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Thirteen genotypes of durum wheat were grown in two different environments in Portugal. Grain and ash mineral profile, as well as protein content, test weight, and grain ash content were evaluated. Genotype, environment, and their interaction explains the variation in the quality traits, with the environment having the highest influence. Mineral profile analysis was performed by the μ-EDXRF system: macroelements (K, P, Ca, Cl, and S) represented 99% of the total concentration detected in the grain samples, while microelements represented up to 2% of the total concentration when analyzing the ash samples (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Si, Rb, Sr, and Ti). Almost every element found in the grain and ash analysis was affected by the environment. Only K and Ca in the grain had higher concentrations in the environment with water scarcity, while the concentrations of all the detected elements except for Si and Sr were higher in the ashes in this environment. Regarding the genotype, P, S, and Cu grain concentrations were not affected by the environment. The highest grain mineral concentration was found for Gingão, suggesting a better mineral uptake and/or translocation-to-grain capacity. However, regarding the technological quality, most of the genotypes presented ash content values above the maximum specified threshold.

Mitigation practices for cereal systems, including conservation agriculture and low emission fertilization, are required to face global challenges of food security and climate change. The combination of these climate-smart approaches was investigated for durum wheat in a dry region of the Mediterranean basin in two crop seasons. The experimental design consisted in two different genotypes, Marco Aurelio (high protein content) and Saragolla (higher adaptability), subjected to no tillage (NT) vs. conventional tillage (CT) and to two fertilization strategies (standard vs. low emission plus an unfertilized control). Different environmental and economic sustainability parameters as well as two different technological and nutritional quality traits were evaluated. Saragolla showed a better environmental adaptability and a higher nitrogen use efficiency, evaluated as partial nutrient balance (+27%), and was associated with a lower protein content (14.5% vs. 15.6%). NT was associated with an improvement in yield (+15%) and quality, i.e., micronutrients (Fe, Zn) and antioxidant capacity (+15%), in the drier crop year. Low emission fertilization did not reduce crop performance and its combination with NT showed a higher economic net return. The combination of the two mitigation practices improved not only environmental and economic sustainability but also the health quality of durum wheat under water limited conditions.

Thirteen genotypes of durum wheat were grown in two different environments in Portugal. Grain and ash mineral profile, as well as protein content, test weight, and grain ash content were evaluated. Genotype, environment, and their interaction explains the variation in the quality traits, with the environment having the highest influence. Mineral profile analysis was performed by the μ-EDXRF system: macroelements (K, P, Ca, Cl, and S) represented 99% of the total concentration detected in the grain samples, while microelements represented up to 2% of the total concentration when analyzing the ash samples (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Si, Rb, Sr, and Ti). Almost every element found in the grain and ash analysis was affected by the environment. Only K and Ca in the grain had higher concentrations in the environment with water scarcity, while the concentrations of all the detected elements except for Si and Sr were higher in the ashes in this environment. Regarding the genotype, P, S, and Cu grain concentrations were not affected by the environment. The highest grain mineral concentration was found for Gingão, suggesting a better mineral uptake and/or translocation-to-grain capacity. However, regarding the technological quality, most of the genotypes presented ash content values above the maximum specified threshold.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of new-BioFertilizing Amendments (BFAs) deriving from fast organic matter decomposition of Animal ByProducts (ABPs) in comparison with ordinary soil organic amendments (compost), mineral N-fertilizers and no fertilization, on durum wheat development and production in a field trial under Mediterranean conditions. Results showed taller plants with heavier spikes and greater vigor in plots fertilized with BFAs when compared to no fertilization and N-fertilization, respectively. Likewise, BFAs fertilization resulted in higher protein content, gluten content, protein yields and higher values of yellow index with respect to no fertilization and N-fertilization. In contrast, lower values for test weight in correspondence of BFAs fertilization as well as no statistically significant differences on grain yield and gluten index were found. These preliminary results suggest that replacing N-fertilization with BFAs can be effective to ensure crop quality and yield stability in Mediterranean conditions.

The use of Precision Agriculture techniques to investigate agronomically significant soil factors and their relationship to wheat quality on a site-specific basis, was conducted during the winter 1996 wheat season in response to the growing concerns associated with wheat quality in Australia. A field of durum wheat was selected in Northern New South Wales, in which wheat and soil samples were taken from sites located within the field with the help of a Global Positioning System (GPS). Geostatistical methods were used to interpolate the data and produce maps of the field representing the spatial variability of all the soil and wheat properties. With the aid of these maps and empirical modeling techniques, relationships between the wheat and soil factors were determined. Areas within the field with lower soil profile available water capacities, caused by a combination of coarser soil texture and lower organic carbon content, probably contributed to water stress during grain-fill, which interacted with soil nitrogen to give higher protein levels. These areas of the field had lower yields and smaller 1000-kernel weights. Protein quality was found not to be compromised by increasing protein concentrations which resulted from water stress. The benefits of using precision agriculture techniques as a method for segregating wheat by protein at harvest to increase profits are described.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The prediction accuracies of genomic selection depend on several factors, including the genetic architecture of target traits, the number of traits considered at a given time, and the statistical models. Here, we assessed the potential of single-trait (ST) and multi-trait (MT) genomic prediction models for durum wheat on yield and quality traits using a breeding panel (BP) of 170 varieties and advanced breeding lines, and a doubled-haploid (DH) population of 154 lines. The two populations were genotyped with the Infinium iSelect 90K SNP assay and phenotyped for various traits. Six ST-GS models (RRBLUP, G-BLUP, BayesA, BayesB, Bayesian LASSO, and RKHS) and three MT prediction approaches (MTBayesA, MT-Matrix, and MT-SI approaches which use economic selection index as a trait value) were applied for predicting yield, protein content, gluten index, and alveograph measures. The ST prediction accuracies ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 for the various traits and models and revealed comparable prediction accuracies for most of the traits in both populations, except BayesA and BayesB, which better predicted gluten index, tenacity, and strength in the DH population. The MT-GS models were more accurate than the ST-GS models only for grain yield in the BP. Using BP as a training set to predict the DH population resulted in poor predictions. Overall, all the six ST-GS models appear to be applicable for GS of yield and gluten strength traits in durum wheat, but we recommend the simple computational models RR-BLUP or GBLUP for predicating single trait and MT-SI for predicting yield and protein simultaneously.

