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Tef research has little benefited from omics due to neglect of the crop by the global scientific community. However, the few utilized tools showed promising results. Chromosome-scale assembly of the genome reveals the evolution of tef. The whole-genome sequencing of drought-resurrecting Eragrostis nindensis and desiccation-sensitive Eragrostis curvula shows genes that play key roles in drought responses. A few studies using omics tools have revealed differentially expressed genes, proteins, and metabolites in tef plants exposed to drought. Molecular markers have deciphered diversity in tef germplasm collected from diverse agroecologies in Ethiopia. The application of targeting induced local lesions in genomes resulted in mutant tef lines with a semidwarf stature, which were later bred to locally adapted and high-yielding varieties. Genome editing using 'Green Revolution' genes resulted in a semidwarf and lodging-tolerant tef plant. Tef or teff [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a cereal crop indigenous to the Horn of Africa, where it is a staple food for a large population. The popularity of tef arises from its resilience to environmental stresses and its nutritional value. For many years, tef has been considered an orphan crop, but recent research initiatives from across the globe are helping to unravel its undisclosed potential. Advanced omics tools and techniques have been directed toward the exploration of tef's diversity with the aim of increasing its productivity. In this review, we report on the most recent advances in tef omics that brought the crop into the spotlight of international research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teff (Eragrostis tef) is a staple crop and holds the biggest share of grains cultivated area in Ethiopia, consequently, a large quantity of Teff straw is produced. The Teff straw was pretreated for the first time with Chromium-based Metal-Organic Framework, MIL-101(Cr), assisted hydrothermal method at temperatures ranging from 160 to 240 °C for 1/2, 1, or 2 h time independently. With an increase of pretreatment severity, the yield of total reducing sugar (TRS) was increased until reaching maximum (185 mg g−1). The identified optimum hydrothermal pretreatment condition, (180 °C and 1 h), had a feature of higher TRS yield and lower furfural concentration. The morphological analysis showed that treated Teff straw had degraded structure, higher surface area, and distorted bundles than native Teff straws. This study insight into MOFs’ application in lignocellulose biomass processing, and optimizing the pretreatment condition of Teff straw biomass.

