The objective of the study is to improve the basis for differentiation cartograms of growing technologies for winter wheat and winter oil seed rape. Growing of winter oil seed rape in season 2008/2009 followed by winter wheat in 2009/2010 in 48 observation points in soil arable layer and in subsoil layer was determined: organic matter content, soil texture class, content of phosphorus and potassium, soil reaction. The crop roots mass and the length of the main root were determined in autumn after crop germination and in spring after renewal of vegetation. It was found that the root mass of winter oil seed rape and winter wheat in spring is the most significant parameter what determines formation of the oil seed rape yield. The mass of oil seed rape and winter wheat roots in spring had a significant positive effect on the soil density index in the subsoil layer. A significant positive effect on the winter wheat grain yield was shown also by the length of the main root in the autumn and the total root mass in spring. Increased content of potassium in both soil arable layers and in the subsoil layer has a significant positive effect on the winter wheat grain yield.

A two-factor field experiment was carried out at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture during the period 2005-2008. The influence of different tillage and fertilization practices on wheat grain fungal contamination was evaluated. Grain surface contamination and internal grain infection with fungi were quantified using agar tests. Purified colonies were identified using different manuals. A total of 16 fungal genera were identified in spring and winter wheat grains. Alternaria infected 46.3% - 99.9%, Cladosporium 26.9% - 77.8%, Fusarium 0.9% - 37.1%, Penicillium 1.3% - 2.5% of grains tested. Winter wheat grain surface contamination by fungi ranged from 7.2 × 103 to 24.8 × 103 of colony forming units per g of grain (cfu g-1), spring wheat from 14.8 × 103 to 80.3 × 103 cfu g-1. No-tillage increased winter wheat grain infection by Alternaria, Aspergillus and Cladosporium species and total count of cfu g-1 on spring wheat grain surface. High fertilizer rates resulted in an increase in spring wheat grain infection by Fusarium and Penicillium species and total count of cfu g-1 on both spring and winter wheat grain surface. | v | ok

Field studies were conducted in Wyoming and Nebraska in 2007 through 2009 to evaluate winter wheat response to aminocyclopyrachlor. Aminocyclopyrachlor was applied at rates between 15 and 120 g ai ha⁻⁻¹ 6, 4, and 2 mo before winter wheat planting (MBP). Redroot pigweed control was 90%% with aminocyclopyrachlor rates of 111 and 50 g ha⁻⁻¹ when applied 4 or 2 MBP. Aminocyclopyrachlor at 37 g ha⁻⁻¹ controlled Russian thistle 90%% when applied 6 MBP. At Sidney, NE, winter wheat yield loss was > 10%% at all aminocyclopyrachlor rates when applied 2 or 4 MBP, and at all rates > 15 g ha⁻⁻¹ when applied 6 MBP. At Lingle, WY, > 40%% winter wheat yield loss was observed at all rates when averaged over application timings. Although the maturing wheat plants looked normal, few seed were produced in the aminocyclopyrachlor treatments, and therefore preharvest wheat injury ratings of only 5%% corresponded to yield losses ranging from 23 to 90%%, depending on location. The high potential for winter wheat crop injury will almost certainly preclude the use of aminocyclopyrachlor in the fallow period immediately preceding winter wheat.Nomenclature: Aminocyclopyrachlor; redroot pigweed, Amaranthus retroflexus L., AMARE; Russian thistle, Salsola tragus L. SASKR; winter wheat, Triticum aestivum L

A two-factor field experiment was carried out at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture during the period 2005-2008. The influence of different tillage and fertilization practices on wheat grain fungal contamination was evaluated. Grain surface contamination and internal grain infection with fungi were quantified using agar tests. Purified colonies were identified using different manuals. A total of 16 fungal genera were identified in spring and winter wheat grains. Alternaria infected 46.3% - 99.9%, Cladosporium 26.9% - 77.8%, Fusarium 0.9% - 37.1%, Penicillium 1.3% - 2.5% of grains tested. Winter wheat grain surface contamination by fungi ranged from 7.2 × 103 to 24.8 × 103 of colony forming units per g of grain (cfu g-1), spring wheat from 14.8 × 103 to 80.3 × 103 cfu g-1. No-tillage increased winter wheat grain infection by Alternaria, Aspergillus and Cladosporium species and total count of cfu g-1 on spring wheat grain surface. High fertilizer rates resulted in an increase in spring wheat grain infection by Fusarium and Penicillium species and total count of cfu g-1 on both spring and winter wheat grain surface.;

Climatic variation in the U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) affects epidemics of wheat stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici. Previous models only estimated disease severity at the flowering stage, which may not predict the actual yield loss. To identify weather factors correlated to stripe rust epidemics and develop models for predicting potential yield loss, correlation and regression analyses were conducted using weather parameters and historical yield loss data from 1993 to 2007 for winter wheat and 1995 to 2007 for spring wheat. Among 1,376 weather variables, 54 were correlated to yield loss of winter wheat and 18 to yield loss of spring wheat. Among the seasons, winter temperature variables were more highly correlated to wheat yield loss than the other seasons. The sum of daily temperatures and accumulated negative degree days of February were more highly correlated to winter wheat yield loss than the other monthly winter variables. In addition, the number of winter rainfall days was found correlated with yield loss. Six yield loss models were selected for each of winter and spring wheats based on their better correlation coefficients, time of weather data availability during the crop season, and better performance in validation tests. Compared with previous models, the new system of using a series of the selected models has advantages that should make it more suitable for forecasting and managing stripe rust in the major wheat growing areas in the U.S. PNW, where the weather conditions have become more favorable to stripe rust.

