In a phytotron experiment, wheat was grown under two levels of atmospheric CO2 [ambient (385 ppm) vs. elevated (650 ppm)], two levels of temperature (ambient vs. ambient +3°C) superimposed with three levels of phosphorus (P) fertilization: 0, 100, and 200% of recommended dose. Various measures of P acquisition and utilization efficiency were estimated at crop maturity. In general, dry matter yields of all plant parts increased under elevated CO2 (EC) and decreased under elevated temperature (ET); however, under concurrently elevated CO2 and temperature (ECT), root (+36%) and leaf (+14.7%) dry weight increased while stem (-12.3%) and grain yield (-17.3%) decreased, leading to a non-significant effect on total biomass yield. Similarly, total P uptake increased under EC and decreased under ET, with an overall increase of 17.4% under ECT, signifying higher P requirements by plants grown thereunder. Although recovery efficiency of applied P fertilizer increased by 27%, any possible benefit of this increase was negated by the reduced physiological P efficiency (PPE) and P utilization efficiency (PUtE) under ECT. Overall, there was ~17% decline in P use efficiency (PUE) (i.e. grain yield/applied P) of wheat under ECT.

Soil arsenic (As) levels are particularly high in parts of China, where wheat and rape are widely grown. Understanding the effects of As concentration on the growth of these two major crops is of significance for food production and security in China. A pot experiment was carried out to study the uptake of As and phosphorus (P), and the soil As bioavailability at different growth stages of wheat and rape. The results indicated that winter wheat was much more sensitive to As stress than rape. Wheat yields were elevated at low rates of As addition (< 60 mg/kg) but reduced at high rates of As concentrations (80-100 mg/kg); while the growth of rape hadn't showed significant responses to As addition. Phosphorus concentrations in wheat at jointing and ear sprouting stages increased with increasing soil As concentrations, and these increases were assumed to contribute a lot to enhanced growth of wheat at low As treatments. Arsenic did not significantly affect P concentrations in rape either. The highest As concentrations in wheat shoot and rape leaf were 8.31 and 3.63 mg/kg, respectively. Arsenic concentrations in wheat and rape grains did not exceed the maximum permissible limit for food stuffs of 1.0 mg/kg. When soil As concentration was less than 60 mg/kg, both wheat and rape could grow satisfactorily without adverse effects; when soil As concentration was 80-100 mg/kg, rape was more suitable to be planted than wheat.

The Third Meeting of the ECPGR Wheat Working Group was held 15-17 May 2012 in Piešt'any, Slovakia, involving 23 WG members and 5 observers. The meeting was organized in collaboration with the Plant Production Research Centre (PPRC) Piešt'any. An inventory of precise genetic stock collections in Europe and their status of conservation was presented and an ad hoc group was created to carry forward the project. The status of the European Databases on Wheat, Secale and Triticale was presented. The list of descriptors used for the ECPGR Wheat Database (EWDB) was revised. The meeting discussed the relationship between EURISCO and the Central Crop Databases and was looking forward to the development of EURISCO as a reliable unique database that could and should serve all the current needs of the Working Groups.A full day was dedicated to the initiative for “A European Genebank Integrated System” (AEGIS). The Group agreed on criteria for the identification of Most Appropriate Accessions to be included in the European Collection and a detailed workplan was developed for Triticum and Aegilops. Regarding the AEGIS Quality Management System (AQUAS) the Group agreed to adopt the FAO Genebank Standards. A protocol for dormancy breaking, viability testing and multiplication of Aegilops and other wild cereals would be prepared. The last day of the meeting included a visit to the PPRC Genebank and a number of scientific and technical presentations.

In order to study adaptability of grain yield of advanced bread wheat genotypes in different parts of east province in farmer fields under dry land areas, 14 and 8 advanced genotypes were evaluated in Torkmanchai, Ahar Miyaneh, Tark and Ahar in 2010-11 cropping season. The experimental design in all of locations was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. In each location simple and combined analysis of variance were implemented. Results showed significant difference among the genotypes in some of the locations. Results showed that Line No.1 (Seafallah/3/Sbn//Trm/K253 IRW2000-1191-0MA-0MA-0SN-0SN-4SN) and Ohadi new released cultivar had had high yield potential compeer to checks. In the Ahar location, Line no. 2 (PYN/BAU//BONITO) and No. 5 (Azar2/87Zhong291-99) showeh high grain yioeld with 1808 and 2050 kgha-1 respectively. Overall based on the mean of grain yield , Lines No. 1, 2, 5 and Ohadi were mentioned lines and found as the highest in yielding, stable and tolerate to stressed and selected as a desirable genotypes for cold dryland areas of Iran.