The market for gluten-free products is experiencing significant growth due to the increase in the number of gluten/wheat affected patients diagnosed, but largely as a result of the emergence of a new niche market dedicated for consumers who optionally avoid gluten. Native flours are perceived as viable alternative for industrially used starch and hydrocolloids blends, mainly due to their lack of vitamins and minerals, which are abundant in non-refined raw materials. Edible inks for on-demand printing are under significant consideration, while texture building capacity remains an issue. As heat-moisture treatment has proved to be useful for stabilizing the pasting and rheological behavior of various native flours, HMT supported by microwave heating was investigated as printable ink stabilizers. For Spanish and Polish buckwheat flours and two different varieties of teff (white and brown) flour pasting, structural and textural characteristics after the microwave supported heat moisture treatment in 30% of initial moisture content were evaluated. The peak viscosity was reduced by 54% and 60% for Polish and Spanish flour, respectively, while for teff, the reduction was 15% and 43% for the white and brown varieties, respectively. Significant improvement in viscoelastic modulus G' (for Polish and Spanish buckwheat flour, 32% and 16%, respectively; for white and brown tef varieties, 14% and 18%, respectively) was observed for all the treated samples regardless of the species or variety; this resulted in better performance during 3D printing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Global demand for gluten‐free products is rising, however, currently most lack protein and are nutritionally insufficient. Tef and fonio, two nutritious gluten‐free cereals might provide a good alternative. To evaluate their composition, a detailed profiling of their free amino acid (AA) and phenolic composition was performed, using UPLC‐QqQ‐MS/MS, in addition to TPC and antioxidant activity. Grain morphology was also investigated. Our results reveal the presence of 18 AAs, including all essential, in both tef and fonio. l‐asparagine and l‐tryptophan were the most abundant, whereas cysteine and glutamine were absent. Levels of lysine were sufficient (4.39 and 6.72 mg g−1 DW for tef and fonio, respectively), but levels of methionine in fonio were low (0.45 mg g−1 DW). TPC was 0.87 and 0.38 mg GAE g−1 DW in tef and fonio, respectively. Eleven phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in both cereals, ranging from 2246 μg g−1 DW to trace levels, with higher levels observed in tef. ABTS Antioxidant activity was 0.25 and 0.15 mg TE g−1 DW for tef and fonio, respectively, typical for cereals and millets. Overall, our work implies that tef and fonio can make a healthful contribution to human nutrition, and specifically be incorporated into gluten‐free diet to increase protein and polyphenol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the yield and quality of Italian ryegrass and tef plant were compared according to their sowing at different times, and the potential of using tef plant instead of Italian ryegrass, whose development slows down especially during the hot summer period, was revealed. This study was conducted in 2020 to determine the herbage yield and quality of tef and Italian ryegrass sown at different times as summer crops under Konya conditions. The experiment was established according to the randomized block design with 3 replications. Italian ryegrass and two tef plant cultivars were sown at three different times on May 1, June 1 and July 1. As a result of the study, plant height 75.4 -- 84.6 cm, stem thickness 1.70 -- 2.15 mm, green grass yield 5152.2 -- 7555.8 kg da--1, dry grass yield 1458.6 -- 2390.7 kg da-1, dry matter rate 25.98% -- 32.14%, dry matter yield 1335.0 -- 2176.2 kg da-1, crude protein rate 6.12% -- 8.55%, crude protein yield 108.3 -- 149.7 kg da-1 in tef; plant height 35.9 -- 88.9 cm, stem thickness 2.44 -- 3.73 mm, green grass yield 739.2 -- 4604.2 kg da-1, dry grass yield 221.4 -- 952.6 kg da-1, dry matter rate 14.73% -- 30.13%, dry matter yield 221.4 -- 952.6 kg da-1da, crude protein rate 9.45% -- 11.19%, crude protein yield 20.9 -- 149.7 kg da-1 in Italian ryegrass. As a result of the study, tef, which is a warm climate plant, yielded more than Italian ryegrass in terms of green grass, dry matter and crude protein in summer sowing dates under Central Anatolian conditions. The crude protein ratios of Italian ryegrass varieties were higher than the crude protein ratios of tef varieties. It was determined that summer sowing was not suitable for Italian ryegrass cultivars used in the study. In Central Anatolian conditions, Tef plant reaches harvest maturity within 55-65 days after sowing. In Central Anatolian conditions, tef can be mowed twice and give a good yield even when sown on July 1 as a second crop. It would be appropriate to conduct similar studies with more tef varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: Salinity induced metabolite responses resulted in differential accumulation of flavonoids and antioxidant metabolites in shoots and roots suggesting improved antioxidant capacity in providing salt-adaptive phenotype of tef seedling. Tef [(Eragrostis tef) (Zucc.) Trotter] is an important ‘cash crop’ of Ethiopia grown mainly for human food, and development of elite tef cultivars with better performance is vital to Ethiopian farmers and breeders. Soil salinity is one of the key constraints that affects tef yield in the Ethiopian lowlands and Rift valley where cultivation of tef is limited. Being a minor crop, the responses of tef towards salinity is unknown. Salinity involves physiological and metabolite reprogramming that can have major impact on germination and seedling establishment. Here we evaluate the in vitro effect of NaCl on tef germination and associate this with metabolomic approaches to suggest salt tolerance mechanisms. In this study, 19 tef varieties were screened for NaCl tolerance and were investigated using untargeted metabolomics. Screened tef varieties showed differential germination rates with NaCl treatment varying from < 20 to 100%. Viable seedlings exposed to NaCl exhibited purple-red pigment accumulation in the roots except for Beten and Tullu nasy varieties. Metabolite comparisons between shoots and roots showed significant differences and, in particular, roots of salt tolerant tef varieties accumulated flavonoid derivatives as well as sugars and cell wall associated metabolites. These metabolic changes were correlated with patterns of antioxidant capacities and total flavonoid content in shoots and roots and suggested a mitigating response by tef to salinity. Our study highlights the role of flavonoid accumulation following salt stress on tef seedlings and further these findings could be used as targets for selective tef breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tef (Eragrostis tef) is an orphan crop that is widely grown in East Africa, primarily in Ethiopia as a staple crop. It is becoming popular in the Western world owing to its nutritious and gluten-free grains and the forage quality of its biomass. Tef is also considered to have a high antioxidant capacity based on cell-free studies. However, the antioxidant activity of tef has never been validated using a physiologically relevant cell model. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity of tef grain extracts using a mammalian cell model. We hypothesized that the tef grain extracts are capable of modulating the cellular antioxidant response via the modulation of glutathione (GSH) biosynthetic pathways. Therefore, we evaluated the antioxidant activity of purified tef grain extracts in the human acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) cell line. Our findings revealed that the organic fraction of grain extracts increased the cellular GSH level, which was more evident for brown-colored tef than the ivory variety. Moreover, a brown-tef fraction increased the expressions of GSH-pathway genes, including γ-glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) and modifier (GCLM) subunits and glutathione reductase (GR), an enzyme that plays a key role in GSH biosynthesis, suggesting that tef extracts may modulate GSH metabolism. Several compounds were uniquely identified via mass spectrometry (MS) in GSH-modulating brown-tef samples, including 4-oxo-β-apo-13-carotenone, γ-linolenic acid (methyl ester), 4,4′-(2,3-dimethyl-1,4-butanediyl)bis-phenol (also referred to as 8,8′-lignan-4,4′-diol), and (3β)-3-[[2-[4-(Acetylamino)phenoxy]acetyl]oxy]olean-12-en-28-oic acid. Tef possesses antioxidant activity due to the presence of phytochemicals that can act as direct antioxidants, as well as modulators of antioxidant-response genes, indicating its potential role in alleviating diseases triggered by oxidative stresses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report revealing the antioxidant ability of tef extracts in a physiologically relevant human cell model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa has a rich diversity of indigenous crops whose commercial and economic value have been underutilized. Eragrostis tef is a crop with great potential for production and commercialization in Ethiopia. The nutritional and curative values of tef are recognized not only in Ethiopia but also in the global market. Economically, tef and its value chain are a source of livelihood for more than six million small-scale Ethiopian farmers. Its large-scale commercialization has the potential to transform the livelihoods of many impoverished people. However, little research has been conducted to assess Ethiopian consumers' attitudes toward tef products. The objective of this study is to understand product attributes that would affect consumer purchasing decisions. The study is based on pasta and baby food, the two most important products that could be made out of tef. The attributes analyzed are the inclusion of tef in the products, price, organic certification, and brand origin. The study relies on survey data that were randomly collected from 318 respondents and secondary data from the central statistical agency. The attributes were subjected to conjoint analysis, a method that is commonly used in consumer market research with hypothetical products consisting of multiple attributes to understand customers' preference for different components of the product. The results of the analysis show that the inclusion of tef flour in the products is the most important factor consumers would consider when buying pasta or baby food. Further, consumers are interested in brand origin as they have a strong inclination to buy domestic brands and prefer products with organic certification. In the case of baby food, Ethiopians are likely to buy products containing more tef flour, packaged in sealed can rather than a paper bag, and concentrated in iron or protein. However, they are less willing to pay a premium even for products they perceive to be of greater utility. The preference for domestic brands and processed food with tef implies that there is opportunity for local brands to grow if they can understand and satisfy consumer expectations. It also means that consumers are interested in business practices that promote sustainable livelihoods. Overall, these findings suggest the potential for commercialization of tef products in Ethiopia and that the development of its value chain could combat nutritional deficiencies in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement Summary Crop diversification is considered key to ensuring agricultural sustainability and food security. Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is a cereal crop grown mainly in Ethiopia, where it thrives in a wide range of environments, including stress‐prone habitats. It is considered a promising new crop and is gaining popularity in cultivation and in research worldwide. Lodging, the greatest factor limiting tef productivity and its wide adoption, was targeted in this study. The results highlight the central role of root traits in tef lodging, thus paving the way to reducing lodging and improving tef productivity, crop diversification, and food security. Lodging is the most prominent yield‐restricting problem in tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) cultivation, responsible for 30%–50% yield loss. A significant advance in lodging resistance has been achieved in various cereals by reducing plant height. In this study, we investigated the role of crown root morphology and anatomy, rather than plant height, in tef lodging. Twenty‐eight tef lines, representing a wide diversity in lodging tendencies and major phenotypic traits, were tested under two field environments to investigate tef lodging and related traits. Four selected lines were subjected to more intense sampling as well as anatomical analysis of crown roots. In both field studies, taller lines were associated with greater lodging shortly before flowering, but not at plant maturity, whereas crown root diameter exhibited an association with reduced lodging, which became highly significant at maturity. Moreover, a greater proportion of root cortical aerenchyma developed in lodging‐susceptible genotypes, possibly reducing plant anchorage. A positive association between grain yield and lodging presents a major challenge for tef breeding. Our results suggest that root traits play a central role in tef lodging responses. We propose that semi‐dwarfism should be complemented by targeting root traits, to promote lodging resistance in tef. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demonstrated limitations in the mineral and nutritional composition of refined flours have led to calls for the possibility of enriching them with health-promoting supplements, such as high-value non-cereal seeds. Teff and watermelon seeds have been found suitable for the production of gluten-free flour, but so far, their potential to enrich conventional baking flours has not been comprehensively studied. Hence, the present study aimed at farinographic evaluation of dough based on refined wheat flour with additions of whole white teff (TF) and watermelon seed (WSF) and pomace (DWSF) flours (tested levels 10%, 20%, and 30%), as well as possibly extensive chemical characterization of the plant material tested, including LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, total phenolics, flavonoids, melatonin, and antioxidant potential. Most of the rheological traits were improved in the flour mixtures compared to the base white flour: development time and quality number (above 1.6-fold increase), softening and stability time (up to 1.3-fold change), and water absorption (up to 6%). Overall, the best results were achieved after the addition of watermelon seed pomace. The DWSF material was characterized by the highest levels of P, Mg, Na (7.5, 1.7, 0.4 g/kg, respectively), and Fe and Zn (124 and 27 mg/kg), while TF was the richest in Ca (0.9 g/kg) and Mn (43 mg/kg). Protein and fat levels were significantly higher in watermelon seeds compared to teff (about double and up to 10-fold, respectively). Phytochemical analyses highlighted the abundance of phenolics, especially flavones, in TF, WSF and DWSF flours (244, 93, and 721 mg/kg, respectively). However, the value of total polyphenols was low in all materials (<2 mg GAE/g), which also correlates with the low antioxidant potential of the samples. Watermelon seed pomace was characterized by significantly higher melatonin concentration (60 µg/kg) than teff (3.5 µg/kg). This study provides new information on the chemical composition and application opportunities of teff and watermelon seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market for gluten-free products is experiencing significant growth due to the increase in the number of gluten/wheat affected patients diagnosed, but largely as a result of the emergence of a new niche market dedicated for consumers who optionally avoid gluten. Native flours are perceived as viable alternative for industrially used starch and hydrocolloids blends, mainly due to their lack of vitamins and minerals, which are abundant in non-refined raw materials. Edible inks for on-demand printing are under significant consideration, while texture building capacity remains an issue. As heat-moisture treatment has proved to be useful for stabilizing the pasting and rheological behavior of various native flours, HMT supported by microwave heating was investigated as printable ink stabilizers. For Spanish and Polish buckwheat flours and two different varieties of teff (white and brown) flour pasting, structural and textural characteristics after the microwave supported heat moisture treatment in 30% of initial moisture content were evaluated. The peak viscosity was reduced by 54% and 60% for Polish and Spanish flour, respectively, while for teff, the reduction was 15% and 43% for the white and brown varieties, respectively. Significant improvement in viscoelastic modulus G’ (for Polish and Spanish buckwheat flour, 32% and 16%, respectively; for white and brown tef varieties, 14% and 18%, respectively) was observed for all the treated samples regardless of the species or variety; this resulted in better performance during 3D printing.

