Trait heritability and the response to selection depend on genetic variation, a prerequisite to developing sorghum varieties with desirable agronomic traits and high carbon sequestration for sustainable crop production and soil health. The present study aimed to assess the extent of genetic variability and associations among agronomic and carbon storage traits in selected sorghum genotypes to identify the best candidates for production or breeding. Fifty genotypes were evaluated at Ukulinga, Bethlehem and Silverton sites in South Africa during the 2022/23 growing season.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSorghum is a vital food and feed crop in the world's dry regions. Developing sorghum cultivars with high biomass production and carbon sequestration can contribute to soil health and crop productivity. The objective of this study was to assess agronomic performance, biomass production and carbon accumulation in selected sorghum genotypes for production and breeding.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFungal diseases such as Fusarium head blight (FHB) are significant biotic stressors, negatively affecting wheat production and quality. This study explored the antifungal activity of the metabolites produced by the bacterial symbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against FHB-causing sp. .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIncreasing biomass allocation to the root system may increase soil-organic carbon stocks and confer drought adaptation in water-limited environments. Understanding the genetic bases and inheritance of biomass allocation is fundamental for drought tolerance breeding and soil health. The objective of this study was to determine the general and specific combining ability, maternal effects and the mode of gene action controlling the major yield and biomass allocation related traits in wheat to identify good combiners for breeding and enhanced carbon sequestration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStem rust caused by the pathogen f. sp. is a destructive fungal disease-causing major grain yield losses in wheat.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe causal agent of rust, is a major constraint for common bean () production. This pathogen causes substantial yield losses in many common bean production areas worldwide. is widely distributed and although there have been numerous breakthroughs in breeding for resistance, its ability to mutate and evolve still poses a major threat to common bean production.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe recently adopted conservation and minimum tillage practices in wheat-production systems coupled with the concomitant warming of the Earth are believed to have caused the upsurges in Fusarium head blight (FHB) prevalence in major wheat-producing regions of the world. Measures to counter this effect include breeding for resistance to both initial infection of wheat and spread of the disease. Cases of mycotoxicosis caused by ingestion of wheat by-products contaminated with FHB mycotoxins have necessitated the need for resistant wheat cultivars that can limit mycotoxin production by the dominant causal pathogen, .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLegume crops such as common bean, pea, alfalfa, cowpea, peanut, soybean and others contribute significantly to the diet of both humans and animals. They are also important in the improvement of cropping systems that employ rotation and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Biotic stresses hinder the production of leguminous crops, significantly limiting their yield potential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIncreased root biomass allocation could serve as a proxy trait for selecting crop ideotypes with drought tolerance and carbon sequestration potential in agricultural soils. The objective of this study was to assess the magnitude of the relationship between root biomass and yield components and to identify influential traits so as to optimise genotype selection for enhanced biomass allocation, drought tolerance and carbon sequestration potential in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeaf or brown rust of wheat caused by () is one of the most damaging diseases globally. Considerable progress has been made to control leaf rust through crop protection chemicals and host plant resistance breeding in southern Africa. However, frequent changes in the pathogen population still present a major challenge to achieve durable resistance.
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