Field studies were conducted to determine the potential for alterations in physiology and the intraspecific variation in sensitivity of 20 wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars to enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280-315 nm) radiation. The supplemental UV-B radiation was 5 kJ m(-2), simulating a depletion of 20% stratospheric ozone. Out of 20 wheat cultivars (from South China, North China and Mexico...

ERECTA encodes a receptor-like kinase and is proposed as a candidate for determining transpiration efficiency of plants. Two genes homologous to ERECTA in Arabidopsis were identified on chromosomes 6 (TaER2) and 7 (TaER1) of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), with copies of each gene on the A, B and D genomes of wheat. Similar expression patterns were observed for TaER1 and TaER2 with relative...

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum Desf.) Line 149 contains two novel major genes for excluding Na(+) from leaf blades, named Nax1 and Nax2. The genes were separated into families containing a single gene and near-isogenic homozygous lines were selected. Lines containing either Nax1 or Nax2 had lower rates of Na(+) transport from roots to shoots than their near-isogenic pairs due to...

Iron (Fe) uptake in graminaceous plant species occurs via the release and uptake of Fe-chelating compounds known as mugineic acid family phytosiderophores (MAs). In the MAs biosynthetic pathway, nicotianamine aminotransferase (NAAT) and deoxymugineic acid synthase (DMAS) enzymes catalyse the formation of 2'-deoxymugineic acid (DMA) from nicotianamine (NA). Here we describe the identification an...

Heavy nitrogen (N) application to gain higher yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) resulted in increased production cost and environment pollution. How to diminish the N supply without losing yield and/or quality remains a challenge. To meet the challenge, we integrated and expressed a tobacco nitrate reductase gene (NR) in transgenic wheat. The 35S-NR gene was transferred into two winter cult...

Residue from cultivars of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), winter wheat, and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was characterized for fiber and nutrient traits using reference methods and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Calibration models were developed for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), carbon (C), sulfur (S), nitrogen (N), and C:...

Rhopalosiphum padi L. causes significant damage to winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), even without obvious aboveground symptoms of injury. Our objectives were to develop a juvenile-plant bioassay for bird cherry-oat aphid (BCOA) resistance that allows rapid phenotypic differentiation. Central features of the bioassay include root and shoot weight measurements of 3-week-old seedlings produced ...

Agronomic biofortification of crops is a promising approach that can improve the nutritional value staple foods by alleviating dietary micronutrient deficiencies. Iodine deficiency prevalent in many countries, including Australia, but it not clear what foliar application strategies will be effective for iodine fortification grain. This study hypothesised combining adjuvants with sprays would pe...