• Authors:
    • Amanullah
    • Khalid, N.
    • Khan, A.
    • Amanullah, J.
    • Khalil, S.
    • Shitab, K.
  • Source: Pakistan Journal of Botany
  • Volume: 43
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The performance of six high yielding wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and two barley ( Hordeum vulgare) cultivars was studied under moisture stress. The experiment was undertaken at the Agricultural Research Farm of Agricultural University Peshawar, during winter 2003-04 on six wheat cultivars: BARS-II, Saleem-2000, Haider-2000, Kohat-2002, Suleman-96 and Takbeer and two barley cultivars: Sorab-96 and Awaran-2002. Sorab-96 produced the highest (296 m -2) number of tillers while Haider-2000 and BARS-II each produced the lowest (185 m -2) number of tillers. Plant height ranged between 77 (Sorab-96) to 117 cm (Sulaman-96). Takbeer produced the highest (73) number of grains spike -1 in comparison with Awaran-2002 which produced only 45 grains spike -1. The 1000-seed weight was highest (43.13 g) in Awaran-2002 and lowest in Kohat-2002 (23.21 g/1000-seeds). Saleem-2000 produced the highest grain yield (3875 kg ha -1) as well as biological yield (8833 kg ha -1). Both barely cultivars performed better, though Awaran-2002 displayed slightly superior results than Sorab-96. The harvest-index was maximum (53.7%) for Kohat-2002 and lowest for Sorab-96 (20.9%). The average grain yield of six wheat cultivars was higher than the average grain yield of the two barley cultivars. In this investigation, wheat cultivars: Saleem-2000, Haider-2000 and Kohat-2002, produced higher (3875, 3525, 3225 kg ha -1) grain yields, respectively and are therefore, recommended for cultivation in dryland areas.
  • Authors:
    • Kahrizi, D.
    • Dehaghi, M.
    • Heidari, S.
    • Mofrad, A.
    • Azizi, K.
  • Source: African Journal of Biotechnology
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: In order to investigate the effect of intercropping and sole cropping of barley and narbon vetch with weed control and interference conditions on their qualitative and quantitative traits, this experiment was conducted with 5 levels of intercropping (seed contribution): sole cropping of narbon vetch, 75:25 (narbon vetch : barley), 50:50, 25:75 and sole cropping of barley. Two levels of weed control and weed interference in row replacement series system in the form of factorial was designed with Randomized Complete Blocked Design (RCBD) in 3 replications in the College of Agriculture, Lorestan University, from 2006-2007. Results showed that the interaction of weed and the contribution of complementary components of intercropping has significant effect on crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibers (NDF) content in barley. Maximum CP and NDF were related to sole cropping of barley (infected by weeds), and maximum CP with minimum NDF were related to (narbon vetch: barley) 75:25 treatment, so that 31% of CP decreased in sole cropping of barley (infected by weeds) when compared with 75:25 combination. NDF percentage in sole cropping increased to 16.6%, therefore 25:75 (narbon vetch: barley) combination was better than the others. So, in order to get proper percentage of protein and digestibility of forage for livestock, 75:25 (infected by weeds) combination is better, especially the combination of 25:75 (infected by weeds), due to its high protein content. The highest and lowest dry forage production of barley were related to its sole cropping (a control which is equal to 3.75 t/ha) and 75:25 barley (infected by weeds that are equal to 1.59 t/ha), respectively.
  • Authors:
    • Garcia, F.
    • Garcia, A.
    • Ernst, O.
    • Cano, J.
    • Bordoli, M.
    • Beux, L.
    • Bautes, C.
    • Barbazan, M.
    • Quincke, A.
  • Source: Agrociencia (Montevideo)
  • Volume: 15
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objectives of this study were to summarize the recent information generated in the country related to the potassium fertilization and find a tentative critical level of Potassium (K) in soil for various crops in Uruguay, using the most widely used K soil test. The data come from 50 K-response experiments in barley, wheat, corn, soybeans, sorghum, and sunflower, conducted by different working groups from 2004 to 2010, in soils with different texture and exchangeable K levels. The fertilizer rates ranged from 0 to 240 kg/ha of K 2O and in all cases the source of K was broadcasted KCl at planting date. Potassium fertilizer increased crop yield in 15 of 50 sites (Pr
  • Authors:
    • Leistrumaite, A.
