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The objective of this study was to evaluate genetic stability by determining the meiotic index (MI) and pollen viability in F1RC2 segregating populations, obtained by the crosses between wheat commercial cultivars and synthetic wheat, aimed at introgression/genetic resistance. For MI, three ears were collected per genotype, before anthesis, and they were fixed in Carnoy’s solution. The cytological slides were prepared by crushing the anthers and staining with 1% acetocarmine, and the normal tetrads and the ones with micronuclei were observed under a light microscope. For pollen viability, the ears were collected at the stage of mature pollen grain. The methodological procedure was similar to that of the tetrads, evaluating the pollen grains as viable, with little starch, with two pores, different sizes and non-viable. The pollen grain size was measured by the Axion Vision software. All the segregating populations with MI above 90% and high pollen viability (above 85%) reflected a stable meiotic behavior. About the variation in size, the CIGM90.909/BRS 179 cross showed pollen grains with 58.43 μm and CIGM93.298/BRS Guamirim, 47.15 μm. According to the results, wheat segregating populations were considered meiotically stable and suitable for use in wheat breeding programs and for incorporation of new important genes. O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a estabilidade genética, determinando-se o Índice Meiótico (IM) e a viabilidade polínica em populações segregantes F1RC2, oriundas do cruzamento entre trigos sintéticos e cultivares comerciais de trigo, que visam introgressão/resistência genética. Para o IM, três espigas foram coletadas por genótipo, antes da antese, e fixadas em Carnoy. As lâminas citológicas foram preparadas pelo método de maceração com corante carmim acético 1%, observadas em microscópio ótico e analisadas tétrades normais e com micronúcleos. Para a viabilidade polínica, as espigas foram coletadas no estágio de grãos de pólen maduro. O procedimento metodológico foi semelhante ao das tétrades, avaliando-se: grãos de pólen viáveis, com pouco amido, com presença de dois poros, tamanhos diferentes e inviáveis. O tamanho dos grãos de pólen foi medido pelo programa Axion Vision. Todas as populações segregantes apresentaram IM acima de 90% e viabilidade polínica elevada (acima de 85%), refletindo comportamento meiótico estável. Quanto à variação no tamanho, o cruzamento CIGM90.909/BRS 179 apresentou grãos de pólen com 58,43 µm e CIGM93.298/BRS Guamirim, 47,15 µm. Com base nos resultados, as populações segregantes de trigo apresentam-se meioticamente estáveis e adequadas para seguirem em programas de melhoramento de trigo e incorporação de novos genes importantes.

Background Specific studies of Brazilian wheat storage on a commercial scale on the maintenance of wheat quality are required since the continental extension of Brazil has regions of different weather and the diversity of the storage network. This study aimed to evaluate the technological quality (physicochemical and rheological), sanitary quality (insect, fungi, and mycotoxins), and dry matter loss of wheat stored in a metal silo in a commercial storage unit. Two dynamic samples, collected during loading and unloading of wheat in silos, and 4 static samples, collected using a commercial pneumatic grain sampler, were used in this study. Results Silo temperature was higher than 20 °C during the summer season. The temperature was approximately 15 °C from June to December and provided excellent conditions for grain aeration, which resulted in the maintenance of wheat quality, with no changes in hectoliter weight and rheological properties of wheat (falling number, wet gluten, and stability). The effect of Alternaria spp. (~220) and Aspergillus flavus (~7) infection on wheat did not differ statistically during the storage period, although a slight increase in A. flavus infection was noted in February (summer season). The wheat mycotoxins: deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, aflatoxins, and ochratoxin A were not detected during the studied storage period. Finally, dry matter reduced by approximately 0.4% after storage period, approximately 0.013% per month. Conclusion The management practices and climate conditions in southern Brazil provided excellent conditions for grain aeration at ambient air temperature and led to the maintenance of wheat quality during the post-harvest period. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The objective of this work was to assess the androgenic response, via microspore culture, of wheat genotypes with different levels of resistance to Gibberella zeae. The number of androgenic embryos per spike, and of green and albino plants was counted for the BRS 179 (moderately resistant), Frontana and Sumai 3 (resistant), and BRS 194, Embrapa 27, and Fielder (susceptible) genotypes. The degree of interference by the Fielder, Pavon 76, and Sumai 3 ovary-donor genotypes, used for co-culture with the microspore cells, was also assessed regarding androgenic response. Induction efficiency ranged from 0.33 embryo per spike for Embrapa 27 to 109.8 embryos for Frontana. Sumai 3 presented the second best response, and Embrapa 27 behaved as highly recalcitrant. The co-culture of ovaries from the Fielder genotype stands out from the others and positively interferes in the embryo induction rate. No significant differences were observed for the regeneration frequency of green plants; however, for albino plants, BRS 194 produced the highest rate. Frontana and Sumai 3 present the highest androgenic response rates and can be used in breeding programs for the rapid development of cultivars resistant to Gibberella zeae. Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resposta androgênica, via cultura de micrósporos, de genótipos de trigo com diferentes graus de resistência à Gibberella zeae. Contou-se o número de embriões androgenéticos por espiga, e de plantas verdes e albinas para os genótipos BRS 179 (moderadamente resistente), Frontana e Sumai 3 (resistentes), e BRS 194, Embrapa 27 e Fielder (suscetíveis). A interferência dos genótipos doadores de ovários Fielder, Pavon 76 e Sumai 3, utilizados para cocultivo das células de micrósporos, também foi avaliada na resposta androgênica. A eficiência de indução variou de 0,33 embrião por espiga para Embrapa 27 a 109,8 embriões para Frontana. Sumai 3 apresentou a segunda melhor resposta, e Embrapa 27 se comportou como altamente recalcitrante. O cocultivo de ovários do genótipo Fielder se destaca dos demais e interfere positivamente na indução dos embriões. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas para a regeneração de plantas verdes; no entanto, para plantas albinas, BRS 194 produziu as taxas mais altas. Frontana e Sumai 3 apresentam as mais elevadas taxas de resposta androgênica e podem ser explorados em programas de melhoramento para o rápido desenvolvimento de cultivares resistentes à Gibberella zeae.

