted to assess and document community-based techniques to control pests and diseases and the practical implications of indigenous farming techniques. A focus group discussion, key informant interviews and semi-structured questionnaires were conducted with 150 farmers. The result showed that a substantial number (92%) of the farming community uses indigenous based plant protection measures. Indigenous farmers (92%) splash liquids made of cow urine to control the adverse effect of fungi. Farmers are also using different seed selection methods for next season planting. About 29% of the farmers do single head-based seed selection prior to mass harvesting, 34% are collected as "Qerm" and 45% select their seeds during threshing. Indigenous farming knowledge varies with the natural feature of the growing location and cropping system, including the rainfall pattern, soil fertility status, crop, and weed type. The observed positive effect of indigenous agricultural practices on crop production substantiates the need to include these essential approaches in the cultivation system along with the modern agronomic techniques. This might reduce the dependency on expensive and pollutant agricultural inputs. However, sociodemographic factors such as educational level, marital status and farming experience have been found as a determinant factor that influences utilization of indigenous farming knowledge. It can be therefore inferred that documenting indigenous knowledge and proving its applicability scientifically could contribute to organically oriented agricultural production and consequently reduce agriculture's contribution to environmental pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anteneh Agezew Melash
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Debark University, P.O. Box, 90, Debark, North Gondar, Ethiopia,Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Crop Sciences, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Str. 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary,Corresponding author. Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Crop Sciences, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Str. 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Amare Assefa Bogale
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Natural Resource, Mekdela Amba University, P.O. Box, 32, Tuluawulia, South Wollo, Ethiopia,Institute of Crop Production, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science, Gödöllő, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Abeje Tafere Migbaru
- Department of Management, College of Business and Economics, Debark University, P.O. Box, 90, Debark, North Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Gashaw Gismu Chakilu
- Department of NaRM, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Debark University, P.O. Box, 90, Debark, North Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Attila Percze
- Institute of Crop Production, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science, Gödöllő, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Éva Babett Ábrahám
- Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Crop Sciences, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Str. 138, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Dejene K. Mengistu
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, ILRI, P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Melash AA, Ábrahám ÉB. Barriers and levers to enhance end-use functional properties of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) grain: An agronomic implication. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09542. [PMID: 35663752 PMCID: PMC9156948 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The current trends in population growth and consumption pattern remain to increase the demand for durum wheat grain. However, multiple biotic and abiotic challenges due to climate change coupled with crop management practices possess major concern to improve durum wheat production and storage proteins. Efforts on developing innovative agronomic and breeding strategies are essential to enhance productivity, and nutritional quality under the changing climate. Nitrogen is an important structural component of protein, and potentially reduce the adverse effect of drought stress through maintaining metabolic activities. Optimum nitrogen fertilization allows durum wheat producing farmers to attain high quality yield, brings economic benefit, and reduces environmental pollution. However, defining an optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for specific location requires considering yield achievement and quality of the end products. If the producers interest is, geared towards production of high protein content, high nitrogen dose is required. If the interest gears towards grain yield improvement optimization of nitrogen fertilizer rate is important. This indicates that defining product-specific nitrogen application is required for sustainable durum wheat production. Therefore, future challenges of increasing production, productivity, and end-use functional properties of durum wheat will only be achieved through cooperation of multidisciplinary teams who are able to incorporate new technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anteneh Agezew Melash
- Kálmán Kerpely Doctoral School of Crop Production and Horticultural Science, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Éva Babett Ábrahám
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural, Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary
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Pepó P, Szabó A, Dóka L, Szabó É, Babett Ábrahám É. Assimilation capacity by non-destructive in situ measurements in longterm experiment of maize (Zea mays L.) under different plant density and nitrigen supply in Chernozem. Acta fytotechn zootechn 2020. [DOI: 10.15414/afz.2020.23.01.7-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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