Collections of Puccinia triticina were obtained from rust-infected leaves provided by cooperators throughout the United States and from surveys of wheat (Triticum aestivum) fields and wheat breeding plots by United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service personnel in the Great Plains, Ohio River Valley, southeast, California, and Washington State in order to determine the virulence of the wheat leaf rust population in 2009. Single uredinial isolates (591 in total) were derived from the collections and tested for virulence phenotype on lines of Thatcher wheat that are near-isogenic for leaf rust resistance genes Lr1, Lr2a, Lr2c, Lr3a, Lr9, Lr16, Lr24, Lr26, Lr3ka, Lr11, Lr17a, Lr30, LrB, Lr10, Lr14a, Lr18, Lr21, and Lr28 and a winter wheat line with Lr39/41. Forty-one virulence phenotypes were described. Virulence phenotypes MLDSD, TCRKG, and TDBGG were the three most common phenotypes. Phenotype MLDSD is virulent to Lr17 and Lr39/Lr41 and was widely distributed throughout the United States. Phenotype TCRKG is virulent to Lr11, Lr18, and Lr26 and is found mostly in the soft red winter wheat region in the eastern United States. TDBGG is virulent to Lr24 and was found in both the soft red winter wheat and hard red winter wheat regions. Virulence to Lr21 was not found in any of the tested isolates. Virulence to Lr11, Lr18, and Lr26 increased in 2009 in the soft red winter wheat regions. Virulence to Lr17 and Lr39/Lr41 increased in the Great Plains region. Two separate epidemiological zones of P. triticina in the soft red winter wheat region of the southern and eastern states and in the hard red wheat region of the Great Plains were described.

This nutrient solution experiment investigated the effects of zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) on winter wheat growth and enzymatic activity. Twelve nutrient solution treatments were prepared of four zinc levels (0, 0.5, 5 and 50 mg L⁻¹) and three cadmium levels (0, 5 and 50 mg L⁻¹). Cadmium concentrations ≥5 mg L⁻¹ decreased plant growth, superoxide dismutase activity, and leaf and stem zinc concentrations, but increased plant cadmium concentrations, proline content, and peroxidase and catalase activities. Root activity and zinc concentration were highest in the 5 mg L⁻¹ treatment and lowest in the 50 mg L⁻¹ treatment. Zinc concentrations ≥5 mg L⁻¹ inhibited plant growth, but increased proline content and cadmium concentration in stems and leaves. Low levels of zinc (0.5 mg L⁻¹) increased cadmium-induced toxicity in wheat plants but high levels of zinc (50 mg L⁻¹) reduced. In conclusion, these results indicated that the addition of zinc alleviated cadmium toxicity if the zinc/cadmium ratio was >10/1. Additional study needs to be done to quantify zinc content before zinc is supplied to alleviate cadmium toxicity.

This nutrient solution experiment investigated the effects of zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) on winter wheat growth and enzymatic activity. Twelve nutrient solution treatments were prepared of four zinc levels (0, 0.5, 5 and 50 mg L−1) and three cadmium levels (0, 5 and 50 mg L−1). Cadmium concentrations ≥5 mg L−1 decreased plant growth, superoxide dismutase activity, and leaf and stem zinc concentrations, but increased plant cadmium concentrations, proline content, and peroxidase and catalase activities. Root activity and zinc concentration were highest in the 5 mg L−1 treatment and lowest in the 50 mg L−1 treatment. Zinc concentrations ≥5 mg L−1 inhibited plant growth, but increased proline content and cadmium concentration in stems and leaves. Low levels of zinc (0.5 mg L−1) increased cadmium-induced toxicity in wheat plants but high levels of zinc (50 mg L−1) reduced. In conclusion, these results indicated that the addition of zinc alleviated cadmium toxicity if the zinc/cadmium ratio was >10/1. Additional study needs to be done to quantify zinc content before zinc is supplied to alleviate cadmium toxicity.

Pre-sowing winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) seed treatment by protective-stimulating compositions including liquid complex fertilizers with chelate forms of trace elements of copper and manganese was investigated in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. There was analyzed influence of new forms liquid complex fertilizers on the winter wheat yield at pre-sowing seed treatment in 2007-2008. Seeds were treated by protective-stimulating compositions and there was investigated their influence on growth intensity of winter wheat before winter and disease appearance during winter. There was established economic efficiency of seed treatment and yield indexes. Research results showed that application of liquid complex fertilizers (NPK=8:4:9 with cuprum and manganese) with protectant Kinto Duo, TK increased the yield from 6,8 till 7,5 c/ha. There was analyzed biological efficiency of seed treatment with protective and stimulating compositions. Their influence on seed germination and intensity of growing processes was shown. Application of protective-stimulating compositions decreased seed infection and disease development in vegetation period.

[Objective] The degradation properties of PBS-based copolymers and impacts on the growth of winter wheat were studied. [Method] Seeds of winter wheat were sown and cultivated in soil, and mixed with equal amounts of PBS, PBS-co-HS and PBS-co-BA, to investigate the degradation of polymers in soil and effects of the degradation intermediates and degradation products on seed germination and the growth of winter wheat during the continuous process of degradation. [Result] The results showed that the copolymers had better biodegradation properties than PBS in Lou Soil in Shaanxi Province under the same condition; polymer treatments had not affected the germination percentage and plant height of the winter wheat but contributed to the improvement of plant biomass. [Conclusion] These results suggested that the degradation and degradation products of PBS, PBS-co-HS and PBS-co-BA had not affected the growth of plants in soil environment for temporary.