The new coronavirus, emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019, turned into a major global pandemic and has caused many deaths around the world. Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected every aspect from economy, education to health system. During Covid-19 pandemic, access to foodstuffs has become even more important, and some countries have imposed restrictions on exports of basic food items for fear of food shortages. These restrictions and quotas are feared to disrupt the flows of trade for staple foods such as wheat, corn and rice, which has deepened the concerns for food security. This study was conducted to examine the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on wheat price, production and trade and to review the policies of wheat exporter countries. According to the results of the study, Covid-19 did not cause fear in wheat markets, and no shortages of wheat are expected in the short term. Although countries have reduced the measures they have taken as of May, uncertainties regarding food safety still persist for the coming years. World economies have shrunk significantly as a result of the drastic measures they have taken against covid-19, which could worsen the situation for low income households.

Increasing human population places pressure on agriculture. To feed this population, two time increase in the current wheat production is needed. Today agriculture is becoming input intensive with more reliance on synthetic fertilizers and agrochemicals to fulfil the feed demand of the growing numbers. Use of synthetic fertilizer since last few years is impacting the soil quality. In this scenario, the use of beneficial endophytic microbes is an attractive strategy to overcome the use of synthetic products. To investigate the effect of consortium application of endophytic bacteria and fungus on plant growth, grain yield moisture status, a pot experiment was conducted in different wheat lines. It comprised four treatments like control, application of bacterial strain Bacillus sp. MN54, fungal strain Trichoderma sp. MN6, and their consortium (Bacillus sp. MN54 + Trichoderma sp. MN6). The effect of consortium application was more prominent and significantly different from the sole application of bacteria and fungus. The results showed that with a consortium application of endophytic bacteria and fungus, there was 28.6, 4.3, -6.3 and -3.7% increases in flag leaf area, chlorophyll content, relative membrane permeability and water content respectively. Consortia of endophytic microbes also resulted in the yield enhancement through the betterment of various yield attributes like number of spikelet’s, grains per spike and grain yield per plant (32.2, 25.8 and 30.8%, respectively). So, consortia of endophytic microbes can greatly promote the progress of plants in dry land agriculture and increase the yield in an environmentally sustainable way.

Forty seed sample of wheat (Triticum aestivum) were collected from four locations viz. Chitwan, Kaski, Banke and Lalitpur and tested by blotter method at laboratory during 2013 for determining fungal pathogens associated with wheat seeds in Nepal. Eighteen species representing thirteen genera of fungi were recovered from the seed. Alternaria alternata and Bipolaris sorokiniana were predominant in all the varieties/genotypes from all the locations, where B. sorokiniana was strongly pathogenic in wheat crop. Percentage frequency and type of fungi detected varied with variety and locations. Bipolaris sorokiniana was highest (64.40%) in Banke than remaining three locations. Seeds of Chitwan had lowest percentage (5.50%) of seed infection as compared to other locations. Relative abundance of Alternaria alternata (55.10%) was highest as it was the most prevalent component of seed borne mycoflora, followed by Bipolaris sorokiniana (34.69%) and Cladosporium herbarum (7.19%). Differences in quantity of precipitation and relative humidity might be the possible reason for variation in frequency and type of fungi detected in wheat seeds of four locations.

In this study, the effect of foliar L-Histidine and Methinonin amino acid applications on grain cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) uptake on durum wheat grown in soil contaminated with Cd was investigated. The research was carried out according to the randomized blocks design as a pot experiment in greenhouse conditions. In the experiment, Cd doses were applied as control (0 mg Cd kg-1) and (3 mg Cd kg-1). L-Histidine and Methionine amino acids were applied 7 times from the leaf after the start of flag leaf formation in wheat at 0.5 mM doses and harvested after the grain maturity was completed. According to the results obtained, the wheat grain dry matter yield in 3 mg Cd kg-1 polluted soil was 44.5 mg grain-1 in the control, while the dry matter weight was increased with the application of L-Histidine and Methionine from the leaves being 48 and 50 mg grain-1, respectively. It was determined that there were differences in grain Cd and Zn concentrations with the application of amino acids from the leaves at the dose of 3 mg kg-1 cadmium. When the grain Cd and Zn intakes were compared with the control, it was found that the grain Cd concentration decreased, and the Zn concentration increased as a result of the application of amino acids. The high amount of Cd in wheat can make it to the human body through the food chain and is known to cause serious health problems after a certain amount of accumulation. As a result of this study, it is seen that L-Histidine and Methionine are effective in reducing Cd in the grain, and these amino acids probably form a complex with Cd, resulting in less transport.

This study was conducted to examine the soil fertility of the Büyük Menderes Basin, where wheat is widely cultivated. Soil samples were taken from 50 different points at a depth of 0-30 cm and various physical and chemical properties and amounts of nutrient elements were determined. With regard to the results of the study, the soils were generally sandy-clay-loam in texture, with slightly alkaline reaction, limy, rich in organic matter and showed no risk of salinity. The examined soils were found to be insufficient as 34% for total N, 14% for available K, 26% Mg, 10% Fe, 94% Zn and 98% Mn contents while all of the soils were determined as sufficient in terms of available P, Cu and Ca contents. When relationships between nutrient elements and soil physical-chemical properties were examined, negative correlations were found between soil pH and EC, organic matter, total N, available K, Zn; lime contents and available Mg, Fe, Cu; clay and available K and Mn contents. The positive correlations were found between EC and available K, Ca and Zn; organic matter % and total N, available K, Cu, Zn and Mn; sand % and available Mn; clay % and available Fe contents. Investigation of relationships between plant nutrients demonstrated that, there were positive correlations between total N and available K, Cu, Zn, Mn; available P and Zn; available K and Cu, Zn, Mn; available Ca and Fe; available Mg and Fe, Cu; available Fe and Cu, Mn; available Cu and Mn contents. The results of the study showed that attention should be paid to fertilization programs to fertilization with Zn and Mn, which were found to be insufficient in the greater part of the basin’s soils, and also to nitrogen deficiency is observed, as this directly affects the protein content of wheat.

