Nitrogen Level and Seeding Rate Effects on the Performance of Hulled Wheats (Triticum monococcum L., T. dicoccum Schubler and T. spelta L.) Evaluated in Contrasting Agronomic Environments

Effects of the nitrogen level and of the seeding rate on the performance of Triticum monococcum L., T. dicoccum Schübler and T. spelta L. (hulled wheats, together referred as 'farro') in comparison with bread wheat (variety Eridano) were evaluated. Field trials were conducted in five contrasting environments located in the north and central areas of Italy. Eridano mean grain yield was 3.86 t ha⁻¹, resulting the highest in all the field trials. T. spelta, T. dicoccum and T. monococcum net grain yield was 2.71 t ha⁻¹, 2.371 ha⁻¹ and 1.06 t ha⁻¹, respectively. Significant differences in all the evaluated parameters were observed among the species as well as among the environments. Biomass yield, grain protein and SDS sedimentation values of the hulled wheats were significantly influenced by nitrogen, which had no effect on grain yield. The results show the necessity to breed hulled wheat varieties adapted to the Italian environments and competitive with the bread wheat productivity in the marginal areas.     

Die Ertragsbildung von Dinkel (Triticum spelta L.) und Weizen (Triticum aestivum L.) unter verschiedenen Umweltbedingungen im Freiland

Dry Matter Production of Spelt ( Triticum spelta L.) and Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) under Different Environmental Conditions in the Field
The primary aim of our work was to obtain information regarding the germination characteristics of spelt under different environmental conditions in field experiments, and to trace possible differences between spelt and wheat, with regard to crop production. For the present study two spelt varieties ( Ostro/Rouquin) and two wheat varieties ( Arina/Probus) were used. In addition the spelt cultivars Altgold, Oberkulmer and Hercule were included in some of the experiments. To obtain information on the influence of the glumes, spelt was planted in the hulled (SP +) and dehulled (SP-) form.
Field emergence of spelt SP- was up to 40 % lower than that of SP+, Under water logged soil, the percentage of germination was higher for spelt SP+ than for wheat.
Spelt produced more tillers per plant than wheat. However, tiller reduction was also higher for spelt so finally both species had similar numbers of ears per plant. Plants with a high tiller production might be more flexible in response to unfavourable growing conditions.
Grain yield of spelt and wheat was developed in different ways. Spelt produced fewer but larger kernels per ear, whereas wheat produced more but smaller kernels. In 1986 grain yield was up to 20 % higher in wheat than in spelt. In 1987, an unfavourable year for cereal crop production in marginal areas, grain yield was higher for spelt than for wheat. For the farmer, the "husked" form of spelt is economically important. This was equal or higher than the grain yield of wheat in both years.
The high germination rate under unfavourable conditions, in combination with a high tillering capacity and the production of large kernels appear to be the major reason for the stable yielding ability of spelt.     

Carbon Isotope Discrimination, Leaf Ash Content and Grain Yield in Bread and Durum Wheat Grown under Full-Irrigated Conditions

Integrative physiological criteria, such as carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) and (mineral) ash content (m_a) have been found to be very useful, under drought conditions, to elucidate the association between yield gains and variation of photosynthesis‐related traits and orientate future breeding efforts. Information on this association is scarce under irrigated conditions. The relationships between Δ, m_a and yield were studied in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) under optimal (drip) irrigation in the arid conditions of north‐west Mexico. Carbon isotope discrimination was analysed on leaves at booting stage and anthesis and on grain at maturity, whereas ash content was measured on the flag leaf at anthesis and maturity. At anthesis, there were differences between bread and durum wheat during grain filling for Δ, but not for m_a. No relationship was found between grain yield and Δ. Leaf ash content at anthesis and maturity showed a broad variability within each species and were associated with grain yield. These results suggest that ash content in leaves could be also used as predictive criteria for yield not only under drought, but also under irrigated conditions, particularly when evaporative demand is high.     

