Priming crops for the future: rewiring stress memory.

The agricultural sector must produce resilient and climate-smart crops to meet the increasing needs of global food production. Recent advancements in elucidating the mechanistic basis of plant stress memory have provided new opportunities for crop improvement. Stress memory-coordinated changes at the organismal, cellular, and various omics levels prepare plants to be more responsive to reoccurring stress within or across generation(s).

Small RNA, Transcriptome and Degradome Analysis of the Transgenerational Heat Stress Response Network in Durum Wheat.

Heat stress is a major limiting factor of grain yield and quality in crops. Abiotic stresses have a transgenerational impact and the mechanistic basis is associated with epigenetic regulation. The current study presents the first systematic analysis of the transgenerational effects of post-anthesis heat stress in tetraploid wheat.

Nitrogen Starvation-Responsive MicroRNAs Are Affected by Transgenerational Stress in Durum Wheat Seedlings.

Stress events have transgenerational effects on plant growth and development. In Mediterranean regions, water-deficit and heat (WH) stress is a frequent issue that negatively affects crop yield and quality. Nitrogen (N) is an essential plant macronutrient and often a yield-limiting factor for crops.

Small RNAs and their targets are associated with the transgenerational effects of water-deficit stress in durum wheat.

Water-deficit stress negatively affects wheat yield and quality. Abiotic stress on parental plants during reproduction may have transgenerational effects on progeny. Here we investigated the transgenerational influence of pre-anthesis water-deficit stress by detailed analysis of the yield components, grain quality traits, and physiological traits in durum wheat.

Multi-Omics Analysis of Small RNA, Transcriptome, and Degradome in -Regulatory Networks of Grain Development and Abiotic Stress Response.

Crop reproduction is highly sensitive to water deficit and heat stress. The molecular networks of stress adaptation and grain development in tetraploid wheat () are not well understood. Small RNAs (sRNAs) are important epigenetic regulators connecting the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory networks.

Integrated Analysis of Small RNA, Transcriptome, and Degradome Sequencing Reveals the Water-Deficit and Heat Stress Response Network in Durum Wheat.

Water-deficit and heat stress negatively impact crop production. Mechanisms underlying the response of durum wheat to such stresses are not well understood. With the new durum wheat genome assembly, we conducted the first multi-omics analysis with next-generation sequencing, providing a comprehensive description of the durum wheat small RNAome (sRNAome), mRNA transcriptome, and degradome.

Transgenerational Effects of Water-Deficit and Heat Stress on Germination and Seedling Vigour-New Insights from Durum Wheat microRNAs.

Water deficiency and heat stress can severely limit crop production and quality. Stress imposed on the parents during reproduction could have transgenerational effects on their progeny. Seeds with different origins can vary significantly in their germination and early growth.

Genotypic performance of Australian durum under single and combined water-deficit and heat stress during reproduction.

In Mediterranean environments, water deficiency and heat during reproduction severely limit cereal crop production. Our research investigated the effects of single and combined pre-anthesis water-deficit stress and post-anthesis heat stress in ten Australian durum genotypes, providing a systematic evaluation of stress response at the molecular, physiological, grain quality and yield level. We studied leaf physiological traits at different reproductive stages, evaluated the grain yield and quality, and the associations among them.

Genotypic water-deficit stress responses in durum wheat: association between physiological traits, microRNA regulatory modules and yield components.

In Mediterranean environments, water-deficit stress that occurs before anthesis significantly limits durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum) production.

SMARTER De-Stressed Cereal Breeding.

In cereal breeding programs, improved yield potential and stability are ultimate goals when developing new varieties. To facilitate achieving these goals, reproductive success under stressful growing conditions is of the highest priority. In recent times, small RNA (sRNA)-mediated pathways have been associated with the regulation of genes involved in stress adaptation and reproduction in both model plants and several cereals.

Water-deficit stress-responsive microRNAs and their targets in four durum wheat genotypes.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) guide regulation at the post-transcriptional level by inducing messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation or translational inhibition of their target protein-coding genes. Durum wheat miRNAs may contribute to the genotypic water-deficit stress response in different durum varieties. Further investigation of the interactive miRNA-target regulatory modules and experimental validation of their response to water stress will contribute to our understanding of the small RNA-mediated molecular networks underlying stress adaptation in durum wheat.

Secretome analysis of virulent Pyrenophora teres f. teres isolates.

Pyrenophora teres f. teres (Ptt) causes net form net blotch disease of barley, partially by producing necrosis-inducing proteins. The protein profiles of the culture filtrates of 28 virulent isolates were compared by a combination of 2DE and 1D-PAGE with 105 spots and 51 bands chosen for analysis by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

The role of a cytosolic superoxide dismutase in barley-pathogen interactions.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide ( O2·-/ HO2·) and hydrogen peroxide (H O ), are differentially produced during resistance responses to biotrophic pathogens and during susceptible responses to necrotrophic and hemi-biotrophic pathogens. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is responsible for the catalysis of the dismutation of O2·-/ HO2· to H O , regulating the redox status of plant cells. Increased SOD activity has been correlated previously with resistance in barley to the hemi-biotrophic pathogen Pyrenophora teres f.

