Genetic diversity of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) to mitigate abiotic stress: Drought, heat, and their combination.

Drought and heat are the main abiotic constraints affecting durum wheat production. This study aimed to screen for tolerance to drought, heat, and combined stresses in durum wheat, at the juvenile stage under controlled conditions. Five durum wheat genotypes, including four landraces and one improved genotype, were used to test their tolerance to abiotic stress.

Study of the genetic variability of durum wheat ( Desf.) in the face of combined stress: water and heat.

The devastating effects and extent of abiotic stress on cereal production continue to increase globally, affecting food security in several countries, including Tunisia. Heat waves and the scarcity of rainfall strongly affect durum wheat yields. The present study aims to screen for tolerance to combined water and heat stresses in durum wheat at the juvenile stage.

The opportunity of using durum wheat landraces to tolerate drought stress: screening morpho-physiological components.

Local genetic resources could constitute a promising solution to overcome drought stress. Thus, eight (8) durum wheat landraces and one improved variety were assessed for drought tolerance in pots under controlled conditions. Three water treatments were tested: control (100 % of the field capacity (FC)), medium (50 % FC) and severe (25 % FC) stress.

Comparative Performances of Beneficial Microorganisms on the Induction of Durum Wheat Tolerance to Fusarium Head Blight.

Durum wheat production is seriously threatened by Fusarium head blight (FHB) attacks in Tunisia, and the seed coating by bio-agents is a great alternative for chemical disease control. This study focuses on evaluating, under field conditions, the effect of seed coating with , and their combination on (i) FHB severity, durum wheat grain yield and TKW in three crop seasons, and (ii) on physiological parameters and the carbon and nitrogen content and isotope composition in leaves and grains of durum wheat. The results indicated that the treatments were effective in reducing FHB severity by 30 to 70% and increasing grain yield with an increased rate ranging from 25 to 68%, compared to the inoculated control.

Evaluating the contribution of osmotic and oxidative stress components on barley growth under salt stress.

Salt stress is considered one of the most devastating environmental stresses, affecting barley growth and leading to significant yield loss. Hence, there is considerable interest in investigating the most effective traits that determine barley growth under salt stress. The objective of this study was to elucidate the contribution of osmotic and oxidative stress components in leaves and roots growth under salt stress.

Exploring the Potential of on Physiological Performances and Defense Response against Fusarium Crown Rot on Durum Wheat.

Coating seeds with bio-control agents is a potentially effective approach to reduce the usage of pesticides and fertilizers applied and protect the natural environment. This study evaluated the effect of seed coating with , strain INAT (MT731365), on seed germination, plant growth and photosynthesis, and plant resistance against , in durum wheat under controlled conditions. Compared to control plants, seed coating with promoted the wheat growth (shoot and roots length and biomass), and photosynthesis and transpiration traits (chlorophyll, ɸPSII, rates of photosynthesis and transpiration, etc.

Comparative effect of salinity on growth, grain yield, water use efficiency, δ(13)C and δ(15)N of landraces and improved durum wheat varieties.

Supplemental irrigation with low-quality water will be paramount in Mediterranean agriculture in the future, where durum wheat is a major crop. Breeding for salinity tolerance may contribute towards improving resilience to irrigation with brackish water. However, identification of appropriate phenotyping traits remains a bottleneck in breeding.