硬粒小麦品种Lpx-B1位点等位变异的分子鉴定及其脂肪氧化酶活性

硬粒小麦籽粒中脂肪氧化酶(LOX)与硬粒小麦面制品的加工品质关系密切相关, 而Lpx-B1位点不同变异类型对LOX活性有重要影响。对来自不同国家和地区的167份硬粒小麦品种的LOX活性进行测定, 并对其Lpx-B1位点不同变异类型进行分子鉴定。不同品种间LOX活性差异明显, 变幅为0.20～7.98 AU min^-1 g^-1。在Lpx-B1.1位点鉴定出3种等位变异, 分别为Lpx-B1.1a、Lpx-B1.1b和Lpx-B1.1c, 以Lpx-B1.1a所占比例最高(55.1%), 其次为Lpx-B1.1c (37.1%), 而Lpx-B1.1b仅占7.8%; Lpx-B1.2和Lpx-B1.3二者总是互补出现在不同的品种中, 146份品种为Lpx-B1.2型, 其余21份品种均为Lpx-B1.3型, 表明二者可能互为一对等位因子。在Lpx-B1.1位点的3种等位变异类型中, Lpx-B1.1b类型品种的LOX活性显著高于Lpx-B1.1a和Lpx-B1.1c类型品种, 而Lpx-B1.1c类型品种的LOX活性最低。Lpx-B1.3类型品种的LOX活性显著高于Lpx-B1.2类型的品种。参试品种共有6种Lpx-B1基因型组合, 其中Lpx-B1.1b/Lpx-B1.3基因型的LOX活性显著高于其他基因型, 而Lpx-B1.1c/Lpx-B1.2和Lpx-B1.1c/Lpx-B1.3基因型的LOX活性最低。这些观测结果为硬粒小麦品质育种提供了重要信息。     

Agronomic and Physiological Study of Cold and Flooding Tolerance of Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Flooding of soil occurs all over the world in areas of crop production. The resulting lack of available oxygen in the soil can hinder the establishment of field crops such as wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and thus lead to a decrease in yield. The current study compares the tolerance of spelt ( Triticum spelta L.) and wheat to wet and cold stress during germination and early growth. Two specific traits seem to be related to the superior early flooding tolerance of spelt: (1) fast growth of the coleoptile, which reaches the soil surface rapidly, thus reducing the time span of hypoxia sensitivity, independent of temperatures between 10 and 20 °C; (2) the improved physiological adaptation for coleoptile growth under hypoxia is probably due to lower oxygen consumption between germination and emergence. Because of this high level of flooding tolerance, spelt would also be a good source for breeding for stress tolerance in wheat. These findings will help to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for characters such as growth rate, flooding tolerance and oxygen consumption in future studies. A marker-assisted introgression of spelt into wheat is necessary to avoid combination with undesirable agronomic traits of spelt.     

Agronomical Performance Among Farro Species and Durum Wheat in a Drought-Flat Land Environment of Southern Italy

The aim of this study was to evaluate the agronomical performance of old unhuUed wheat species (farro) in comparison with an old cultivar of durum wheat, selected for morphological and rusticity characteristics similar to farro, in a drought-flat land environment of southern Italy. The trials were carried out during the 1992/93 and 1993/94 growing seasons. Agronomical responses concerned the behaviour of the different species to weeding treatment (diclofop-methyl, 568 g a.i, ha⁻¹) and to three (0%, 50%, 100%) artificial weed levels with Avenafatua and Phalaris arundinacea with respect to grain yield and its components, plant morphological aspects and two qualitative characters. In all of the species the weeding treatment increased the mean values of almost all the parameters analysed except for days to head and grain protein content which remained constant. The effect of weed treatment on the characters considered was a general decrease of mean values when weed level was increased. The grain protein content showed an opposite trend. As far as the grain yield alone is concerned, yielding differential in medium and large farro decreased by 3% whereas in small farro it increased by 4.3% vs, durum wheat when no weeding and weeding treatments were compared. Small and large farro resulted more susceptible than medium farro and durum wheat to weed treatment. In fact, these latter showed, at the maximum weed level, the same grain yield loss as small and large farro at the 50% weed level. Small farro was the most susceptible species, while Triticum dicoccum showed similar affinity and behaviour to durum wheat.     

Analysis of Wheat Cultivar Differences in Grain Yield, Grain Nitrogen Yield and Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency.

More detailed information on the causes of yield variability among wheat cultivars is needed to further increase wheat yield. Field studies were conducted in Northern Greece over the two cropping seasons of 1985—1986 and 1986—1987 to assess the effects of nitrogen fertilizer and application timing of the various component traits that determine grain yield, grain nitrogen yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency of two bread ( Triticum aestivum L.) and two durum ( Triticum durum Desf.) wheat cultivars, using yield and yield component analysis. Nitrogen at a rate of 150 kg ha^-1 was applied before planting or 100 N kg ha^-1 before planting and then 50 N kg ha^-1 top dressed at early boot stage. Nitrogen and cultivars affected all traits examined, while split nitrogen application affected only some of the traits. Grain yields in the most cases were correlated with number of grains per unit area and grain weight and grain nitrogen yields in all cases with grain number per unit area. The contribution of the number of grains per spike to total variation in grain yield among cultivars was almost consistent (37 to 55 %), while the contribution of grain weight was more significant (up to 55 %) in high yields (>6.500kg ha^-1) and number of spikes per unit area (>500). The number of grains per spike contributed from 60 to 83 % to the total variation in grain nitrogen per spike. Increased grain nitrogen concentration resulted in a reduction of its contribution in grain nitrogen yield variation. Nitrogen utilization efficiency was higher during grain filling than during vegetative biomass accumulation. The contribution of nitrogen harvest index to the variation of utilization efficiency for grain yield was higher in plants receiving nitrogen application.     

