The finding from this study can be used in wheat nitrogen use efficiency based on the different NAM gene allelic composition. In addition, molecular makers for the NAM genes will be developed for wheat breeding program.

Discovery and utilisation of drought-resistant gene resources from wheat-related species may be effective in mitigating drought and decreasing yield loss. We used a comparative proteome approach to identify potential drought-resistant proteins from a wheat–Haynaldia villosa 6VS/6AL translocation line. Our result indicated that H. villosa has potential gene resources for wheat drought-resistance improvement.

Winter wheat yields in dryland agricultural regions are limited by water shortages, and mulching is an approach to ameliorate the effects of water deficits. This study examines the effects of subsoil plastic mulch on agronomic traits of winter wheat under rainfed conditions. This mulch treatment improved winter wheat yield and water use efficiency by increasing biomass, demonstrating that the treatment offers practical benefits for growing winter wheat in rainfed regions.

Abiotic stress can change anthocyanin biosynthesis and grain weight of purple wheat. The results revealed the varying relationship between anthocyanin accumulation and grain weight under five abiotic stress factors and the effects of abiotic stress on them. It laid the foundation for further study on defence-responsive molecular mechanisms of abiotic stress in purple wheat.

Scarce of rainfalls and high temperatures during grain filling period can cause significant yield losses in barley. Comparing different barley spikes for yield we found better stability of six-row type and better drought tolerance of two-row types. Barley’s ability to adapt to abiotic stresses will be crucial to its future exploitation.

Lactobacillus plantarum QZ227 and commercial L. plantarum FG1 were used as inoculum. The effects of inoculum dosage on the fermentation quality of oat and wheat silage at ambient temperature and at 4°C were investigated, Little or no improvement in silage quality occurred upon increasing the inoculum dosage at ambient temperature, while a lower pH and NH₃-N content, and a higher LAB count and lactic acid content, were observed at 4°C.

Breeding for improved blanchability is a priority in peanut breeding programs because easy removal of the testa, or skin, from kernels is required for processing of peanuts into peanut butter and other products. The study aimed to develop simple phenotypic screening methods for blanchability, along with assessing optimal selection strategies for this trait. Our results show that the blanchability trait is simply inherited and can be effectively selected for in single plants in a limited number of environments.

Soluble sugar content in silique wall and seeds of Brassica napus (rapeseed) has significant effects on seed oil formation and accumulation. We conducted field experiments to understand the relationship between soluble sugar contents in seeds and silique wall and oil concentration in B. napus. The C : N ratio and soluble sugar content in silique wall were found to have an important role in regulating seed oil concentration, and excessive N application significantly reduced seed oil concentration.

Seventeen quinoa accessions grouped according to seed colour (ochre, yellow) and previously selected for their potential value to breeding programs were phenotyped and compared with a commercial cultivar, with the aim to identify elite genotypes for high yields of quality seed. The results confirm the presence of at least four elite accessions that show promise for direct use in future selection programs to develop high-yielding varieties well adapted to the Mediterranean environment.