"The Uruguay Round Agreement on agriculture attempted to lower distortions in global agricultural markets. However, the significant fall in commodity prices in the late 1990s may have reduced the incentives for both developed and developing countries to better integrate into world markets. This study analyzes price linkages and adjustment between developed and developing countries during the post–Uruguay Round period. Prices of two key commodities, long-grain rice and medium-hard wheat, are assembled for major exporters and producers. Results of multivariate cointegration analysis suggest partial market integration between developed and developing countries in the post–Uruguay Round period. Developed countries are found to be price leaders in these two markets, and in most cases, changes in their prices have relatively large impacts on those of the developing countries. Developing countries (e.g., Vietnam and Argentina) have faced considerable price adjustment due to changes in the developed countries' prices." -- Authors' Abstract | PR | IFPRI3; ISI; Theme 2; Globalization, retail food industries, and trade; Markets and Trade | MTID

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Nax1 and Nax2 are two genetic loci that control the removal of Na+ from the xylem and thereby help to exclude Na+ from leaves of plants in saline soil. They originate in the wheat ancestral relative Triticum monococcum L. and are not present in modern durum or bread wheat. The Nax1 and Nax2 loci carry TmHKT1;4-A2 and TmHKT1;5-A, respectively, which are the candidate genes for these functions. This paper describes the development of near-isogenic breeding lines suitable for assessing the impact of the Nax loci and their performance in controlled environment and fields of varying salinity. In young plants grown in 150 mM NaCl, Nax1 reduced the leaf Na+ concentration by 3-fold, Nax2 by 2-fold and both Nax1 and Nax2 together by 4-fold. In 250 mM NaCl, Nax1 promoted leaf longevity and greater photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. In the uppermost leaf, the Na+-excluding effect of the Nax loci was much stronger. In the field, Na+ in the flag leaf was reduced 100-fold by Nax1 and 4-fold by Nax2; however, Nax1 lines yielded 5–10% less than recurrent parent (cv. Tamaroi) in saline soil. In contrast, Nax2 lines had no yield penalty and at high salinity they yielded close to 25% more than Tamaroi, indicating this material is suitable for breeding commercial durum wheat with improved yield on saline soils. | Richard A. James, Carol Blake, Alexander B. Zwart, Ray A. Hare, Anthony J. Rathjen and Rana Munns

Leguminous cover crops fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. The objective of this research was carried out to decrease fertilizer amount by cover crops-wheat mixtures cultivation. Field experiment was conducted at upland soil 2008 to 2009. Cover crops were used crimson clover and hairy vetch. Treatments consisted of three wheat-crimson clover (wheat 10 kg + crimson clover 1, 3, 5 kg 10a-¹), wheat-hairy vetch mixture (wheat 10 kg + hairy vetch 2 kg 10a-¹), and wheat - hairy vetch mixture - crimson clover (wheat 10 kg + hairy vetch 2 kg + crimson clover 3 kg 10a-¹). These treatments were divided into no fertilizer and top dressing. The yield of wheat and crimson clover mixtures had no significantly differences compared to wheat only at top dressing plots. Also soil chemical and physical properties were a little bit improved such as OM, NO₃-N, and bulk density etc by wheat-crimson clover mixtures. Therefore, we suggested that crimson clover and wheat mixture could be used to reduction of fertilizers amount for environmental friendly wheat production.

The present study aims to explore the feasibility for utilization of semolina from Triticum aestivum and Triticum dicoccum in place of Triticum durum semolina in pasta processing. Pasta samples were prepared from the above mentioned wheat semolina with and without additives (ascorbic acid, dry gluten powder, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, and glycerol mono stearate) using lab scale extruder. Pasta samples were evaluated for pasting, protein profiles, cooking, texture, color, sensory, and microstructure parameters. The results indicated that T. aestivum semolina gave the lowest onset gelatinization temperature (66.9 °C) but the highest peak viscosity (1,053 BU). The T. aestivum pasta had a cream color (b = 15.69) while the T. dicoccum pasta was brownish (b = 11.91, a = 5.89). The cooking loss was more in the case of T. aestivum pasta (8.20%) compared with T. durum (6.90%) and T. dicoccum (7.12%) samples. Texture studies indicated that T. aestivum pasta had the least ratings on shear value (1.80 N) and overall sensory score of 6.21 N whereas shear value of 2.42 N and sensory scores of 6.89 after T. dicoccum pasta was comparable with that of T. durum pasta (2.46 N and 7.19 N). Scanning electron micrograph studies supported this. It was observed from the results obtained from gel filtration chromatograph that protein subunits play an important role in deciding pasta-making quality of different wheat species. The study also indicated that pasta quality of T. aestivum and T. dicoccum could be improved with unique combination of additives.

Impacts of participatory variety selection in wheat on aggro-economic changes like adoption of new wheat varieties and production technologies, income and attitude change of the wheat farmers, etc. are presented in the paper. Participatory variety selection was conducted at 12 villages of four districts in Bangladesh. Base line information from the villages was collected through participatory rural appraisal and household survey in 2002. Data on aggro-economic changes were collected through household survey in 2005. Impacts were assessed from the difference of the data of two surveys. The area of the check variety Kanchan came down from 97.8% (covered in 2002) to 57% in the working villages in 2005. Varietal diversity was increased remarkably and seven varieties were found to cultivate in 2004-05. The new varieties occupied 43% of the wheat areas. Seed preservation by farmers was increased remarkably and 208 tons seeds of new vrieties were preserved by them in 2004-05.