野生二粒小麦与野燕麦杂种核型研究

1989年用野生二粒小麦(Triticum dicoccoides Corn.2n=4x=28)与通北野燕麦(Avenafatua L.2n=6x=42)杂交成功,F_2分离出燕麦型、二粒小麦型、硬粒小麦型、斯卑尔脱型和普通小麦型。斯卑尔脱型F_4中的一个类型,与双亲野生二粒小麦和通北野燕麦的核型进行比较研究。杂种中有一对近端着丝点染色体,5对随体染色体。近端着丝点染色体来源于通北野燕麦,5对随体染体来源于双亲野生二粒小麦和通北野燕麦。证明野生二粒小麦与通北野燕麦杂种斯卑尔脱型是真杂种。     

New durum wheat with Hessian fly resistance from Triticum araraticum and T. carthlicum in Morocco

Hessian fly is an important pest of wheat on the North American continent and the temperate Mediterranean drylands. Yield losses caused by this insect in Morocco are the heaviest in the Mediterranean region and are estimated to be 36% on average. Genetic resistance to Mediterranean Hessian fly biotypes has not been found in durum wheat, although large numbers of durum accessions were screened. Genes for resistance were found in common wheat; some of which are transferable to durum. However, there is a need to broaden the genetic base for resistance in durum wheat. The objective of this work was to introgress resistance from selected Triticum araraticum and T. carthlicum accessions using multiple backcross methodology. The experimental recipient durum wheat included numerous adapted and high‐yielding lines. Testing for Hessian fly resistance under controlled conditions and field yield data showed that this programme yields Hessian fly‐resistant durum lines with good yields and adaptation.     

Bread and Durum Wheat under Heat Stress: A Comparative Study on the Photosynthetic Performance

The photosynthetic responses to heat stress, during grain filling, in four genotypes of Triticum aestivum L. (Sever and Golia) and Triticum turgidum subsp. durum (Acalou and TE 9306), chosen according to its genetic background diversity, were investigated. All wheat genotypes (excepting Golia) showed synergistic trends implicating the internal CO₂ concentration, net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. Additionally, the modifications of net photosynthesis were associated with changes in stomatal control. Chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters (minimal fluorescence, maximal and variable fluorescence, intrinsic efficiency of PSII in darkness, non‐photochemical quenching, photochemical quenching and energy‐dependent chlorophyll fluorescence quenching) further pointed heat protective mechanisms, implicating F_v/F_m stabilization (i.e. maintaining the efficiency of PS II) and electron transport rate preservation. It is concluded that, comparatively to bread wheat, the photosynthetic performance of durum wheat is more tolerant to heat stress, as stomatal conductance and transpiration are less affected.     

Performance of Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at two Different Seeding Rates and Nitrogen Levels under Contrasting Environmental Conditions

The aim of this investigation was to obtain information about differences between spelt and wheat in relation to their performance under low-input conditions. Two spelt varieties ( Oberkulmer, Hercule ) and two wheat varieties ( Anna, Iend ) were grown at two different seeding rates (S1 = 200; S2 = 400 kernels/m²) and two nitrogen levels (Nl = 80 kg N/ha; N2 = 110 kg N/ha) at two contrasting locations (Muri; altitude 459 m asl; Oberwallestalden: altitude 1011 m asl). No growth regulators and fungicides were applied.
The overall mean for the "husked" yield (grains and glumes) of spelt was not significantly different from the grain yield of wheat. At the higher site Oberwallestalden however, the "husked" yield of spelt was 10.5 % higher than the grain yield of wheat. Although the number of ears per m² was higher at S2 than at S1, spelt and wheat produced a similar yield at both seeding rates (spelt: S1 = 96 % of S2; wheat: S1 = 95 % of S2) due to the higher single ear weight at S1.
The reaction of spelt and wheat to nitrogen was similar. The yield was 10 % higher at N2 than at Nl for both species. The performance of spelt under low-input conditions was better than for wheat in marginal areas for cereal production only.     