Abstract Crop germplasm collections are a key asset to support the resilience and productivity of cropping systems worldwide. In their diversity lays an oftentimes untapped reservoir of alleles that may enable breeding strategies targeting local adaptation, resulting in enhanced performance and higher varietal uptake. In the past five decades, the national genebank of Ethiopia actively collected and conserved thousands of teff (Eragrostis tef) accessions, a staple crop throughout the Horn of Africa at the basis of countless cultural uses and with high market relevance. This review article emphasizes the breeding significance of teff genetic resources, highlighting current challenges in teff farming and improvement that could be addressed further valorising germplasm collections. We collect data generated on the largest teff ex situ collections in the world to discuss opportunities to improve teff tolerance to stress and lodging, as well as to increase its productivity across its cropping area. In doing so, we highlight and critically revise current and past literature tapping in teff diversity to support teff improvement. This review starts providing a summary of teff characteristics, detailing the status and challenges of teff cultivation and breeding. It then follows describing the diversity existing in teff diversity collections and its relevance for teff improvement. The review concludes describing the molecular studies undertook on teff in the past two decades, highlighting the perspectives of molecular breeding for teff. The body of knowledge available on teff shows that there is large potential for improvement of this crop to target smallholder farming systems as well as international markets, and that improvement may start from the large diversity available in teff collections.

Tef (Eragrostis tef) is an orphan crop that is widely grown in East Africa, primarily in Ethiopia as a staple crop. It is becoming popular in the Western world owing to its nutritious and gluten-free grains and the forage quality of its biomass. Tef is also considered to have a high antioxidant capacity based on cell-free studies. However, the antioxidant activity of tef has never been validated using a physiologically relevant cell model. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity of tef grain extracts using a mammalian cell model. We hypothesized that the tef grain extracts are capable of modulating the cellular antioxidant response via the modulation of glutathione (GSH) biosynthetic pathways. Therefore, we evaluated the antioxidant activity of purified tef grain extracts in the human acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) cell line. Our findings revealed that the organic fraction of grain extracts increased the cellular GSH level, which was more evident for brown-colored tef than the ivory variety. Moreover, a brown-tef fraction increased the expressions of GSH-pathway genes, including γ-glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) and modifier (GCLM) subunits and glutathione reductase (GR), an enzyme that plays a key role in GSH biosynthesis, suggesting that tef extracts may modulate GSH metabolism. Several compounds were uniquely identified via mass spectrometry (MS) in GSH-modulating brown-tef samples, including 4-oxo-β-apo-13-carotenone, γ-linolenic acid (methyl ester), 4,4′-(2,3-dimethyl-1,4-butanediyl)bis-phenol (also referred to as 8,8′-lignan-4,4′-diol), and (3β)-3-[[2-[4-(Acetylamino)phenoxy]acetyl]oxy]olean-12-en-28-oic acid. Tef possesses antioxidant activity due to the presence of phytochemicals that can act as direct antioxidants, as well as modulators of antioxidant-response genes, indicating its potential role in alleviating diseases triggered by oxidative stresses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report revealing the antioxidant ability of tef extracts in a physiologically relevant human cell model.

Summary: Tef is a staple food and a valuable cash crop for millions of people in Ethiopia. Lodging is a major limitation to tef production, and for decades, the development of lodging resistant varieties proved difficult with conventional breeding approaches. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce knockout mutations in the tef orthologue of the rice SEMIDWARF‐1 (SD‐1) gene to confer semidwarfism and ultimately lodging resistance. High frequency recovery of transgenic and SD‐1 edited tef lines was achieved in two tef cultivars by Agrobacterium‐mediated delivery into young leaf explants of gene editing reagents along with transformation and regeneration enhancing morphogenic genes, BABY BOOM (BBM) and WUSCHEL2 (WUS2). All of the 23 lines analyzed by next‐generation sequencing had at least two or more alleles of SD‐1 mutated. Of these, 83% had tetra‐allelic frameshift mutations in the SD‐1 gene in primary tef regenerants, which were inherited in subsequent generations. Phenotypic data generated on T1 and T2 generations revealed that the sd‐1 lines have reduced culm and internode lengths with no reduction in either panicle or peduncle lengths. These characteristics are comparable with rice sd‐1 plants. Measurements of lodging, in greenhouse‐grown plants, showed that sd‐1 lines have significantly higher resistance to lodging at the heading stage compared with the controls. This is the first demonstration of the feasibility of high frequency genetic transformation and CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated genome editing in this highly valuable but neglected crop. The findings reported here highlight the potential of genome editing for the improvement of lodging resistance and other important traits in tef. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the extent of genetic diversity among and within tef populations collected from acid-affected soils in Ethiopia, and to test the cross-amplification of markers linked to Al-toxicity tolerance in other cereals. Forty-two tef genotypes were studied using 33 highly polymorphic SSRs. About 55% of the amplified putative alleles were effective in discriminating the genotypes. The mean PIC value was 0.66, suggesting that the majority of the markers had high discriminatory power. The population structure analysis revealed the presence of two genetically distinct populations and clearly distinguished landraces from the rest. A significant difference in genetic diversity parameters was observed between the two inferred populations. The landraces consistently had higher values for all of the diversity parameters and had contrastingly a higher value of private alleles. The AMOVA showed highly significant (P = 0.001) genetic variation among tef populations and among genotypes, with variance contribution of 17% and 67%, respectively. Eighty-two percent of the Al-toxicity tolerance markers amplified 84 alleles. This finding suggests the possibility of in-situ preservation of rare alleles that may confer acid tolerance through the improvement of available landraces in acid affected soils. Thus, urgent efforts are needed to collect accessions from areas with acid-affected soils.

