Ergot caused by Claviceps purpurea is a problem for food and feed security in rye due to the occurrence of toxic ergot alkaloids (EAs). For grain elevators and breeders, a quick, easy-to-handle, and cheap screening assay would have a high economic impact. The study was performed to reveal (1) the covariation of ergot severity (= percentage of sclerotia in harvested grain) and the content of 12 EAs determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and (2) the covariation between these traits and results of one commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). In total, 372 winter rye samples consisting of a diverse set of genotypes, locations from Germany, Austria, and Poland over two years, and three isolates were analyzed. Ergocornine and α-ergocryptine were detected as major EAs. Ergocristinine occurred as a minor component. Claviceps isolates from different countries showed a similar EA spectrum, but different quantities of individual EAs. A moderate, positive covariation between ergot severity and EA content determined by HPLC was observed across two years (r = 0.53, p < 0.01), but large deviation from the regression was detected. ELISA values did neither correlate with the HPLC results nor with ergot severity. In conclusion, a reliable prediction of the EA content based on ergot severity is, at present, not possible.

Contamination of ergot (Claviceps purpurea) in grains continues to be a problem in outcrossing plants like rye, especially in years of favorable infection (cold, rainy) conditions. The problem is not the yield loss, but the contamination of the grains by toxic alkaloids leading to strict critical values within the European Union. This study was conducted to (1) partition the variation of genotype, inoculation treatments and environment for ergot infection of 12 winter rye genotypes, (2) the effect of varying proportions of a non-adapted restorer gene on ergot, and to (3) reveal within the genotype the relative importance of male pollen fertility and female receptivity on the ergot reaction of single crosses bearing different restorer genes. In total, 12 rye genotypes and two factorial crossing designs with each of five female and four male lines differing in their restorer genes were tested by artificial infection in up to 16 environments in four European countries. High and significant genotypic variation regarding the ergot severity and pollen-fertility restoration were observed. Furthermore significant general combining ability and specific combining ability variances and interactions with environment were obtained. The Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (

Rye stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. secalis can be found in all European rye growing regions. When the summers are warm and dry, the disease can cause severe yield losses over large areas. To date only little research was done in Europe to trigger resistance breeding. To our knowledge, all varieties currently registered in Germany are susceptible. In this study, three biparental populations of inbred lines and one testcross population developed for mapping resistance were investigated. Over 2 years, 68-70 genotypes per population were tested, each in three locations. Combining the phenotypic data with genotyping results of a custom 10k Infinium iSelect single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, we identified both quantitatively inherited adult plant resistance and monogenic all-stage resistance. A single resistance gene, tentatively named Pgs1, located at the distal end of chromosome 7R, could be identified in two independently developed populations. With high probability, it is closely linked to a nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) resistance gene homolog. A marker for a competitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (KASP) genotyping assay was designed that could explain 73 and 97% of the genetic variance in each of both populations, respectively. Additional investigation of naturally occurring rye leaf rust (caused by Puccinia recondita ROEBERGE) revealed a gene complex on chromosome 7R. The gene Pgs1 and further identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) have high potential to be used for breeding stem rust resistant rye.

The aim of this study was to assess genotype by environment interaction for grain yield, plant height and thousand-grain weight in winter triticale cultivars by the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model. The study comprised of ten winter triticale varieties i.e.: Algoso, Baltiko, Grenado, Magnat, Moderato, Pawo, Todan, Trimester, Trismart and Witon. Field trials were performed at seven locations in three years (21 environments) in a randomized complete block design, with two replicates at two levels of cultivation technology (standard – A1 and intensive – A2). Field experiments were carried out as part of Post Registration Variety Trials in Wielkopolska region. AMMI analyses revealed significant genotype and environmental effects as well as genotype by environmental interaction with respect to all three observed traits in both levels of cultivation intensity. The cultivars Algoso, Baltiko and Trimester are recommended for further inclusion in the breeding programs because of their stability and good average values of observed traits.