In the 2001 and 2002 crop seasons, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) spikes showing symptoms similar to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) blast were collected in commercial fields in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, and Goias, Brazil, as well as in experimental plots grown by the National Wheat Research Center (Embrapa Trigo) in the counties of Passo Fundo and Tapera, RS. The characteristic symptoms such as spike tip death (Figure 1A) and bright black spots of the rachis,were associated with pear-shaped, hyaline conidia, of up to three cells, 27.06-34.44 μm long and 9.84-12.3 μm wide, inherent characteristics of the fungus Pyricularia grisea (Cooke) Saccardo synonym P. oryzae Cavara [Tel.: Magnaporthe grisea (Hebert) Barr]. Attempting to confirm this etiology, an isolation was made on potato dextrose agar (PDA), with incubation at 22 ± 2 C and 12 h under light. Microorganism sporulation was obtained according to Anjos & Charchar (Fitopatologia Brasileira 25:205. 2000). Spikes of barley BR 2 were inoculated with a spore suspension (2.5 x 10 spores ml). Two inoculation procedures were used: sprinkling spore suspension and applying drop suspension on the rachis in two opposite spikelets. Plants were kept for 24 h in a humid chamber made from semitransparent, dark polyethylene bags, in the greenhouse. The spikes were sprayed with distilled water in the morning and in the afternoon for three consecutive days to keep them wet. Characteristic disease symptoms were recorded from the twelfth day onwards (Figure 1B). Inoculation by spraying resulted in the total death of most spikes. The microorganism isolated from inoculated spikes showed characteristics of P. grisea, confirming Koch′s postulates. Pyricularia grisea affecting barley spikes in Brazil is hereby reported for the first time. FIG. 1 Barley (Hordeum vulgare) spikes affected by Pyricularia grisea: A) Symptoms in spikes under natural conditions; B) Symptoms observed in cv. BR 2 after inoculation.

Synthetic wheat is developed by crossing tetraploid species ( Triticum turgidum , AABB) with a diploid species ( Aegilops tauschii , DD), followed by chromosome duplication through the use of colchicine to restore the resultant sterile hybrid to a fertile hexaploid plant. The main importance of producing synthetically improved wheat is to increase their genetic variability and to incorporate genes that code for resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of micronuclei (MN) and the meiotic index (MI) in the tetrad phase in synthetic wheat accessions and cultivars ( Triticum aestivum ) stored at the Germplasm Bank of Embrapa Trigo (Brazil), in order to identify and select genetically stable accessions for plant improvement. Five plants were collected by genotype, prior to anthesis, and the tissues were fixed in Carnoy solution. Cytological slides were prepared by the smash method, and the cells were dyed with 1% acetocarmine and observed under an optical microscope. Presence of MN was observed in all genotypes analyzed, and variability of genetic stability was reported in the two years of analysis. In 2014, the highest MI of synthetic wheat accessions was 96.86% and the lowest was 46.32%. In 2015, the highest MI was 96.60% and the lowest was 47.96%. Based on the results, some genotypes were considered meiotically stable and suitable for use in wheat breeding programs. RESUMO: Trigos sintéticos são resultados do cruzamento entre uma espécie tetraploide ( Triticum turgidum, AABB) e uma espécie diploide ( Aegilops tauschii , DD) originando um híbrido estéril, seguido por duplicação cromossômica, por meio de colchicina, para restabelecer um trigo hexaploide fértil. A principal importância do uso de trigos sintéticos no melhoramento é que possibilitam aumentar a variabilidade genética, bem como introgredir genes de resistência a estresses bióticos e abióticos. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a presença de micronúcleos (MCN) e índice meiótico (IM) na fase de tétrades, em acessos de trigos sintéticos e cultivares testemunhas ( T. aestivum ), armazenadas no Banco de Germoplasma da Embrapa Trigo, a fim de selecionar os acessos estáveis geneticamente e disponibilizar ao melhoramento. Cinco plantas por genótipos, na fase anterior à antese, foram coletadas e fixadas em solução Carnoy. As lâminas citológicas foram preparadas pelo método de maceração e a coloração das células com carmim acético 1%. As observações foram em microscópio óptico. Observou-se a presença de micronúcleos em todos os genótipos analisados e foi encontrado variabilidade quanto à estabilidade genética nos dois anos de análises. Em 2014, o percentual máximo de IM dos acessos de trigos sintéticos foi de 96,86% e o mínimo de 46,32%. Em 2015, o percentual de IM máximo foi de 96,60% e o mínimo de 47,96%. Com base nos resultados, alguns genótipos foram considerados meioticamente estáveis e, poderão ser utilizados em programas de melhoramento genético de trigo.