    • Ceseviciene, J.
    • Kalvaityte, V.
    • Juodeikiene, G.
    • Basinskiene, L.
  • Source: Conference Proceedings of the 6th Baltic Conference on Food Science and Technology FOODBALT-2011, Jelgava, Latvia, 5-6 May, 2011. Innovations for food science and production
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Enzymes play an important role in cereal processing not only because in many instances they have an impact on processability, but also they add to final product quality. High activities of different hydrolytic enzymes could cause the losses of grain quality and lead to processing problems and unsatisfactory end-products. However, the information on the impact of various cultural practices and conditions on the variation of enzymes activity levels in cereals is rather limited. The present study is therefore aimed to compare the activity levels of most important hydrolytic enzymes (alpha-amylase, endoxylanase and protease) in wheat, barely, rye and oats grown by organic and conventional agricultural practices. To address this issue, different registered cultivars and up-and-coming lines of winter wheat (4 varieties), winter rye (3 varieties), spring barley (6 varieties), and oats (3 varieties) grown during 2009 harvest year were involved in the test: The alpha-amylase activity in organically and conventionally grown cereals varied from 224 till 1335 U (units) g -1 and from 814 till 1546 U g -1, endoxylanase activity - from 0.13 till 0.65 U g -1 and from 0.06 till 0.15 U g -1, protease activity - from 4.89 till 4.95 U g -1 and from 4.87 till 4.95 U g -1, respectively. The data demonstrated that organic wheat, rye, and oats had lower alpha-amylase activity in compare with conventional counterparts. Also organic rye, barley and oats distinguished much higher endoxylanase activity than conventional ones. Contrary tendency was found during investigation of alpha-amylase activity in barley and endoxylanase activity in wheat. Comparing protease activity, significant differences have not been found between various agricultural practices. These results warrant further studies investigating links between specific agricultural practices and enzyme activities in important food cereals.
  • Authors:
    • Stankovic, S.
    • Stojkovic, S.
    • Barac, S.
    • Deletic, N.
    • Jelic, M.
    • Biberdzic, M.
    • Stamenkovic, S.
  • Source: Research Journal of Agricultural Science
  • Volume: 43
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: This paper deals with the effect of fertilization systems on weed infestation degree and grain yield of some small grains on the vertisol soil type. The trial was set in random complete block design with three replications. The trial included control variant and three variants fertilized by mineral fertilizers, lime and manure (1. NP 1K, 2. NP 2K, and 3. NP 1K+CaCO 3+manure). Small grain crops involved in the trial were wheat, barley, triticale and rye. Results of the study showed significant effect of fertilization on decreasing weed infestation degree of the all investigated small grain crops. The highest degree of infestation by weeds (average 2.2) was observed at the variant without fertilization, while the lowest one (1.2) was found at the variant fertilized by the combination of mineral fertilizers, lime and manure. The highest degree of infestation by weeds was observed in wheat, and the lowest one in rye. Grain yield at fertilized variants was significantly higher comparing with the control variant. The highest average grain yield of the all small grains (3961 kg ha -1) was reached at the variant with combined application of mineral fertilizers, lime and manure, while the lowest one was observed at the unfertilized variant (1378 kg ha -1). Combined application of mineral fertilizers, lime and manure gave high-significantly greater grain yield in regard to mineral fertilizers alone with lower phosphorus dose. The difference between the variant with combined NPK, lime and manure and the variant NP 2K was not statistically significant. The highest average grain yield in the all variants of 3884 kg ha -1 was given by wheat, and it was high-significantly greater than in the other crops, while the lowest one (2290 kg ha -1) was observed in rye. The difference between grain yields of barley and triticale was not significant. The highest grain yield of 4770 kg ha -1 was given by wheat at the variant with combination of NPK, lime and manure. The lowest grain yield was observed in rye and it was significantly lower than in other crops at every variant, which was expected. Triticale had greater grain yield than barley at the all variants, but the difference at the variant with combination of NPK, lime and manure was not significant.
  • Authors:
    • McLean, E.
    • Mclean, K.
    • Bilski, J.