In smallholder farming systems, traditional farmer varieties of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) support the livelihoods of millions of growers and consumers. NUS combine cultural and agronomic value with local adaptation, and transdisciplinary methods are needed to fully evaluate their breeding potential. Here, we assembled and characterized the genetic diversity of a representative collection of 366 Ethiopian teff (Eragrostis tef) farmer varieties and breeding materials, describing their phylogenetic relations and local adaptation on the Ethiopian landscape. We phenotyped the collection for its agronomic performance, involving local teff farmers in a participatory variety evaluation. Our analyses revealed environmental patterns of teff genetic diversity and allowed us to identify 10 genetic clusters associated with climate variation and with uneven spatial distribution. A genome-wide association study was used to identify loci and candidate genes related to phenology, yield, local adaptation, and farmers’ appreciation. The estimated teff genomic offset under climate change scenarios highlighted an area around lake Tana where teff cropping may be most vulnerable to climate change. Our results show that transdisciplinary approaches may efficiently propel untapped NUS farmer varieties into modern breeding to foster more resilient and sustainable cropping systems.

Demonstrated limitations in the mineral and nutritional composition of refined flours have led to calls for the possibility of enriching them with health-promoting supplements, such as high-value non-cereal seeds. Teff and watermelon seeds have been found suitable for the production of gluten-free flour, but so far, their potential to enrich conventional baking flours has not been comprehensively studied. Hence, the present study aimed at farinographic evaluation of dough based on refined wheat flour with additions of whole white teff (TF) and watermelon seed (WSF) and pomace (DWSF) flours (tested levels 10%, 20%, and 30%), as well as possibly extensive chemical characterization of the plant material tested, including LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, total phenolics, flavonoids, melatonin, and antioxidant potential. Most of the rheological traits were improved in the flour mixtures compared to the base white flour: development time and quality number (above 1.6-fold increase), softening and stability time (up to 1.3-fold change), and water absorption (up to 6%). Overall, the best results were achieved after the addition of watermelon seed pomace. The DWSF material was characterized by the highest levels of P, Mg, Na (7.5, 1.7, 0.4 g/kg, respectively), and Fe and Zn (124 and 27 mg/kg), while TF was the richest in Ca (0.9 g/kg) and Mn (43 mg/kg). Protein and fat levels were significantly higher in watermelon seeds compared to teff (about double and up to 10-fold, respectively). Phytochemical analyses highlighted the abundance of phenolics, especially flavones, in TF, WSF and DWSF flours (244, 93, and 721 mg/kg, respectively). However, the value of total polyphenols was low in all materials (

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in growth, development, stress resilience, and epigenetic modifications of plants. However, the effect of calcium (Ca2+) deficiency on miRNA expression in the orphan crop tef (Eragrostis tef) remains unknown. In this study, we analyzed expression of miRNAs in roots and shoots of tef in response to Ca2+ treatment. miRNA‐seq followed by bioinformatic analysis allowed us to identify a large number of small RNAs (sRNAs) ranging from 17 to 35 nt in length. A total of 1380 miRNAs were identified in tef experiencing long‐term Ca2+ deficiency while 1495 miRNAs were detected in control plants. Among the miRNAs identified in this study, 161 miRNAs were similar with those previously characterized in other plant species and 348 miRNAs were novel, while the remaining miRNAs were uncharacterized. Putative target genes and their functions were predicted for all the known and novel miRNAs that we identified. Based on gene ontology (GO) analysis, the predicted target genes are known to have various biological and molecular functions including calcium uptake and transport. Pairwise comparison of differentially expressed miRNAs revealed that some miRNAs were specifically enriched in roots or shoots of low Ca2+‐treated plants. Further characterization of the miRNAs and their targets identified in this study may help in understanding Ca2+ deficiency responses in tef and related orphan crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most pressing issues facing the dairy industry is drought. In areas where annual precipitation is low, irrigation for growing feed presents the greatest water-utilization challenge for dairy producers. Here, we investigated the effects of cultivar and harvest days after planting (DAP) on dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value of teff (Eragrostis tef), a warm-season annual grass native to Ethiopia that is well adapted to drought conditions. Eighty pots were blocked by location in a greenhouse and randomly assigned to four teff cultivars (Tiffany, Moxie, Corvallis, and Dessie) and to five harvest times (40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 DAP). Cultivars had no effect on DM yield and nutritive value. As harvest time increased from 40 to 60 DAP, DM yield and ash-free neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom) concentrations increased, while crude protein (CP) concentrations and in vitro NDF digestibility decreased. To assess carryover effects of time of harvest on yield and nutritive value, two additional cuttings were taken from each pot. Increasing first-cutting harvest time decreased CP concentrations in the second cutting and reduced DM yields in the second and third cutting. Harvesting teff between 45 and 50 DAP best optimized forage yield and nutritive value in the first and subsequent cuttings.

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in growth, development, stress resilience, and epigenetic modifications of plants. However, the effect of calcium (Ca2+) deficiency on miRNA expression in the orphan crop tef (Eragrostis tef) remains unknown. In this study, we analyzed expression of miRNAs in roots and shoots of tef in response to Ca2+ treatment. miRNA‐seq followed by bioinformatic analysis allowed us to identify a large number of small RNAs (sRNAs) ranging from 17 to 35 nt in length. A total of 1380 miRNAs were identified in tef experiencing long‐term Ca2+ deficiency while 1495 miRNAs were detected in control plants. Among the miRNAs identified in this study, 161 miRNAs were similar with those previously characterized in other plant species and 348 miRNAs were novel, while the remaining miRNAs were uncharacterized. Putative target genes and their functions were predicted for all the known and novel miRNAs that we identified. Based on gene ontology (GO) analysis, the predicted target genes are known to have various biological and molecular functions including calcium uptake and transport. Pairwise comparison of differentially expressed miRNAs revealed that some miRNAs were specifically enriched in roots or shoots of low Ca2+‐treated plants. Further characterization of the miRNAs and their targets identified in this study may help in understanding Ca2+ deficiency responses in tef and related orphan crops.