Enrichment of Antioxidant Capacity and Vitamin E in Pita Made from Barley.

This study aimed to enhance total antioxidant and vitamin E content of pita bread, by replacing 50% of the standard baker's flour with flours milled from covered (WI2585 and Harrington) or hulless (Finniss) barley genotypes, previously shown to have high antioxidant and vitamin E levels at harvest. Pita breads were made from either 100% baker's flour (control) or 50% malt flour, whole-grain flour, or flour from barley grains pearled at 10%, 15%, and 20% grain weight. Antioxidant capacity and vitamin E content of flours and pitas were determined by their ability to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively.

Genome-Wide Identification of MicroRNAs in Leaves and the Developing Head of Four Durum Genotypes during Water Deficit Stress.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play critical roles in plant development and abiotic stress responses. The miRNA transcriptome (miRNAome) under water deficit stress has been investigated in many plant species, but is poorly characterised in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp.

Antioxidant capacity and vitamin E in barley: Effect of genotype and storage.

Antioxidants, including vitamin E, may have a positive effect on human health and prolong storage of food items. Vitamin E content and antioxidant capacity were measured in 25 barley genotypes before and after 4 months storage at 10 °C using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ability to scavenge DPPH radicals, respectively. As expected, α-tocotrienol (α-T3) and α-tocopherol (α-T) were the predominant tocol isomers.

Characterisation of ethylene pathway components in non-climacteric capsicum.

Background: Climacteric fruit exhibit high ethylene and respiration levels during ripening but these levels are limited in non-climacteric fruit. Even though capsicum is in the same family as the well-characterised climacteric tomato (Solanaceae), it is non-climacteric and does not ripen normally in response to ethylene or if harvested when mature green. However, ripening progresses normally in capsicum fruit when they are harvested during or after what is called the 'Breaker stage'.

Proteomic analysis during capsicum ripening reveals differential expression of ACC oxidase isoform 4 and other candidates.

Capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) is categorised as a non-climacteric fruit that exhibits limited ethylene production during ripening and the molecular mechanisms associated with this process are poorly understood. A proteomic approach was used to identify the differentially expressed proteins during various ripening stages (Green (G), Breaker Red 1 (BR1) and Light Red (LR)) and the genes associated with their synthesis.

Poor Homologous Synapsis 1 Interacts with Chromatin but Does Not Colocalise with ASYnapsis 1 during Early Meiosis in Bread Wheat.

Chromosome pairing, synapsis, and DNA recombination are three key processes that occur during early meiosis. A previous study of Poor Homologous Synapsis 1 (PHS1) in maize suggested that PHS1 has a role in coordinating these three processes. Here we report the isolation of wheat (Triticum aestivum) PHS1 (TaPHS1), and its expression profile during and after meiosis.

Preliminary characterisation of two early meiotic wheat proteins after identification through 2D gel electrophoresis proteomics.

Various genetic-based approaches including mutant population screens, microarray analyses, cloning and transgenesis have broadened our knowledge of gene function during meiosis in plants. Nonetheless, these genetic tools are not without inherent limitations. One alternative approach to studying plant meiosis, especially in polyploids such as Triticum aestivum L.

The isolation and characterisation of the wheat molecular ZIPper I homologue, TaZYP1.

Background: The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a proteinaceous tripartite structure used to hold homologous chromosomes together during the early stages of meiosis. The yeast ZIP1 and its homologues in other species have previously been characterised as the transverse filament protein of the synaptonemal complex. Proper installation of ZYP1 along chromosomes has been shown to be dependent on the axial element-associated protein, ASY1 in Arabidopsis.

Natural variation for Fe-efficiency is associated with upregulation of Strategy I mechanisms and enhanced citrate and ethylene synthesis in Pisum sativum L.

Iron (Fe)-deficiency is a common abiotic stress in Pisum sativum L. grown in many parts of the world. The aim of the study was to investigate variation in tolerance to Fe deficiency in two pea genotypes, Santi (Fe-efficient) and Parafield (Fe-inefficient).

Proteinaceous Metabolites from Pyrenophora teres Contribute to Symptom Development of Barley Net Blotch.

ABSTRACT Pyrenophora teres, the causal agent of net blotch of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), induces a combination of necrosis and extensive chlorosis in susceptible barley cultivars. Cell-free filtrates from both net and spot forms of P.

Comparative mapping of a QTL controlling black point formation in barley.

The dark discoloration of the embryo end of barley grain (known as black point) is a physiological disorder and the discovery of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on 2H confirms this trait is controlled genetically. The mechanisms underlying black point tolerance can now be dissected through identification of candidate genes. Comparisons between the QTL identified on chromosomes 2H of barley and 2B of wheat suggest that they are in similar positions near the centromere.

Identification and characterisation of barley (Hordeum vulgare) respiratory burst oxidase homologue family members.

Respiratory burst oxidase homologues (RBOHs) of the human phagocyte gp91 gene have been isolated from several plant species and the proteins that they encode have been shown to play important roles in the cellular response to biotic stress via the production of superoxide. In this study we have identified and preliminarily characterised six RBOHs from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).