Toxin Accumulation in Avena Species after Different Spray Inoculation by Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum

Avena spp. were artificially inoculated with Fusarium culmorum Sacc. (FC) and F. graminearum Schwabe (FG) causing Fusarium head blight (FHB). This disease is often accompanied by the accumulation of Fusarium mycotoxins mainly deoxynivalenol (DON) in grains. The contaminated grains with this mycotoxin are toxic to their consumers. Genotypes Avena spp. with low DON accumulation in grains can be used as genetic resources suitable for the formation of new resistant varieties of oats against FHB caused by fungi FC and FG. The aim was to find out and to compare the potential for mycotoxin accumulation in grains between genotypes of Avena spp. after artificial inoculation panicles by FC and FG using three spray methods and identify genotypes of Avena (A. abyssinica, A. byzantina, A. canariensis, A. fatua, A. ludoviciana, A. nuda, A. sativa, A. sterilis, A. strigosa) with low toxin accumulation in whole grain. The average accumulations of DON in the grains of Avena spp. gradually increased from the spray inoculation (0.68 mg · kg−1), spray + polyethylene (PE) bag cover 24 hrs (2.75 mg · kg−1) and spray + PE bag/48 hrs. (9.46 mg · kg−1) methods. We found out that after application of each used method, the high DON accumulation in grains was found in A. canariensis, and low DON levels were found in A. byzantine and A. sterilis

Flower density and winter damage of apricot and peach varieties

Hungary is located on the northern boundary of economical apricot and peach production. The present assortment of varieties and the actual, not adequately selected growing sites cause a permanent risk of winter and spring frosts in their cultivation. The field observations are performed at Debrecen, the Experiment Station Pallag, on 20 apricot and 21 peach varieties. The flower density among the varieties attained 3-4-fold differences. Three categories have been suggested for both species. The density was inferior in Hungary established varieties compared with the new varieties of foreign origin. The minimum temperatures of January 9, 2009 was –17,6 °C , and of December 21, 2009 also –17,6 °C. In some varieties the damage of buds attained 100%. For estimating the yield security, we need to consider also the flower density and the frost damage together. For a mediocre yield, we need a flower density in both species of at least 0.2 living bud/cm. The results confirm the statement that in Hungary, the revision of growing sites is indispensable in order to develop a profitable and competitive apricot and peach growing industry

Agronomic characteristics of the spring forms of the wheat landraces (einkorn, emmer, spelt, intermediate bread wheat) grown in organic farming

Organic farmers look to the possibilities of growing neglected crops, such as the spring forms of hulled wheat – einkorn, emmer and spelt – for support in developing the organic farming system. In 2008, 169 landraces from the gene bank at the Crop Research Institute in Prague were tested on certifi ed organic plots. The experiment was aimed at fi nding suitable varieties for the organic farming system. In summary, our fi ndings show that einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) and emmer wheat [Triticum dicoccum Schrank (Schuebl)] are resistant to powdery mildew and brown rust, spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) is less resistant to these two diseases, and the intermediate forms of bread wheat are very sensitive to such infestation. The varieties evaluated incline to lodging, as they have long and weak stems. Einkorn and emmer wheat have short and dense spikes and a low thousand grains weight, whereas spelt wheat has long and lax spikes. The level of the harvest index is low. Potentially useful varieties were found during the fi eld experiment and evaluation, and our future efforts will therefore focus on improving resistance to lodging and increasing the productivity of the spike

Deoxynivalenol in wheat from the growing areas of Slovakia

The contamination level of grain samples by Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol in the grains of wheat grown in different growing areas of Slovakia between 2004 and 2006 was investigated. DON content was analysed in 139 wheat samples from the maize, sugar beet and potato growing areas. The highest mean DON content was found in the potato growing area and lowest in the maize growing area. There was a positive correlation between DON content and rainfall in the growing areas. A negative correlation was found between the content of DON and temperature. The limit specified by the EU 1.25 mg kg −1 DON content exceeded 9.3% of the samples from the maize growing area, 5% from the sugar beet growing area and 14.3% from the potato growing area. The results show the tendency of increasing toxin contamination of wheat grown from the maize and potato growing areas and also the need for more information on the problem about the distribution of Fusarium mycotoxins in wheat grown in Slovakia