There is a growing global demand for teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) grain due to its gluten-free nature, high level of essential amino acids, high mineral content, low glycemic index, high crude fiber content, longer shelf life, and slow staling of its bread products compared to those of wheat, sorghum, rice, barley, and maize. However, only a limited and less reliable data exists on phenolic profiles of teff grain. This article aimed at exploring phenolic contents and chemical compositions of four teff grain samples (two white and two brown) as well as their in vitro antioxidant capacity. Identification of individual bioactive compounds in white teff was also conducted using UPLC-qTOF-MS. In general, teff grain was found to have a much higher phenolic content compared to other commonly consumed grains and pseudo cereals; brown teff contained higher than the white one. Antioxidant activity was also relatively higher than other common whole flour food sources. Furthermore, combination of UPLC separation, qTOF‐MS detection and automated data processing software with scientific library using UNIFI ver. 1.8 allowed us to identify a total of 61 bioactive compounds mainly phenolic compounds and saponins in teff for the first time. The findings of this study significantly contribute to enhancing the limited data on teff phenolics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Combining herbicides into a mixture is a common approach used to overcome the potential for herbicide resistance in weeds. Many herbicide mixtures can be antagonistic and they are rarely synergistic. Here, 24 commercial herbicides, each representing a different mode of action were used to create a matrix of all 276 unique combinations to search for new synergies in agar using Arabidopsis thaliana. RESULTS: Herbicides were used at an appropriate sublethal dose such that any synergies gave visible growth inhibition. We found five synergies including three new ones, namely mesotrione–norflurazon, mesotrione–clethodim and clomazone–paraquat. All three were reproducible in soil‐grown conditions. Interestingly, the three new combinations all included a bleaching herbicide, suggesting that synergy might be a class‐specific phenomenon. We also found that mesotrione–norflurazon and mesotrione–clethodim combinations were also synergistic against lettuce (Lactuca sativa), but not tef (Eragrostis tef). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that screening herbicide mixtures against A. thaliana is an efficient approach for finding rare herbicide synergies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social Impact Statement Patents can be used as a measure of innovation and to illustrate the commercial potential of plant and fungal biodiversity. The proportion of plant species named in patents represents only 6.2% of plant species, whereas the proportion of fungi is likely less than 0.4%. Fungi clearly justify further research. Innovation on a species usually drives more innovation on that species. We suggest that we should ensure that commercialization frameworks encourage studies on a greater diversity of plants and fungi. This could not only increase the range of biodiversity‐based products and associated income but also incentivize their conservation and encourage more fundamental research. Summary In this review, patents are used as a measure of innovation, and data show that a low proportion of plant and fungal biodiversity is mentioned in patents. The proportion of plant species named in patents represents only 6.2% of plant species, whereas the proportion of fungi is most likely less than 0.4%. The number of species within a plant family mentioned in patents varies greatly. The following families having the greatest numbers: Asteraceae with 1,445 species (4.5% of species), Fabaceae with 1,299 species (5.8%), Poaceae with 1,008 species (8.5%), and Rosaceae with 718 species (12.7%). Case studies from Brazil, Ethiopia, and South Africa explore some of the controversies associated with patenting, especially when patents have not taken prior art into account. In contrast, a case study on plants and fungi used in traditional Chinese medicine illustrates their economic value and their potential to support new innovations. Innovative ways to use plant and fungal biodiversity has the potential to generate wealth, reduce poverty, improve human well‐being and in theory incentivize biodiversity conservation. International and national policies and laws that aim to facilitate equitable benefit‐sharing associated with access to and use of genetic diversity need to be reviewed to help facilitate innovation, as well as ensure that the rights of communities to use these resources are recognized and supported.

To meet the nutritional requirements required for human and animal nutrition due to climatic changes, research on determination of rich in nutrients and quality, products with high resistance to adverse environmental conditions and their possibilities for growing and reproduction are carried out. This research was carried out between 2018-2019. As a material, seeds belonging to the amaranth (Amarantus mantegazzianus), chia (Salvia hispanica L.), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and teff (Eragrostis tef [Zucc] Trotter) plants were studied. Some characteristics of these seeds were determined such as shape, size, mean arithmetic and geometric diameter, sphericity and thousand grain weight. According to the data obtained; the highest average length (1.140 mm), width (1.080 mm) and surface area (0.930 mm2) of the seeds of the quinoa seeds compared to other seeds; the tambourine seeds had the lowest average length (0.540 mm), width (0.300 mm) and surface area (0.130 mm2) values. In terms of thousand grain weights, the seeds of the quinoa plant are the heaviest seeds with 3.3600 g; the lightest seeds were determined to belong to the tambourine seeds with 0.0028 g.

Abstract Background This paper presents a peculiar first case of an allergy to Silybum marianum (milk thistle) and Eragrostis tef (teff). Both teff and milk thistle have been presented in the literature (both domestic and foreign) in a positive light, the former as a new part of gluten-free diet, and the latter as a treatment for a number of conditions, particularly those of the liver. Case presentation A 29-year-old male presented at our clinic due to an episode of itching and burning in his mouth, swollen tongue, and difficulty swallowing following ingestion of teff flakes. He also reported sneezing, runny nose, watering and burning eyes, and wheezing following inhalation exposure to ground milk thistle. The patient’s occupation is associated with exposure to these allergens. The patient underwent comprehensive allergy diagnostic assessments (including skin-prick testing, serum specific IgE levels, Faber test, spirometry, and acoustic rhinometry) and gastroenterological assessments. The diagnosis was established on skin tests with native allergens (milk thistle 16/35, teff flour 22/60, negative control 0/0, histamine 3/5) provided by the patient. There are no commercially available (standardized) tests for milk thistle or teff either in Poland or anywhere else in the world. Conclusions Milk thistle is available in the form of dry, finely-ground preparations (which are used as additives to bread, soups, and yoghurts) and extracts (which are used as ingredients in over-the-counter herbal remedies). Teff is a gluten-free cereal whose grains are rich in methionine, calcium, iron, folic acid, and antioxidants. This case report presents milk thistle and teff as potentially new allergens. A literature review revealed no similar allergy cases in Poland or elsewhere in the world.

Teff ( Eragrostis tef ) is a staple crop and holds the biggest share of grains cultivated area in Ethiopia, consequently, a large quantity of Teff straw is produced. The Teff straw was pretreated for the first time with Chromium-based Metal-Organic Framework, MIL-101(Cr), assisted hydrothermal method at temperatures ranging from 160 to 240 °C for 1/2, 1, or 2 h time independently. With an increase of pretreatment severity, the yield of total reducing sugar (TRS) was increased until reaching maximum (185 mg g -1 ). The identified optimum hydrothermal pretreatment condition, (180 °C and 1 h), had a feature of higher TRS yield and lower furfural concentration. The morphological analysis showed that treated Teff straw had degraded structure, higher surface area, and distorted bundles than native Teff straws. This study insight into MOFs' application in lignocellulose biomass processing, and optimizing the pretreatment condition of Teff straw biomass., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The aim of this study was to assess the extent of genetic diversity among and within tef populations collected from acid-affected soils in Ethiopia, and to test the cross-amplification of markers linked to Al-toxicity tolerance in other cereals. Forty-two tef genotypes were studied using 33 highly polymorphic SSRs. About 55% of the amplified putative alleles were effective in discriminating the genotypes. The mean PIC value was 0.66, suggesting that the majority of the markers had high discriminatory power. The population structure analysis revealed the presence of two genetically distinct populations and clearly distinguished landraces from the rest. A significant difference in genetic diversity parameters was observed between the two inferred populations. The landraces consistently had higher values for all of the diversity parameters and had contrastingly a higher value of private alleles. The AMOVA showed highly significant (P = 0.001) genetic variation among tef populations and among genotypes, with variance contribution of 17% and 67%, respectively. Eighty-two percent of the Al-toxicity tolerance markers amplified 84 alleles. This finding suggests the possibility of in-situ preservation of rare alleles that may confer acid tolerance through the improvement of available landraces in acid affected soils. Thus, urgent efforts are needed to collect accessions from areas with acid-affected soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eragrostis tef is a increasingly becoming popular in different parts of the world as cereal due to its wide acceptability in extreme environmental conditions where most other cereals failed to make impact. NF-X1-like proteins belongs to transcription factors and involved in variety of processes during the life time of plants. Only few reports are available for NF-X1-like proteins in different repository which makes the prediction of function and structure for NF-X1 genes from tef. However, in the current study with little literature and lack of characterized NF-X1 genes attempts has been made to fill the gaps in the required areas. In this study, 49 NFX-like sequences belonging to 17 different plants were compared with four NFX-like sequences from tef. On analysis it was found that tef NF-X1 genes have RING finger domains, cysteine rich residues in the conserved region and PHP domain like other plants which helps in modulation of the targets. The phylogenetic analysis depicted evolutionary significance of almost similar nature of these genes in monocots and dicots with tobacco and tomato emerging as the closest relatives. The promoter analysis revealed conserved cis-regulatory elements in analyzed species and points towards similar putative function in tef as well. The observations and analysis is suitable for understanding differential structural and functional aspects of NF-X1-like genes in Eragrostis tef and other plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is a staple, ancient food crop in Ethiopia. Its growth is affected by climate change, so it is essential to understand climatic effects on its habitat suitability in order to design countermeasures to ensure food security. Based on the four Representative Concentration Pathway emission scenarios (i.e., RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5) set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we predicted the potential distribution of teff under current and future scenarios using a maximum entropy model (Maxent). Eleven variables were selected out of 19, according to correlation analysis combined with their contribution rates to the distribution. Simulated accuracy results validated by the area under the curve (AUC) had strong predictability with values of 0.83–0.85 for current and RCP scenarios. Our results demonstrated that mean temperature in the coldest season, precipitation seasonality, precipitation in the cold season and slope are the dominant factors driving potential teff distribution. Proportions of suitable teff area, relative to the total study area were 58% in current climate condition, 58.8% in RCP2.6, 57.6% in RCP4.5, 59.2% in RCP6.0, and 57.4% in RCP8.5, respectively. We found that warmer conditions are correlated with decreased land suitability. As expected, bioclimatic variables related to temperature and precipitation were the best predictors for teff suitability. Additionally, there were geographic shifts in land suitability, which need to be accounted for when assessing overall susceptibility to climate change. The ability to adapt to climate change will be critical for Ethiopia’s agricultural strategy and food security. A robust climate model is necessary for developing primary adaptive strategies and policy to minimize the harmful impact of climate change on teff.

