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Effects of exogenous brassinosteroids on the starch structure, physicochemical properties and digestibility of wheat under high-temperature stress at the early grain-filling stage
Date: 2024-11-26
Status: Timeless limited access
The starch synthesis of wheat was seriously affected by high temperature stress, which affected its yield and quality. At the same time, plant hormones are often used to regulate crop production and mitigate environmental stress in times of adversity. However, whether Brassinosteroids (BRs) can alleviate the adverse effects of high-temperature stress on wheat starch and its internal mechanism are still unclear. Therefore, a two-year field experiment was carried out from 2020 to 2022 to explore the effects of exogenous BRs spraying on the wheat yield, morphological structure, and physicochemical properties of starch under high-temperature stress at the early grain-filling stage. The results showed that exogenous spraying of BRs under high-temperature stress increased the activity of key enzymes involved in starch synthesis, the contents of amylose (25.34 %) and amylopectin (11.57 %) were increased on average in two years and ultimately increased the yield. On the other hand, BRs increased the number of B-type (49.90 %) and C-type starch granules (23.19 %), decreased the number of A-type starch granules (6.38 %) under high-temperature stress, and reduced the chain length of B1 (5.04 %) and B2 (4.88 %) chains of amylopectin. Moreover, BRs decreased crystallinity (25.40 %), gelatinization enthalpy (4.76 %) and 1047/1022 cm (1.25 %), thereby improving the cooking quality of the starch. Through further analysis of the rheological properties and digestibility of starch, BRs improved the processing quality of starch and increased the content of resistant starch (RS, 15.77 %), which provided insights for the processing and utilization of food. In summary, under high-temperature stress, exogenous BRs increased wheat yield and improved starch quality. We recommend BRs as an effective management measure to mitigate high-temperature stress to cope with future climate change.
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Guide d’appui aux coopératives agricoles féminines au Maroc
Author(s): Najjar, Dina
Date: 2024-08-01
Type: Manual
Status: Open access
Ce guide s’inscrit dans le cadre de l’appui à l›ouverture des coopératives agricoles de femmes sur leur environnement externe. Il fournit quelques informations sur les formes d’appui et des exemples d’institutions offrant ces services (Etat, coopération internationale, programmes, organisations de la société civile, etc.). A noter qu’il s’agit d’un guide non exhaustif des institutions ou programmes d’appui qui ciblent les coopératives féminines agricoles et les femmes rurales, et toute institution ou programme qui n’est pas mentionné n’en diminue aucun l’importance de son rôle sur ce processus, L’objectif principal est de produire un guide facile à utiliser et de mettre en évidence la diversité de l'offre d›appui disponible pour les coopératives.Cela implique que les coopératives doivent évoluer, rechercher activement les offres de soutien ainsi que les institutions pouvant les appuyer dans leurs activités, et coordonner avec leurs homologues pour identifier de nouvelles opportunités. Le guide pourrait également servir de base à une étude incluant tous les types de soutien disponibles et leur efficacité. De plus, il devrait être régulièrement mis à jour et enrichi.
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دليل دعم التعاونيات الفلاحية النسوية بالمغرب
Author(s): Najjar, Dina (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA))
Date: 2024-08-01
Type: Manual
Status: Open access
هذا الدليل يندرج في إطار دعم انفتاح التعاونيات الفلاحية النسوية على محيطها الخارجي وتوفير بعض المعلومات حول أشكال الدعم ونماذج للمؤسسات بشتى أنواعها (مؤسسات الدولة – التعاون الدولي– مؤسسات المجتمع المدني إلخ). للإشارة، هذا دليل مختصر عن المؤسسات الداعمة والبرامج التي تستهدف التعاونيات الفلاحية النسوية والنساء القرويات. أي مؤسسة أو برنامج لم يُذكر ليس تقليلاً من أهميته، ولكن لأن الهدف هو سهولة استعمال الدليل وإبراز تعدد وتنوع العرض الداعم للتعاونيات. يفترض هذا أن تقوم التعاونيات بالبحث وطرق أبواب المؤسسات والتنسيق مع نظيراتها لإيجاد فرص أخرى، بالإضافة إلى أنه يُستحسن تحيين الدليل دوريًا. المعلومات المتوفرة في الدليل هي خلاصة المعلومات المتوفرة على المواقع الرسمية للمؤسسات والبرامج والتقارير وكذلك من بعض المستفيدين/ المستفيدات من البرامج التي تم إدراجها.
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Innovation Platforms for Agricultural Development: A Case Study of SIDS Research Station in Egypt
Date: 2024-09-01
Status: Open access
The objective of this research was to review Innovation Platforms (IPs) and their roles in agricultural development and characterize SIDS Research Station to evaluate its potential as a national IP in Egypt. Literature review results indicate that IPs have several functions to stimulate research and development around the world. For example, IPs can help test scientific ideas, technologies, and innovations. These are particularly effective when farming challenges require joint efforts of stakeholders. In this regard, IPs can help stakeholders experiment together and share knowledge, resources, benefits, and risks for issues they cannot solve on their own, and benefit from the synergistic effects of working together. The results of the research station characterization indicate that SIDS Research Station has huge potential as a national innovation platform in Egypt. Therefore, the Agricultural Research Center (ARC) of Egypt can take the initiate to set up the national IP by engaging diverse stakeholders of both public and private sector actors.
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Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) management using pheromone-based mass trapping data on summer maize at the PHI platform in Qob Elisa, Lebanon
Author(s): Kumari, Safaa; Choueiri, Elia; Moukahel, Abdulrahman; Kemal, Seid Ahmed (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), 2024-11-29)
Date: 2024-11-29
Status: Open access
The invasive pest, fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, poses a significant threat to irrigated summer maize production in Lebanon and other countries in West Asia and North Africa, endangering food security and income to farmers. A field study conducted at Qob Elias (PHI-IP site), Bekaa valley in Lebanon during the summer of 2024 to evaluate the effectiveness of insecticides based on pheromone trap to manage FAW affecting summer maize. Three maize fields were planted with imported cultivars and FAW- was monitored using specific pheromone traps to track pest dynamics. Foliar insecticides were applied based on trap data to ensure timely interventions. Results revealed that FAW population was at peak between September 10 and 29, underscoring the importance of early planting and pre-peak management. The IPM approach significantly reduced FAW damage, achieving unobservable infestation levels compared to neighboring farmers employing traditional methods. This study highlights the critical role of pheromone traps in monitoring pest populations and reducing insecticide use, offering an effective and sustainable strategy for managing FAW in Lebanese maize fields. Neighboring farmers were engaged in knowledge-sharing activities, fostering broader adoption of these IPM practices in collaboration with ICARDA and LARI scientists.