Agrivoltaics represents a key technology for reaching sustainable development goals by reducing the competition between land used for food, for feed, and for electricity. It has been demonstrated that Agrivoltaics can increase land productivity and play a role in the expansion of renewable energy production. This work aimed to study the yield and nutritional characteristics, as well as feeding value for ruminants of Durum wheat biomass grown under agrivoltaic. Two years of controlled experiments revealed that the reduction in light moderately limited wheat yields in the phenological phase of soft dough in standard agrivoltaic trackers (i.e. with a Ground Coverage Ratio (GCR) = 13%), otherwise under extended trackers (i.e. GCR = 41%), the yields was reduced compared to control in whole light. The digestible neutral detergent fiber evaluated after 24 h of in situ rumen incubations increased with shading, resulting in different ratios of acid detergent lignin. More shaded theses also had superior crude and soluble proteins, acid detergent-insoluble protein, acid and neutral detergent fiber than the control. The biomass in the shaded treatments showed a better Ca: P ratio for ruminant nutrition. These characteristics are strategic in forage production, allowing a more flexible harvesting strategy. This additional contribution of the nutritional characteristics of Durum wheat produced on Agrivoltaic Systems could allow a better inclusion of the different types in diets and better management of silage or hay harvesting sites. These results might be helpful in improving biomass production and give valuable information on Durum Wheat under the Agrivoltaic System.

This brief historical review focuses on durum wheat domestication and breeding in the Mediterranean region. Important milestones in durum wheat breeding programs across the countries of the Mediterranean basin before and after the Green Revolution are discussed. Additionally, the main achievements of the classical breeding methodology are presented using a comparison of old and new cultivars. Furthermore, current breeding goals and challenges are analyzed. An overview of classical breeding methods in combination with current molecular techniques and tools for cultivar development is presented. Important issues of seed quality are outlined, focusing on protein and characteristics that affect human health and are connected with the consumption of wheat end-products.

The availability and management of N are major determinants of crop productivity, but N excessive use has an associated agro-ecosystems environmental impact. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of N fertilization on yield and grain quality of 6 durum wheat genotypes, selected from 20 genotypes as high- and low-yielding genotypes. Two N levels were applied from anthesis to maturity: high (½ Hoagland nutrient solution) and low (modified ½ Hoagland with one-third of N). Together with the agronomic characterization, grain quality analyses were assessed to characterize carbohydrates concentration, mineral composition, glutenin and gliadin concentrations, polyphenol profile, and anti-radical activity. Nitrogen supply improved wheat grain yield with no effect on thousand-grain weight. Grain soluble sugars and gluten fractions were increased, but starch concentration was reduced, under high N. Mineral composition and polyphenol concentrations were also improved by N application. High-yielding genotypes had higher grain carbohydrates concentrations, while higher concentrations in grain minerals, gluten fractions, and polyphenols were recorded in the low-yielding ones. Decreasing the amount of N to one-third ensured a better N use efficiency but reduced durum wheat agronomic and quality traits.

Revival of natural colorants in textile dyeing is one of the important strategies to reduce synthetic chemical-based environmental pollution. The study has been conducted to explore the coloring potential of durum ( Triticum durum Desf . ) and bread ( Triticum astivum L.) wheat husk for fabric dyeing. The results showed that both wheat species husk could be an excellent source of natural dye, if extracted in alkaline medium. It has been observed that durum wheat husk based dye worked best at 70°C with a pH 11.0 and salt concentration of 8.0 g/100 ml of solution. Similarly, alkaline extract of bread wheat husk worked better at 80°C with dyeing solution pH 9.0 and salt concentration of 8.0 g/100 ml. Bio-mordanting experiments results revealed pomegranate rind (7%) as most effective bio-mordant to obtain high color strength of wheat husk treated fabric. In chemical-mordanting, tannic acid (5%) as pre-mordant and chrome (5%) as post-mordant have improved the color strength more than all other quantities of employed mordants. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of flavonoids as major colorant compounds in wheat husk–based natural dye. Suggested ISO standards for colorfastness illustrated good color strength ratings of husk-based dyed fabric when treated with bio-mordants as compared to chemical counterparts. Hence, husk of both bread and durum wheat species has great potential to be used as source of eco-friendly natural colorant for cotton dyeing.