Sciences on the fields of the Research Institute in Swadzim. We evaluated the health of maize plants of two types, depending on the variations in mineral fertilization. The conducted research recorded the occurrence of pests such as oscinella frit (Oscinella frit L.) and the European corn borer (Pyrausta nubilalis Hbn.). Diseases recorded during the research included two pathogenes: Fusarium (Fusarium ssp.) and corn smut (Ustilago maydis Corda). It was shown that the meteorological conditions during the maize vegetation had a significant influence on the occurrence of pests. Adding potassium to mineral fertilizers increased the maize resistance to Fusarium. Cultivation of "stay-green" cultivar shall be considered as an element of integrated maize protection. The occurrence of oscinella frit was correlated with the occurrence of Fusarium as well as the occurrence of the European corn borer for both examined cultivars.

Abstract:In the three-year experiment (2006)(2007)(2008) the impact of three different spring cereals (wheat, barley, oat) and their two-and three-component mixtures were tested. The studies were carried out at two sites. The impact of mixtures on disease reduction, pests occurrence and yield height compared with pure stands were evaluated. Observations on powdery mildew occurrence during the vegetation season were done every 7-10 days. In order to compare the disease occurrence levels on different cultivars in pure stands and on their mixtures the Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) was evaluated. Based on the AUDPC values, the reduction of powdery mildew occurring in the mixtures due to epidemiological and ecological factors functioning in mixed stands were also evaluated.The occurrence of these pests: Aphidodea, Oulema spp., Agromyzidae, in spring cereals was evaluated twice in the vegetation season.Based on the obtained results, it can be stated that winter barley cultivar mixtures do reduce the powdery mildew incidence and pest occurrence compared to pure stands. Also from the results, it can be stated that winter barley cultivar mixtures can constitute an alternative way of growing winter barley, especially in low-input and ecological agriculture.The aim of the studies was to evaluate the yield through growing spring cereal mixtures. Positive effects (up to 8 dt/ha yield increase in mixtures compared to pure stands) were observed.On the base of obtained results it can be stated that spring cereal mixtures can constitute an alternative way of growing, especially in low-input and ecological agriculture.

Monoculture and use of disease resistant varieties on large scale usually leads to selection of new pathogen races able to overcome the resistance. The use of variety mixtures can significantly improve the control of the disease and provides stable yield among different environments. The objective of this study was to assess genotype by environment interaction for grain yield in spring barley genotypes grown in two places different in terms of soil and meteorological conditions by the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model. The study comprised 25 spring barley genotypes (five cultivars: Basza, Blask, Skarb, Rubinek and Antek, and 20, two-and three-component mixtures), analyzed in eight environments (compilations of two locations and four years) through field trials arranged in a randomized complete block design, with three replicates. Grain yield of the tested genotypes varied from 32.88 to 74.31 dt/ha throughout the eight environments, with an average of 54.69 dt/ha. In the variance analysis, 68.80% of the total grain yield variation was explained by environment, 6.20% by differences between genotypes, and 7.76% by genotype by environment interaction. Grain yield is highly influenced by environmental factors.

Barley powdery mildew is caused by the fungus Blumeria graminis f. sp. Hordei. Monoculture and the use of diseaseresistant varieties on large-scale usually lead to the selection of new pathogen races able to overcome the resistance. The use of variety mixtures can significantly improve the control of the disease and provides stable yield among different environments. To assess the effects of the variety mixtures of spring barley on the intensity of powdery mildew infection, we conducted field trials during four growing seasons at two locations contrasting in soil and environmental conditions. The experiments were based on five varieties of spring barley (Basza, Blask, Skarb, Rubinek, Antek) sown in pure stands as well as in their mixtures. No fungicide and insecticides were used, only herbicide protection was implemented. Our studies have shown that in both locations the intensity of the disease was reduced in varieties grown in mixtures when compared to pure stands. This confirms that cultivation of genetically diversified varieties of spring barley in mixtures provides economically and environmentally sustainable tool which allows to control powdery mildew disease.