  • Source: Electronic Journal of Environmental, Agricultural and Food Chemistry
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A vegetative cover is a remedial technique utilized on coal FA landfills for soil stabilization and for the physical and chemical immobilization of contaminants. Many herbaceous plants, primarily grasses which exhibit rapid growth, are moderately resistant to environmental stress, and are therefore often used as cover crops in environmental restoration and remediation projects. However, there is a great concern, that plants planted or voluntarily growing on media with high content of FA may absorb toxic amounts of Se and/or heavy metals. If such plants are ingested, it may result in toxicity to animals and humans. Despite these objections, the utilization of FA as a growth medium for plants is an attractive alternative for disposal of FA in landfills. We hypothesized that selected plants will grow in media containing FA and/or bottom ash (BA) from several sources. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of growth media containing FA and/or BA on several cereal crop plants growth including germination, seedlings growth and heavy metals, B and Se accumulation in the seedlings. Two selected coal FA, from Montana semi-bituminous coal and from North Dakota lignite alone or in combination with BA from Montana semi-bituminous coal have been tested as plant growth media (growth media are listed in Table below) for the following plant species: barley ( Hordeum vulgare), oats ( Avena sativa), rye ( Secale cereale), wheat ( Triticum aestivum), regreen; a hybrid between wheatgrass ( Agropyron cristatum) and winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum), and triticale; a hybrid between wheat ( Triticum aestivum) and rye ( Secale cereale). The concentrations of Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Co, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sr, Ti, Tl, and V in growth media was determined, and the concentrations of the same elements in young plants was analyzed. Chemical analysis was performed using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectrophotometry (3). The data were analyzed statistically using ANOVA and Statistical Analysis System. All plant species tested in our experiments showed significant adaptability to the growth on FA based media, with no excessive accumulation of tested elements in plant seedlings. There were noticeable differences in seedlings growth, depending on the type and source of coal ash used. It suggests the necessity to perform pre-plantation tests in case of planning to provide green cover over FA piles. Large scale implementation of plant cover over coal ash landfills will require to conduct in-depth and large scale research.
  • Authors:
    • Cromey, M.
    • McKay, A.
    • Harrow, S.
    • Butler, R.
    • Bithell, S.
  • Source: Annals of Applied Biology
  • Volume: 159
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Two field trials were conducted to investigate different herbage grasses and cereals for their susceptibility to the disease take-all, for their impact on concentrations of the pathogen, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici ( Ggt), in soil and for their effect on development of take-all in a subsequent wheat crop. In the herbage grass trial, Bromus willdenowii was highly susceptible to Ggt, produced the greatest post-senescence Ggt concentrations in soil and highest incidence of take-all in following wheat crop. Lolium perenne, Lolium multiflorum and Festuca arundinacea supported low Ggt soil concentrations and fallow the least. The relationship between susceptibility to Ggt and post-senescence concentrations in soil differed between pasture grasses and cereals. In a trial in which Ggt was added to half the plots and where wheat, barley, triticale, rye or fallow were compared, the susceptibility of the cereals to take-all was not clearly linked to post-harvest soil Ggt concentrations. In particular, triticale and rye had low and negligible take-all infection respectively, but greater post-harvest soil Ggt concentrations than barley or wheat. This indicates that low Ggt concentrations on roots may build up during crop senescence on some cereals. Soil Ggt concentrations were greater following harvest in inoculated plots sown to cereals, but in the second year there was more take-all in the previously non-inoculated than inoculated plots. Thus, the grass and cereal species differed in susceptibility to take-all, in their impact on Ggt multiplication and in associated take-all severity in following wheat crop.
  • Authors:
    • Riley, H.
    • Mangerud, K.
    • Bakken, A.
    • Brandsater, L.
    • Eltun, R.
    • Fykse, H.