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter L.] is an indigenous and important cereal crop in Ethiopia. Its improvement is dependent on the presence and magnitude of genetic variation among traits in a given environment. Forty-nine tef genotypes (RILs and checks) were evaluated in 2019 to assess the nature of genetic variability, broad sense heritability and genetic advance of traits using 7 × 7 simple lattice design. Analysis of variance revealed significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences among the genotypes except for thousand seed weight. About 53% of the genotypes provided higher yield than the latest improved variety (Ebba), implied that most of the studied RILs varied for grain yield. Higher phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation found for main shoot panicle weight, main shoot panicle grain yield, fertile tiller number and days to heading, grain-filling period, main-shoot panicle length, total-tiller number, fertile-tiller number, main-shoot panicle weight, main-shoot panicle grain yield, grain yield and harvest index, implying the presence of adequate variability within the genotypes for these traits. High values of broad sense heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of the mean were observed for days to heading, grain-filling period, peduncle length, fertile-tiller number and grain yield indicating the contribution of additive genes for trait expression and possibility of traits improvement through direct selection. Generally, this considerable genetic variability among the RILs confirmed the possibility of improving tef productivity, while most of these RILs should further be studied on more test locations.

Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is a staple, ancient food crop in Ethiopia. Its growth is affected by climate change, so it is essential to understand climatic effects on its habitat suitability in order to design countermeasures to ensure food security. Based on the four Representative Concentration Pathway emission scenarios (i.e., RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5) set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we predicted the potential distribution of teff under current and future scenarios using a maximum entropy model (Maxent). Eleven variables were selected out of 19, according to correlation analysis combined with their contribution rates to the distribution. Simulated accuracy results validated by the area under the curve (AUC) had strong predictability with values of 0.83-0.85 for current and RCP scenarios. Our results demonstrated that mean temperature in the coldest season, precipitation seasonality, precipitation in the cold season and slope are the dominant factors driving potential teff distribution. Proportions of suitable teff area, relative to the total study area were 58% in current climate condition, 58.8% in RCP2.6, 57.6% in RCP4.5, 59.2% in RCP6.0, and 57.4% in RCP8.5, respectively. We found that warmer conditions are correlated with decreased land suitability. As expected, bioclimatic variables related to temperature and precipitation were the best predictors for teff suitability. Additionally, there were geographic shifts in land suitability, which need to be accounted for when assessing overall susceptibility to climate change. The ability to adapt to climate change will be critical for Ethiopia's agricultural strategy and food security. A robust climate model is necessary for developing primary adaptive strategies and policy to minimize the harmful impact of climate change on teff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter is becoming popular in the world due to its gluten free seeds and suitability to raise under marginal environment unlike major cereals grown worldwide. Growth Regulating Factors (GRF) are class of transcription factors involved in various biological processes and abiotic stress responses. No reports are available on characterization and phylogenetic relationships of GRFs in tef and few only in other plants. In this study, 170 GRF sequences from eleven plants were used as query to BLAST, in the available databases and resulted in four distinct EtGRFs. Two highly conserved QLQ, WRC, and the rare FFD domains were identified in selected range of GRF proteins. Phylogenetic analysis from MEGA-X clustered into 7 major groups and EtGRFs shared common ancestral route with GRFs from Setaria italica var. italica (L.) P. Beauv.), Oryza sativa subsp. indica (L.) Kato, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, Panicum hallii Vasey and Zea mays subsp. mexicana (Schrad.) H. H. Iltis. Promoter analysis revealed the presence of various binding units known to play ontological roles. Protein structures and association network analysis confirmed EtGRFs as interologs to structural functions of GRF genes in closely related plants. The finding contributes to the understanding of structural and functional roles of GRFs in Eragrostis tef and other cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter L.] is an indigenous and important cereal crop in Ethiopia. Its improvement is dependent on the presence and magnitude of genetic variation among traits in a given environment. Forty-nine tef genotypes (RILs and checks) were evaluated in 2019 to assess the nature of genetic variability, broad sense heritability and genetic advance of traits using 7 × 7 simple lattice design. Analysis of variance revealed significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences among the genotypes except for thousand seed weight. About 53% of the genotypes provided higher yield than the latest improved variety (Ebba), implied that most of the studied RILs varied for grain yield. Higher phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation found for main shoot panicle weight, main shoot panicle grain yield, fertile tiller number and days to heading, grain-filling period, main-shoot panicle length, total-tiller number, fertile-tiller number, main-shoot panicle weight, main-shoot panicle grain yield, grain yield and harvest index, implying the presence of adequate variability within the genotypes for these traits. High values of broad sense heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of the mean were observed for days to heading, grain-filling period, peduncle length, fertile-tiller number and grain yield indicating the contribution of additive genes for trait expression and possibility of traits improvement through direct selection. Generally, this considerable genetic variability among the RILs confirmed the possibility of improving tef productivity, while most of these RILs should further be studied on more test locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) is one of the beneficial plant mineral nutrients which is known to improve biotic and abiotic stress resilience and productivity in several crops. However, its beneficial role in underutilized or “orphan” crop such as tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] has never been studied before. In this study, we investigated the effect of Si application on tef plant performance. Plants were grown in soil with or without exogenous application of Na2SiO3 (0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 mM), and biomass and grain yield, mineral content, chlorophyll content, plant height, and expression patterns of putative Si transporter genes were studied. Silicon application significantly increased grain yield (100%) at 3.0 mM Si, and aboveground biomass yield by 45% at 5.0 mM Si, while it had no effect on plant height. The observed increase in grain yield appears to be due to enhanced stress resilience and increased total chlorophyll content. Increasing the level of Si increased shoot Si and Na content while it significantly decreased the content of other minerals including K, Ca, Mg, P, S, Fe, and Mn in the shoot, which is likely due to the use of Na containing Si amendment. A slight decrease in grain Ca, P, S, and Mn was also observed with increasing Si treatment. The increase in Si content with increasing Si levels prompted us to analyze the expression of Si transporter genes. The tef genome contains seven putative Si transporters which showed high homology with influx and efflux Lsi transporters reported in various plant species including rice. The tef Lsi homologs were deferentially expressed between tissues (roots, leaves, nodes, and inflorescences) and in response to Si, suggesting that they may play a role in Si uptake and/or translocation. Taken together, these results show that Si application improves stress resilience and yield and regulates the expression of putative Si transporter genes. However, further study is needed to determine the physiological function of the putative Si transporters, and to study the effect of field application of Si on tef productivity.

