Identification of resistance sources and genomic regions regulating Septoria tritici blotch resistance in South Asian bread wheat germplasm.

The Septoria tritici blotch (STB) [Zymoseptoria tritici (Desm.)] of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is characterized by its polycyclic and hemibiotrophic nature.

Dataset on the status of crop diversification in the Eastern Indo Gangetic Plains of South Asia.

South Asia's Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains (EIGP) is home to approximately 450 million people. This region is characterized by the highest global concentration of rural poverty and a predominant reliance on agriculture for nutritional sustenance and economic livelihoods. Agriculture in the EIGP is highly cereal-centric, making crop diversification indispensable for its development.

Novel resistance loci for quantitative resistance to Septoria tritici blotch in Asian wheat (Triticum aestivum) via genome-wide association study.

Background: Septoria tritici blotch (STB) disease causes yield losses of up to 50 per cent in susceptible wheat cultivars and can reduce wheat production. In this study, genomic architecture for adult-plant STB resistance in a Septoria Association Mapping Panel (SAMP) having 181 accessions and genomic regions governing STB resistance in a South Asian wheat panel were looked for.

Results: Field experiments during the period from 2019 to 2021 revealed those certain accessions, namely BGD52 (CHIR7/ANB//CHIR1), BGD54 (CHIR7/ANB//CHIR1), IND92 (WH 1218), IND8 (DBW 168), and IND75 (PBW 800), exhibited a high level of resistance.

Morphological and Biochemical Changes in the Mediterranean Cereal Cyst Nematode () during Diapause.

The cereal cyst nematode () is becoming an economically important species in global cereal production as it is being identified in many new cereal cultivated areas and causes significant losses. Consequently, understanding its biology becomes crucial for researchers in identifying its vulnerabilities and implementing effective control measures. In the current study, different morphological and biochemical changes of cysts containing eggs with infective juveniles from a barley field in Jordan were studied during the summer of 2021, at two sample dates.

Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome.

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a globally dominant crop and major source of calories and proteins for the human diet. Compared with its wild ancestors, modern bread wheat shows lower genetic diversity, caused by polyploidisation, domestication and breeding bottlenecks. Wild wheat relatives represent genetic reservoirs, and harbour diversity and beneficial alleles that have not been incorporated into bread wheat.

Identification of stripe rust resistance gene YrBDT in Chinese landrace wheat Baidatou using BSE-seq and BSR-seq.

A new stripe rust resistance gene YrBDT in Chinese landrace wheat Baidatou was mapped to a 943.6-kb interval on chromosome arm 6DS and co-segregated with a marker CAPS3 developed from candidate gene TraesCS6D03G0027300. Stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f.

Insights into maydis leaf blight resistance in maize: a comprehensive genome-wide association study in sub-tropics of India.

Background: In the face of contemporary climatic vulnerabilities and escalating global temperatures, the prevalence of maydis leaf blight (MLB) poses a potential threat to maize production. This study endeavours to discern marker-trait associations and elucidate the candidate genes that underlie resistance to MLB in maize by employing a diverse panel comprising 336 lines. The panel was screening for MLB across four environments, employing standard artificial inoculation techniques.

Identifying resource-conscious and low-carbon agricultural development pathways through land use modelling.

Increasing agricultural production with current resources and technology may lead to increased GHG emissions. Additionally, large population countries like India face substantial challenges in terms of food demand, agro-ecological heterogeneity, carbon footprint and depleting natural resources, thus increasing the decision complexities for policymakers and planners. We aim to examine the potential of producing more food from available agricultural land with low-carbon (reduced GHG emissions) and resource-conscious (optimal resource use) options.

Genetic trends in the Zimbabwe's national maize breeding program over two decades.

Monitoring genetic gains within breeding programs is a critical component for continuous improvement. While several national breeding programs in Africa have assessed genetic gain using era studies, this study is the first to use two decades of historical data to estimate genetic trends within a national breeding program. The objective of this study was to assess genetic trends within the final two stages of Zimbabwe's Department of Research & Specialist Services maize breeding pipeline between 2002 and 2021.

Farmer decision making for hybrid maize seed purchases: Effects of brand loyalty, price discounts and product information.

Context: Each year public and private sector maize breeding programs in Kenya deliver high-yielding hybrids that are resistant to drought, pests, and diseases. Yet, most Kenyan maize farmers purchase older, well-known hybrids. While the 'varietal turnover' problem is well known, few solutions have emerged.

The wheat powdery mildew resistance gene Pm4 also confers resistance to wheat blast.

Wheat blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, threatens global cereal production since its emergence in Brazil in 1985 and recently spread to Bangladesh and Zambia. Here we demonstrate that the AVR-Rmg8 effector, common in wheat-infecting isolates, is recognized by the gene Pm4, previously shown to confer resistance to specific races of Blumeria graminis f. sp.

Risk aversion, impatience, and adoption of conservation agriculture practices among smallholders in Zambia.