  • Source: European Journal of Agronomy
  • Volume: 34
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: To ensure optimum conditions for organic cereal growing, it is important to minimize both compaction and soil inversion depth. The relative effects of using light versus heavier tractors, shallow versus deeper ploughing and on-land versus in-furrow wheel placement during ploughing were investigated in three-year organic rotations dominated by cereals with naturally infested stands of perennial weeds. The second part of the experiments was carried out in continuous barley with transplanted root fragments of Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. and rhizome pieces of Elymus repens (L.) Gould. Ploughing was performed in spring under favourable weather conditions. Neither tractor weight nor wheel placement influenced decisively the numbers and above-ground biomass of perennial weeds. Depth of ploughing, on the other hand, affected both perennial weed infestation and yield levels consistently. Weed numbers and the total above-ground weed biomass were mostly 50% lower with deep ploughing (25 cm) than with shallow ploughing (15 cm). The greatest advantage of deep ploughing appeared in the control of C. arvense, which in some cases was reduced by more than 90% compared to shallow ploughing. In organic rotations dominated by cereals, therefore, combating of perennial weeds by deep ploughing may be more important than factors such as tractor weight and wheel placement.
  • Authors:
    • Brennan, E.
  • Source: Agronomy Journal
  • Volume: 103
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Cone planters (CP) uniformly distribute seed over research plots; however, preparing seed for CP by weighing is time-consuming. This study evaluated (i) the effect of seed preparation method (scooping with a calibrated cup vs. weighing) on population density of monoculture cover crops planted with a CP, (ii) time required for scooping vs. weighing, and (iii) the effect of scooping on segregation of pre-made cover crop mixtures. Monocultures included mustard [ Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.], rye ( Secale cereale L.), common vetch ( Vicia sativa L.), and faba bean ( Vicia faba L.) planted at 1*, 2*, and 4* seeding rates; 1* rates in pure live seed m -2 were 24 (faba bean), 43 (common vetch), 291 (rye), and 310 (mustard). Mixtures contained rye, oat ( Avena sativa L.), barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), faba bean, common vetch, or pea ( Pisum sativum L.), and by weight included: Mix 1 (10% rye, 90% faba bean), Mix 2 (10% oat, 90% faba bean), Mix 3 (10% barley, 90% faba bean), Mix 4 (10% common vetch, 90% rye), and Mix 5 (10% rye, 25% pea, 30% common vetch, 35% faba bean). Seed preparation method did not affect the population densities of the monocultures. Preparing seed packets was at least two times more time-consuming with the weighing than scooping method. Calibrating cups to scoop within 1% of the desired seed packet weight was not difficult. However, segregation occurred while scooping some mixtures from a bucket whereby smaller-seeded components increased with scooping depth. Simple methods to detect seed segregation in mixtures are discussed.
  • Authors:
    • Cebolla, A.
    • Torres, M.
    • Lorite, P.
    • Barro, F.
    • Lopez-Casado, M.
    • Cornell, H.
    • Lorenzo, L.
    • Real, A.
    • Comino, I.
    • Sousa, C.
  • Source: Gut
  • Volume: 60
  • Issue: 7
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Background and aims: Coeliac disease (CD) is triggered by an abnormal reaction to gluten. Peptides resulting from partially digested gluten of wheat, barley or rye cause inflammation of the small intestinal mucosa. Previous contradictory studies suggest that oats may trigger the abnormal immunological response in patients with CD. Monoclonal antibodies (moAbs) against the main immunotoxic 33-mer peptide (A1 and G12) react strongly against wheat, barley and rye but have less reactivity against oats. The stated aim of this study is to test whether this observed reactivity could be related to the potential toxicity of oats for patients with CD. Methods: In the present study, different oat varieties, controlled for their purity and by their distinct protein pattern, were used to examine differences in moAb G12 recognition by ELISA and western blot. Immunogenicity of oat varieties was determined by 33-mer concentration, T cell proliferation and interferon gamma production. Results: Three groups of oat cultivars reacting differently against moAb G12 could be distinguished: a group with considerable affinity, a group showing slight reactivity and a third with no detectable reactivity. The immunogenicity of the three types of oats as well as that of a positive and negative control was determined with isolated peripheral blood mononuclear T cells from patients with CD by measurement of cell proliferation and interferon gamma release. A direct correlation of the reactivity with G12 and the immunogenicity of the different prolamins was observed. Conclusions: The results showed that the reactivity of the moAb G12 is proportional to the potential immunotoxicity of the cereal cultivar. These differences may explain the different clinical responses observed in patients suffering from CD and open up a means to identify immunologically safe oat cultivars, which could be used to enrich a gluten-free diet.