Silicon (Si) is one of the beneficial plant mineral nutrients which is known to improve biotic and abiotic stress resilience and productivity in several crops. However, its beneficial role in underutilized or "orphan" crop such as tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter ] has never been studied before. In this study, we investigated the effect of Si application on tef plant performance. Plants were grown in soil with or without exogenous application of Na2SiO3 (0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 mM), and biomass and grain yield, mineral content, chlorophyll content, plant height, and expression patterns of putative Si transporter genes were studied. Silicon application significantly increased grain yield (100%) at 3.0 mM Si, and aboveground biomass yield by 45% at 5.0 mM Si, while it had no effect on plant height. The observed increase in grain yield appears to be due to enhanced stress resilience and increased total chlorophyll content. Increasing the level of Si increased shoot Si and Na content while it significantly decreased the content of other minerals including K, Ca, Mg, P, S, Fe, and Mn in the shoot, which is likely due to the use of Na containing Si amendment. A slight decrease in grain Ca, P, S, and Mn was also observed with increasing Si treatment. The increase in Si content with increasing Si levels prompted us to analyze the expression of Si transporter genes. The tef genome contains seven putative Si transporters which showed high homology with influx and efflux Lsi transporters reported in various plant species including rice. The tef Lsi homologs were deferentially expressed between tissues (roots, leaves, nodes, and inflorescences) and in response to Si, suggesting that they may play a role in Si uptake and/or translocation. Taken together, these results show that Si application improves stress resilience and yield and regulates the expression of putative Si transporter genes. However, further study is needed to determine the physiological function of the putative Si transporters, and to study the effect of field application of Si on tef productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teff is a gluten-free grain and has interesting nutritional composition. This paper aimed to evaluate the differences among breads made with teff flour associated to other components, by determining their chemical and physical characteristics. The breads were as follows: T1—100% wheat; T2—100% teff; T3—75% teff and 12.5% cassava starch; T4—50% teff, 25% rice flour, and 25% cassava starch. The lipid and protein contents in teff breads were like wheat breads. T1 had significantly lower total fiber (13.9%) than the others. The highest amino acid content was found in T4; however, all teff treatments presented higher quantities of amino acids than wheat formulation. T1 had lower volume (1.87 cm3/g−1) than T2, T3, and T4. Teff demonstrated no difference in height, weight loss, yield, and apparent volume of the breads, although it presented lower weight, higher specific volume, and lower crust luminosities. Firmness was directly related to the quantity of teff used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As remotely sensed data becomes more readily available around the world, satellites such as Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 have great potential to support precision agriculture. Sensors with high spectral and spatial resolutions are particularly optimal for limited land resource farmers to improve land management. The objective of this short communication is to assess the performance of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 multispectral bands for chlorophyll prediction using indices that were originally developed using imaging spectroscopy/hyperspectral data. Remotely sensed chlorophyll content measures are often utilized as a proxy of plant health. Performance of a group of chlorophyll prediction indices is tested for tef (Eragrostis tef), an endemic grass crop native to Ethiopia that forms a major component of Ethiopian diets and is grown by limited land resource farmers. Hyperspectral reflectance data captured in situ at the canopy level were convolved into bands approximating Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 sensors, and a suite of chlorophyll prediction indices were computed and regressed against chlorophyll content. Results show that simple pigment indices employing wavelengths corresponding to the blue and ultra-blue bands performed best for predicting chlorophyll. The red-edge index computed using the Sentinel-2 bands also performed well. These findings suggest that publicly available, multispectral imagery can potentially substitute for hyperspectral data in chlorophyll prediction indices, thereby improving the accessibility of precision agriculture methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eragrostis tef is an important cereal crop in Ethiopia with excellent storage properties, high–quality food, and the unique ability to thrive in extreme environmental conditions. However, the application of advanced molecular tools for breeding and conservation of these species is extremely limited. Therefore, developing chloroplast genome resources and high-resolution molecular markers are valuable to E. tef population and biogeographic studies. In the current study, we assembled and compared the complete plastomes of 32 E. tef accessions. The size of the plastomes ranged from 134,349 to 134,437 bp with similar GC content (∼38.3%). Genomes annotations revealed 112 individual genes, including 77 protein-coding, 31 tRNA, and 4 rRNA genes. Comparison of E. tef plastomes revealed a low degree of intraspecific sequence variations and no structural differentiations. Furthermore, we found 34 polymorphic sites (13 cpSSRs, 12 InDels, and 9 SNPs) that can be used as valuable DNA barcodes. Among them, the majority (88%) of the polymorphic sites were identified in the noncoding genomic regions. Nonsynonymous (ka) and synonymous (ks) substitution analysis showed that all PCGs were under purifying selection (ka/ks

Environmental concerns have driven scientists to research new eco-friendly approaches for the preparation of nanosystems. For this purpose, novel bio-polymers have been selected. Among these, one of the most promising is lignin, which is biodegradable and biocompatible. Additionally, lignin is one of the main by-products of the paper industry and can be re-used in nanosystems building. Lignin-based nanosystems could be used in agriculture, to improve the uptake of bioactive compounds, thus avoiding soil pollution. However, the mechanism of penetration in the plant and the route of transportation within the internal plant tissues are unknown and need to be clearly elucidated. Here we present a method of lignin nanocapsules staining and tracking by fluorochrome: Fluoral Yellow 088, which is a well-suited dye for the tracking of lipids and other oil phases. Two different applications were applied: in the first one fourteen-day plants were soaked with fluorescent nanocapsules (fNCs) pure solution and in the second one, Eragrostis tef plants were laid down on blotting paper and soaked with diluted fNCs solution. Wetting the roots of Teff plantlets with the pure fNCs solution resulted in the most efficient way of nanocapsule entrance. The dyeing of lignin nanocapsules allowed us to track them in Eragrostis tef plant tissues through microscopic observations. In particular, fNCs were proven to be able to permeate roots, reaching xylem vessels where, through water pressure, they reached the leaf.