Sustainable agricultural practices such as conservation agriculture have been promoted in southern Africa for nearly three decades, but their adoption remains low. It is of policy interest to unpack behavioural drivers of adoption to understand why adoption remains lower than anticipated. This paper assesses the effects of risk aversion and impatience on the extent and intensity of the adoption of conservation agriculture using panel data collected from 646 households in 2021 and 2022 in Zambia.

Genetic gains in early maturing maize hybrids developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Southern Africa during 2000-2018.

Genetic gain estimation in a breeding program provides an opportunity to monitor breeding efficiency and genetic progress over a specific period. The present study was conducted to (i) assess the genetic gains in grain yield of the early maturing maize hybrids developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Southern African breeding program during the period 2000-2018 and (ii) identify key agronomic traits contributing to the yield gains under various management conditions. Seventy-two early maturing hybrids developed by CIMMYT and three commercial checks were assessed under stress and non-stress conditions across 68 environments in seven eastern and southern African countries through the regional on-station trials.

Genome-wide association study of common resistance to rust species in tetraploid wheat.

Rusts of the genus are wheat pathogens. Stem (black; Sr), leaf (brown; Lr), and stripe (yellow; Yr) rust, caused by f. sp.

Genome-wide association mapping for field spot blotch resistance in South Asian spring wheat genotypes.

Spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana ((Sacc.) Shoemaker) (teleomorph: Cochliobolus sativus [Ito and Kuribayashi] Drechsler ex Dastur) is an economically important disease of warm and humid regions. The present study focused on identifying resistant genotypes and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with spot blotch resistance in a panel of 174 bread spring wheat lines using field screening and genome-wide association mapping strategies.

Assessment of Indian wheat germplasm for Septoria nodorum blotch and tan spot reveals new QTLs conferring resistance along with recessive alleles of and .

The leaf blight diseases, Septoria nodorum blotch (SNB), and tan spot (TS) are emerging due to changing climatic conditions in the northern parts of India. We screened 296 bread wheat cultivars released in India over the past 20 years for seedling resistance against SNB (three experiments) and TS (two experiments). According to a genome-wide association study, six QTLs on chromosome arms 1BL, 2AS, 5BL, and 6BL were particularly significant for SNB across all three years, of which , appeared novel.

and Bacteria as Potential Candidates for the Control of L. (Diptera: Culicidae), the Principal Vector of West Nile Virus and Lymphatic Filariasis.

Vector-borne diseases pose a severe threat to human and animal health. L. (Diptera: Culicidae) is a widespread mosquito species and serves as a vector for the transmission of infectious diseases such as West Nile disease and Lymphatic Filariasis.

Failure to scale in digital agronomy: An analysis of site-specific nutrient management decision-support tools in developing countries.

While many have extolled the potential impacts of digital advisory services for smallholder agriculture, the evidence for sustained uptake of such tools remains limited. This paper utilizes a survey of tool developers and researchers, as well as a systematic -analysis of prior studies, to assess the extent and challenges of scaling decision support tools for site-specific soil nutrient management (SSNM-DST) across smallholder farming systems, where "scaling" is defined as a significant increase in tool usage beyond pilot levels. Our evaluation draws on relevant literature, expert opinion and apps available in different repositories.

Nematode-citrus plant interactions: host preference, damage rate and molecular characterization of Citrus root nematode Tylenchulus semipenetrans.

Citrus plants are host to several plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs), which are microscopic organisms. Among PPNs, the citrus root nematode, T. semipenetrans (Cobb 1913) (Tylenchida: Tylenchulidae), causes significant damage to citrus plantations worldwide.

GWAS for Early-Establishment QTLs and Their Linkage to Major Phenology-Affecting Genes (, and ) in Bread Wheat.

Farmers in northern and central Indian regions prefer to plant wheat early in the season to take advantage of the remaining soil moisture. By planting crops before the start of the season, it is possible to extend the time frame for spring wheat. The early-wheat-establishment experiment began in the 2017 growing season at the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) in Ludhiana, India, and, after three years of intensive study, numerous agronomic, physiological, and yield data points were gathered.

Precise irrigation water and nitrogen management improve water and nitrogen use efficiencies under conservation agriculture in the maize-wheat systems.

A 3-year field experiment was setup to address the threat of underground water depletion and sustainability of agrifood systems. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system combined with nitrogen management under conservation agriculture-based (CA) maize-wheat system (MWS) effects on crop yields, irrigation water productivity (WP), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and profitability. Grain yields of maize, wheat, and MWS in the SDI with 100% recommended N were significantly higher by 15.

Intercropping millet with low-density cowpea improves millet productivity for low and medium N input in semi-arid central Senegal.

Cereal-legume intercropping has been traditionally practiced across West Africa by farmers and provides resilience of agriculture to climate variability. Intensification of these extensive intercropping systems in order to meet future food demand is critical. This study aims at evaluating the agronomic performance of the intensification of millet-cowpea intercropping with low cowpea density, and its variation with climate variability, using an on-station experiment in Bambey, Senegal.