Wheat varieties released in Slovakia and their bread-making quality

The main goal of our work was to determine the composition of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) in 84 cultivars of common wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) originating from eight European countries and registered in Slovakia. Eleven alleles and 18 allelic compositions were detected. The most frequent HMW-GS patterns were “Null”, 7 + 9, 5 + 10 and “Null”, 7 + 8, 5 + 10 which were observed in twenty-seven (31%) and fourteen (16.1%) cultivars, respectively. The allele 5 + 10, which has the strongest association with good bread-making quality, was present in 75% of analysed accessions. The wheat-rye 1BL/1RS translocation was identified in eleven cultivars

Allelic variation of HMW Glutenin subunits and 1BL.1RS translocation in Slovak common wheats

High molecular weight glutenin and 1BL.1RS translocation employing the standard sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS-PAGE) and acid (A-PAGE) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis methods were classified in 43 Slovak wheat cultivars registered between 1976 and 2006. Total number of 9 alleles was detected at all Glu-1 loci. The most frequent HMW-GS alleles were “Null” for Glu-1A , 7+9 for Glu-1B and 5+10 for Glu-1D , respectively. At the same time these alleles also constituted the most frequent HMW-GS genotype and phenotype-0, 7+9, 5+10. Such HMW-GS combination was found in 48.8% of all genotypes analyzed in Triticum aestivum L. ssp. aestivum . Eleven different HMW-GS genotype-phenotype combinations were found, occurring at various frequencies

MARKER ASSISTED SELECTION (MAS) FOR DEVELOPMENT OF BARLEY AND WHEAT LINES WITH REQUESTED TRAITS

Molecular markers closely linked to interesting genes enable early, proper and fast detection of plant individuals with desired allele during backcross breeding, what can make plant breeding faster and cheaper. We are focused on molecular breeding of barley and wheat lines for disease resistance and some important quality traits. As acceptors of interesting genes we use especially elite Slovak and Czech cultivars and lines. After five backcross generations with the help of MAS new created lines carrying markers linked to desired genes undergo resistance, agronomic and technological tests. In breeding of winter barley for resistance to BaYMV/BaMMV viruses we use codominant STS and SSR markers linked to rym4 and rym11 resistance genes. Cultivar Romanze has been used as a donor of rym4 gene and landrace Russia57 as gene rym11 donor. In spring barley we are focused on transfer of Yd2 gene from landraces Shannon and Sutter resistant to BYDV by use of dominant ASPCR marker. We are also working on transfer of effective leaf rust resistance genes Lr19, Lr24 derived from Thinopyrum ponticum and gene Lr35 from Aegilops speltoides into hexaploid wheat by use of dominant STS and SCAR markers. Near isogenic lines with these genes are used in gene pyramiding to develop a single line with all three genes. By use of protein markers we develop near isogenic wheat lines for higher sedimentation values, higher dough strength and better breadmaking quality. These are lines with new combination of HMW glutenin subunits (21*, 7+8, 5+10) as well as wheat lines with new unknown HMW-GS and with new HMW-GS pair

Effects of fertilizers and fungicides applied in various doses and combinations on baking characteristics of wheat

Experiments were carried out with wheat varieties GK Garaboly, GK Kalász, GK Verecke, GK Petur sown at the Öthalom experimental station of the Cereal Research Non-Profit Ltd. in monoculture, in a four-parallel random block design. NPK fertilizer treatments of different level were combined with Artea + Amistar Xtra fungicide treatments of increasing doses and spectrum.The fertilizer and fertilizer + fungicide treatments had a statistically reliable effect at the 0.1% level on the technological water absorption only while it was indifferent on the values such as wet gluten content, gluten spreading, baking value and falling number. On annual level reliable treatment × variety interactions could be detected for each characteristic compared to control.Increasing fertilizer doses tendentiously improved the values of wet gluten, baking value and technological water absorbance. In the case of certain treatment combinations, however, these values exhibited a tendentious decrease as the counter-effect of fungicides applied at the heading stage of development. Our results revealed that the baking quality of grains was determined by the common effect of various doses of fertilizers and fungicides Artea and Amistar Xtra applied at heading. This counter-effect proved to be unfavourable in the case of certain baking characteristics.Six different alleles or allelic pairs were revealed in the sample of genotypes — 1, 2* (locus Glu-A1), 6 + 8, 7 + 8 and 7 + 9 (locus Glu-B1) and 5 + 10 (Glu-D1). Quality scores for the wheat cultivar varied from 8 to 10. Cultivar GK Kalász had the highest quality score 10