麦田杂草节节麦染色体核型分析研究

对麦田杂草二倍体节节麦（Triticum tauschii L．）的植株形态特征及根尖细胞染色体核型作了分析，并和六倍体普通小麦（Triticum aestivum L．）中国春核型作比较。结果表明，节节麦的核型公式为2n=2X=14=10M＋4SM（2SAT），在第4号染色体上有一对随体。节节麦染色体组和普通小麦中国春D组全套染色体类型相同，表明这两组染色体具有较强的同源性；但二者在染色体相对长度和臂比值上表现出一定的差异，表明该地区节节麦未参与普通小麦的起源。     

硬粒小麦与偏凸山羊草部分双二倍体的核型研究

通过硬粒小麦（AABB，2n＝28）与偏凸山羊草（DDMvMv，Zn＝28）杂交，今成选育出遗传上相对稳定的部分双二倍体。利用核型分析，初步鉴定出该部分双二倍体具有编凸山羊草的染色体组，从而证实了杂种的真实性。该部分双二倍体的获得为将硬粒小麦，特别是偏凸山羊草的优异基因向小麦转移奠定了基础。     

Waxy proteins and amylose content in tetraploid wheats Triticum dicoccum Schulb, Triticum durum L. and Triticum polonicum L.

This paper reports the waxy proteins and apparent amylose contents of the tetraploid species Triticum dicoccum, Triticum polonicum and Triticum durum. Three waxy proteins were found in the three species; two showed the same electrophoretic mobility as the alleles Wx-A1a and Wx-B1a of the hexaploid variety ‘Chinese Spring’, while the third showed the same mobility as the allele Wx-B1e belonging to the hexaploid wheat variety ‘Bai Huo’. In apparent amylose content no significant differences between the alleles Wx-B1a and the Wx-B1e were found for each species. However, the mean amylose contents of T. durum and T. polonicum were significantly greater than that of T. dicoccum, regardless of which allele was present. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

硬粒小麦品种八氢番茄红素合酶基因等位变异的分子检测

硬粒小麦籽粒中黄色素含量与硬粒小麦面制品的加工品质关系较为密切,研究控制小麦黄色素含量基因的等位变异、选育高黄色素含量品种是硬粒小麦品质育种的重要目标。以来自不同国家的177份硬粒小麦品种为材料,采用特异引物的PCR扩增技术,利用与黄色素含量有关的PSY基因功能性标记YP7A-2、YP7B-1、YP7B-2、YP7B-3、YP7B-4,分别对参试小麦品种中7A和7B染色体上Psy-A1和Psy-B1基因的等位变异类型进行了检测。结果表明,位于硬粒小麦7A染色体上的Psy-A1的变异类型较为单一,只有Psy-A1d和Psy-A1e两种类型,分布频率分别为76.8%和23.2%;而位于硬粒小麦7B染色体上的Psy-B1 的变异类型有6种,分别为Psy-B1b、Psy-B1c、Psy-B1d、Psy-B1e、Psy-B1f和Psy-B1g,分布频率分别为9.0%、0.6%、0.6%、6.8%、25.4%和57.6%。其中,Psy-B1b、Psy-B1c、Psy-B1d首次在硬粒小麦品种中被发现,这在一定程度上丰富了硬粒小麦品种Psy1基因多态性。有34个品种含有Psy-A1d/Psy-B1f、12个品种含有Psy-A1d/Psy-B1g和1个品种含有Psy-A1d/Psy-B1c的基因型组合,为高黄色素含量品种;有28个品种含有Psy-A1e/Psy-B1g和1个品种含有Psy-A1e/Psy-B1b基因型组合,为低黄色素含量品种。本研究结果为硬粒小麦品质育种提供了重要的材料资源。     

Effects of Two Underseed Species, Medicago polymorpha L. and Scorpiurus muricatus L., on the Yield of Main Crop (Durum Wheat) and Subsequent Crop (Teff) Under Humid Moisture Regimes in Ethiopia

Mixed cropping of leguminous underseed species and cereal crops may increase productivity and serve some additional purposes. Two leguminous weed species which are widely distributed in annual crops of the Ethiopian highlands have been studied with varying coverage in greenhouse trials in Ethiopia with regard to their suitability as underseeds and with wheat ( Triticum turgidum [L.] Thell. var. durum [Desf.] MacKey) as a main crop. The competitive effects of Scorpiurus muricatus L. on the grain yield of wheat were smaller than those of Medicago polymorpha L. (-14.1 % and -23.6 % respectively, compared with the underseed free control) which is mainly ascribed to differences in their speed of development and shoot height. The residual effects of the underseed's root masses on the grain yield of the successive teff crop (Eragrostis tef [Zucc] Trotter) were significantly higher with Scorpiurus muricatus (+99.3 %) than with Medicago polymorpha (+63.6 %). The results are discussed with regard to the specific site conditions in the cereal-dominated cropping systems of the Ethiopian highlands.     