This study was conducted to identify the current problems of cereal crops like wheat and corn producers and to suggest solutions for overcoming those problems in Amik Plain (Antakya, Kirikhan, Kumlu, Reyhanli districts) in Hatay province of Turkey. In this study, the primary data was obtained by face-to-face survey from 100 cereal producers in Amik plain. All variables are given as frequency and percentage distribution, and numerical variables as mean. The survey assessed the level of education of grain producers, the number of individuals in the farm, record keeping, social security, crops (wheat and corn) growing area, yield, sowing and harvest date ranges, property and leasehold land use, cultural practices and grain production. The data were analysed using simple statistical analysis methods (frequency, averages, percentage distribution). The results indicated that about 50% of the cereal producers had higher educational degree. It was determined that producers had an average of 12.3 ha of wheat and 15 ha of corn cultivated area. Moreover, cereal production is well known as one of the cultural practices in the study area. The main problem of grain producers is that the low cereal prices. In addition, the Turkish Grain Board (TMO) does not purchase the production at the time of harvesting. Moreover, high production costs and corn irrigation are considered other problems that cereal producers are facing.

In this study, the energy analyses of wheat production were compared for various geographic regions as Central Anatolia, Black Sea, Mediterranean, Eastern Anatolia and the Marmara. For this purpose, the data obtained from different studies conducted in these geographical regions were used. Five key indicators to assess the energy analyses in wheat production in the geographical regions of Turkey (energy profitability, specific energy, energy efficiency, energy use and net energy) were considered. As a result, the lowest specific energy was obtained in the Mediterranean/Adana region with 2.22 MJ kg-1, while the highest specific energy was obtained in the East Anatolia with 10.51 MJ kg-1. The lowest and highest energy use efficiency was obtained with 2.36 and 7.88 in the Black Sea/Samsun and East Anatolia/Erzurum region, respectively. The highest energy use rate is fertilizer energy in total input energy of the wheat production for geographical regions of Turkey.

Wheat is an essential crop throughout the world and especially in Pakistan. It has a great yield potential which can cope with the raising food challenges of the world but there is a more need to increase its yield with its increasing demand. There is a need to increase the yield by improving the genetic characters. Breeder’s intention is to find out the variability in the genetic lines and by the use of these lines they can develop the high yielding breeding lines. Multi-ovary is a novel character to increase the number of grains per spikelet. What type of gene actions control that? From this review we get that some support the single dominant gene controlled trait, some support the two recessive non-complementary genes controlled trait and some favour the both as it is controlled by both dominant and recessive genes in different tri-grain lines. Secondly there is a need to study the genetic variation for the yield contributing traits. So that we can improve our genotypes to attain high yield. How we can evaluate yield and yield components. Combining ability is a considerable tool for this. Literature revealed that additive gene action contributes more towards yield than non-additive. In this many lines also came forward as good combiners which in future we can use them for a successful wheat hybridization program.

The hybrid seeds obtained by crossing in wheats should be heavier and a greater number of grains per combination because of more variation and to created powerful plants for next year generations. Therefore, this study was conducted during the winter growing season of 2005-2006 in Transitional Zone Agricultural Research Institute in Eskişehir and to determine the hybrid seeds of single cross and three-way cross compared to each other for 10-grains weight (TGW) and grain number per combination (GC) in separately bread wheat and durum wheat. 224 F1s for single cross and 326 F1s for three-way cross in bread wheat and 56 F1s for single cross and 66 F1s for three-way cross in durum wheat were produced. According to results, GC and TGW in bread wheats were higher values than durum wheats both in single cross and three-way cross. The GC values in three-way cross had higher variation (68.9%) compared the others. The separately mean of GC and TGW of hybrids in single cross both in bread and durum wheat were lower than the means of hybrids in three-way cross (with ratios of 32% and 16.7%, respectively). In brief: three-way cross had more performance for studied traits in wheat hybrids compared to single cross. The reason of such an outcome can be demonstrated in the future by genetic studies.

Knowing the current and the potential production amount of wheat is essential to meet the growing needs. Yield is determined by many factors. The main factors that limit the potential yield are genetic characteristics, and climatic factors such as rainfall and radiation, and management. Wheat is mostly grown in non-irrigated areas in Turkey. The most significant factors that limit dry agriculture wheat production yield in the Mediterranean climatic type are rainfall and its distribution in the growing season. A steady increase in yield is observed in Turkey in recent years. Average annual wheat production is 20.6 million tons. The potential production in this work is determined as 54 million tons. The gap is about 33 million ton. The actual production is 39% of the potential production. The average yield of the Growing Season Rainfall (GSRF) 500 mm areas is 2.2 t ha-1, and the potential yield is 8.8 t ha-1. The gap between the actual yield and potential yield is quite large. The current yield between the areas (GSRF 500 mm) is very small. So it is difficult to explain the gap just because of the rainfall.