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is an important crop in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, where it is a staple food for over 60 million people. However, the productivity of tef remains extremely low in part due to its susceptibility to lodging. Lodging is the displacement of the plant from the upright position, and it is exacerbated by rain, wind and the application of fertilizer. In order to address the issue of global food security, especially in the Horn of Africa, greater insight into the causes of tef lodging is needed. In this study, we combine modeling and biomechanical measurements to compare the properties relating to lodging tolerance in high yielding, improved tef genotypes, and lower yielding natural landraces. Our results indicate that the angle of the panicle contributes to the likelihood of lodging in tef. Varieties with compact panicles and reduced height had increased lodging resistance compared to the other varieties. By comparing different varieties, we found that overall, the landraces of tef lodged less than improved varieties. We constructed a model of stem bending and found that panicle angle was an important determinant of the amount of lodging. The findings from this study provide key information to those involved in tef improvement, especially those interested in lodging tolerance.

Social Impact Statement: Patents can be used as a measure of innovation and to illustrate the commercial potential of plant and fungal biodiversity. The proportion of plant species named in patents represents only 6.2% of plant species, whereas the proportion of fungi is likely less than 0.4%. Fungi clearly justify further research. Innovation on a species usually drives more innovation on that species. We suggest that we should ensure that commercialization frameworks encourage studies on a greater diversity of plants and fungi. This could not only increase the range of biodiversity‐based products and associated income but also incentivize their conservation and encourage more fundamental research. Summary: In this review, patents are used as a measure of innovation, and data show that a low proportion of plant and fungal biodiversity is mentioned in patents. The proportion of plant species named in patents represents only 6.2% of plant species, whereas the proportion of fungi is most likely less than 0.4%. The number of species within a plant family mentioned in patents varies greatly. The following families having the greatest numbers: Asteraceae with 1,445 species (4.5% of species), Fabaceae with 1,299 species (5.8%), Poaceae with 1,008 species (8.5%), and Rosaceae with 718 species (12.7%). Case studies from Brazil, Ethiopia, and South Africa explore some of the controversies associated with patenting, especially when patents have not taken prior art into account. In contrast, a case study on plants and fungi used in traditional Chinese medicine illustrates their economic value and their potential to support new innovations. Innovative ways to use plant and fungal biodiversity has the potential to generate wealth, reduce poverty, improve human well‐being and in theory incentivize biodiversity conservation. International and national policies and laws that aim to facilitate equitable benefit‐sharing associated with access to and use of genetic diversity need to be reviewed to help facilitate innovation, as well as ensure that the rights of communities to use these resources are recognized and supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper presents a peculiar first case of an allergy to Silybum marianum (milk thistle) and Eragrostis tef (teff). Both teff and milk thistle have been presented in the literature (both domestic and foreign) in a positive light, the former as a new part of gluten-free diet, and the latter as a treatment for a number of conditions, particularly those of the liver. Case presentation: A 29-year-old male presented at our clinic due to an episode of itching and burning in his mouth, swollen tongue, and difficulty swallowing following ingestion of teff flakes. He also reported sneezing, runny nose, watering and burning eyes, and wheezing following inhalation exposure to ground milk thistle. The patient's occupation is associated with exposure to these allergens. The patient underwent comprehensive allergy diagnostic assessments (including skin-prick testing, serum specific IgE levels, Faber test, spirometry, and acoustic rhinometry) and gastroenterological assessments. The diagnosis was established on skin tests with native allergens (milk thistle 16/35, teff flour 22/60, negative control 0/0, histamine 3/5) provided by the patient. There are no commercially available (standardized) tests for milk thistle or teff either in Poland or anywhere else in the world. Conclusions: Milk thistle is available in the form of dry, finely-ground preparations (which are used as additives to bread, soups, and yoghurts) and extracts (which are used as ingredients in over-the-counter herbal remedies). Teff is a gluten-free cereal whose grains are rich in methionine, calcium, iron, folic acid, and antioxidants. This case report presents milk thistle and teff as potentially new allergens. A literature review revealed no similar allergy cases in Poland or elsewhere in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is an important crop in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, where it is a staple food for over 60 million people. However, the productivity of tef remains extremely low in part due to its susceptibility to lodging. Lodging is the displacement of the plant from the upright position, and it is exacerbated by rain, wind and the application of fertilizer. In order to address the issue of global food security, especially in the Horn of Africa, greater insight into the causes of tef lodging is needed. In this study, we combine modeling and biomechanical measurements to compare the properties relating to lodging tolerance in high yielding, improved tef genotypes, and lower yielding natural landraces. Our results indicate that the angle of the panicle contributes to the likelihood of lodging in tef. Varieties with compact panicles and reduced height had increased lodging resistance compared to the other varieties. By comparing different varieties, we found that overall, the landraces of tef lodged less than improved varieties. We constructed a model of stem bending and found that panicle angle was an important determinant of the amount of lodging. The findings from this study provide key information to those involved in tef improvement, especially those interested in lodging tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teff (Eragrostis tef) is one of the principal cereals grown in Ethiopia. It is a gluten free grain and can be suitable for use in the diet of patients with celiac disease. Mineral content of teff is poorly characterized and considerable variations in the concentration of elements such as iron, magnesium, and calcium have been reported. Therefore, in an effort to determine major and trace elements content of E. tef , inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used. In this study, 44 major and trace elements were detected and quantified in white and red teff varieties. The most abundant elements were K, P, Ca, Mg, Na, B, Al, and Fe. Trace amounts of Er, Eu, and Sb were also detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Tef (Eragrostis tef) is a cereal grain endemic to Ethiopia commonly consumed as injera, a fermented, pancake‐like bread. Tef is milled whole, retaining free, conjugated, and bound phenolic compounds that are concentrated in the bran and may differentially influence metabolism when consumed. Tef cultivars are classified by color into white and brown, an indication that they may differ in their phenolic content. This work aimed to analyze the effect of cultivar on the phenolic profile of tef grain (Eragrostis tef) while controlling for location and growing season. Findings: The free, conjugated, and bound phenolic profiles of six tef cultivars, grown in the same season and location (Bishoftu a.k.a. Debrezeit, Ethiopia), and two grown in Idaho, USA, were characterized by high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV/Vis detection (HPLC–DAD). Subsequent uni‐ and multivariate statistical analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple factor analysis (MFA), showed that brown and white tef cultivars can be differentiated by their free and bound phenolic fractions (free total phenolic content range = 0.12–0.19 μg/g defatted tef flour (DTF); bound total phenolic content range = 0.80–1.12 μg/g DTF). The most abundant phenolic compound in the bound fraction was ferulic acid, with the white‐colored DZ‐Cr‐384 (Kuncho) cultivar showing the highest bound ferulic acid content (280.73 μg/g DTF). Conclusions: There are differences between the phenolic compounds of white and brown tef, likely due to differences in cultivars and growing conditions as well as extraction methods in addition to variety. Even when total phenolic content did not differ between varieties, the specific phenolic composition differed between cultivars. Therefore, when choosing tef varieties for use in in vitro or in vivo studies, it is important to consider that even the same cultivar may differ in phenolic content depending on factors such as growing location, storage time, and age. Significance and novelty: Comprehensive sample preparation is required to obtain a complete picture of differences in health‐promoting phenolic compounds in whole grains such as tef. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]