高产冬小麦深耘断根提高粒重的生理分析

1997～1999采用2个品种,设置4个处理,于花后测定多项生理指标,研究探讨深耘断根提高冬小麦粒重的机理。结果表明：花后深耘断根处理的“源”活力高。深耘断根可推迟小麦旗叶光合速率峰期、延缓叶绿素含量下降速率、延缓功能叶衰老、使根系发育良好、活力提高。深耘断根处理增强籽粒“库”活力。可使籽粒SS（蔗糖合成酶）活性加大、穗部ATP含量提高。深耘断根提高旗叶SPS(磷酸蔗糖合成酶)活性,强化光合产物转化。深耘断根保持了小麦长时期高强度灌浆。结合前人的研究,文章初步提出了冬小麦深耘断根增加粒重的机理模型。     

Chromosomal locations in common wheat of three new leaf rust resistance genes from Triticum monococcum

Monosomic analysis was conducted to determine chromosomal locations of three new leaf rust resistance genes recently transferred to common wheat (Triticum aestivum) from T. monococcum. The resistance gene in wheat germplasm line KS92WGRC23 was transferred from T. monococcum ssp. monococcum. The resistance genes found in KS93U3 and KS96WGRC34 were transferred from T. monococcum ssp. aegilopoides. Allelism tests showed that the three resistance genes were unlinked. The three lines were crossed with each of the seven A-genome Wichita monosomic lines. The leaf rust resistance genes in KS92WGRC23, KS93U3, and KS96WGRC34 were located on chromosomes 6A, 1A, and 5A, respectively, by monosomic analysis. These results demonstrate that the three new genes derived from T. monococcum are each different. They also differ from previously reported Lr genes. This information on chromosome location and the development of mapping populations will facilitate molecular tagging of the new genes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Tiller Development and Contribution to Yield under Different Moisture Regimes in two Triticum Species

The number of productive tillers is an important yield component in wheat and is affected by water stress and genetic factors. A greenhouse experiment was conducted during spring 1992 at ICARDA, Tel Hadya, Syria, with eight genotypes representing two Triticum species ( Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum and Triticum aestivum L. ssp. aestivum ) under four soil-moisture regimes (95 %, 75 %, 55 %, and 35 % field capacity) to study the effect of water deficit on tiller development and tiller contribution to grain yield. In the highest watering regime appearance of Tiller 1 was delayed in both species. Also Tiller 2 was suppressed in this treatment in durum , while its appearance was delayed in aestivum. In the driest treatment, a majority of the tillers were suppressed and the ones which emerged were delayed. In durum , the heat units required to produce successive leaves on the tillers were higher than that for the main stem and increased with increasing water stress, causing high rate of tiller abortion. In aestivum , each tiller, once produced, developed leaves at the same rate as on the main stem. Phyllochron of tillers as well as main stem was not affected by water stress in aestivum. In aestivum , contribution by tillers to yield was higher than that of durum in all treatments. Results indicate that early appearance of tillers and faster rate of leaf appearance under water stress result in higher tiller survival and greater tiller contribution to final yield. Hence, tiller dynamics under water stress can be used as a selection criterion for breeding for drought tolerance.     

Wheat EST-SSRs for tracing chromosome segments from a wide range of grass species

Transferability of 116 common wheat expressed sequence tag–simple sequence repeats (EST-SSR) markers was investigated on 168 accessions representing 18 grass species to identify new alleles useful for wheat improvement. Transferability among the Triticeae ranged from 73.7% for Aegilops longissima to 100% for wheat subspecies ( Triticum compactum ) but was also good for less related species such as rye (72.8%) or maize (40.4%). On average, the number of alleles/locus detected by EST-SSR markers was 3.1 for hexaploid wheat. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values simultaneously estimated for Triticum aestivum and Triticum durum were similar for the two species (0.40 and 0.39, respectively). The allelic diversity within allogamous species was higher (0.352–0.423) compared with that of T. aestivum and T. durum (0.108 and 0.093, respectively). T. aestivum and T. durum shared the largest number of alleles (74.6%) while among the three ancestral diploid species of bread wheat, Aegilops tauschii had the highest percentage of alleles with T. aestivum (57.4%). These results indicate that grass orphan species can be studied using wheat EST-SSRs and can serve as a source of new alleles for wheat genetic improvement.