Unlocking Phenolic Potential: Determining the Optimal Grain Development Stage in Hull-Less Barley Genotypes with Varying Grain Color.

Barley is rich in phenolic compounds, providing health benefits and making it a valuable addition to a balanced diet. However, most studies focus on these compounds at barley's final maturity, neglecting their synthesis during grain development and its impact on barley quality for food applications. This study investigates phenolic profiles during grain development in four hull-less barley genotypes with different grain colors, specifically bred for food applications.

Post-anthesis thermal stress induces differential accumulation of bioactive compounds in field-grown barley.

Background: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a healthy grain because of its high content of dietary fibre and phenolic compounds. It faces periods of high temperature during grain filling, frequently reducing grain weight.

Impact of Rising Temperature in the Deposition Patterns of Bioactive Compounds in Field Grown Food Barley Grains.

High temperatures at the end of the season are frequent under Mediterranean conditions, affecting final grain quality. This study determined the deposition patterns throughout grain filling of dry matter, dietary fiber, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity for four barley genotypes under two contrasting temperatures. Deposition pattern for dietary fiber followed that of grain weight.

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in Pearling Fractions of Hulled, Partially Hull-Less and Hull-Less Food Barley Genotypes.

Three food barley genotypes differing in the presence or absence of husks were sequentially pearled and their fractions analyzed for ash, proteins, bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in order to identify potential functional food ingredients. Husks were high in ash, arabinoxylans, procyanidin B3, prodelphinidin B4 and -coumaric, ferulic and diferulic bound acids, resulting in a high antioxidant capacity. The outermost layers provided a similar content of those bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity that were high in husks, and also an elevated content of tocols, representing the most valuable source of bioactive compounds.

CRISPR/Cas9 mutations in the rice Waxy/GBSSI gene induce allele-specific and zygosity-dependent feedback effects on endosperm starch biosynthesis.

Induced mutations in the waxy locus in rice endosperm did not abolish GBSS activity completely. Compensatory mechanisms in endosperm and leaves caused a major reprogramming of the starch biosynthetic machinery. The mutation of genes in the starch biosynthesis pathway has a profound effect on starch quality and quantity and is an important target for plant breeders.

ZmPBF and ZmGAMYB transcription factors independently transactivate the promoter of the maize (Zea mays) β-carotene hydroxylase 2 gene.

The maize (Zea mays) enzyme β-carotene hydroxylase 2 (ZmBCH2) controls key steps in the conversion of β-carotene to zeaxanthin in the endosperm. The ZmBCH2 gene has an endosperm-preferred and developmentally regulated expression profile, but the detailed regulatory mechanism is unknown. To gain insight into the regulation of ZmBCH2, we isolated 2036 bp of the 5'-flanking region containing the 263 bp 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) including the first intron.

Genome-wide association mapping of frost tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

Background: Frost tolerance is a key trait with economic and agronomic importance in barley because it is a major component of winter hardiness, and therefore limits the geographical distribution of the crop and the effective transfer of quality traits between spring and winter crop types. Three main frost tolerance QTL (Fr-H1, Fr-H2 and Fr-H3) have been identified from bi-parental genetic mapping but it can be argued that those mapping populations only capture a portion of the genetic diversity of the species. A genetically broad dataset consisting of 184 genotypes, representative of the barley gene pool cultivated in the Mediterranean basin over an extended time period, was genotyped with 1536 SNP markers.

Genetic control of duration of pre-anthesis phases in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and relationships to leaf appearance, tillering, and dry matter accumulation.

The duration of pre-anthesis developmental phases is of interest in breeding for improved adaptation and yield potential in temperate cereals. Yet despite numerous studies on the genetic control of anthesis (flowering) time and floral initiation, little is known about the genetic control of other pre-anthesis phases. Furthermore, little is known about the effect that changes in the duration of pre-anthesis phases could have on traits related to leaf appearance and tillering, or dry matter accumulation before terminal spikelet initiation (TS).

A centromeric region on chromosome 6(6H) affects dormancy in an induced mutant in barley.

Genetic control of seed dormancy in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) has mostly been described in terms of quantitative variation. Although some molecular markers for dormancy QTL have been identified, the corresponding genes involved in the regulation of the process have not been cloned.