Barley plants fine-tune their root microbial communities through sugary secretions
Different types of barley recruit distinct communities of soil microbes to grow around their roots by releasing a custom mix of sugars and other compounds, according to a new study led by Jacob Malone of the John Innes Center, UK, published in the op.....»»
Researchers discover key gene for toxic alkaloid in barley
All plants mediate their environmental interactions via chemical signals. An example is the alkaloid gramine produced by barley, one of the world's most widely-grown cereals. Gramine provides protection against herbivorous insects and grazing animals.....»»
A crown rust fungus could help manage two highly invasive plants in Minnesota
Though some crown rust fungi are known to cause widespread damage to oat and barley crops, new research from the University of Minnesota suggests a close relative of these major pathogens could actually be a valuable asset in managing two highly inva.....»»
Researchers elucidate the variability and adaptability of internode elongation in barley
Plant architecture is the outcome of several successive developmental processes that can be classified into two events: Organogenesis and extension. Organogenesis stems from the meristems (stem cells) that give rise to different types of organs (e.g......»»
BarbNet: Awn phenotyping with advanced deep learning, potential applications in the automation of barley awns sorting
Awns, bristle-like extensions on grass crops like wheat and barley, are vital for protection and seed dispersal, with barbs on their surface playing a crucial role. While the genetic basis of barb formation has been explored through genome-wide assoc.....»»
Researchers develop "electronic soil" that enhances crop growth
Barley seedlings grow on average 50% more when their root system is stimulated electrically through a new cultivation substrate. In a study published in the journal PNAS, researchers from Linköping University have developed an electrically conductiv.....»»
Uncovering the 150-year history of Japanese beer barley breeding
Barley is a staple crop with several applications, acting as a source of food, livestock feed, and an ingredient for malt brewing. Originally disseminated from China and the Korean Peninsula about 2,000 years ago, all Japanese barley cultivars were s.....»»
Generating homozygous mutant populations of barley microspores by ethyl methanesulfonate treatment
A new study combined expertise in barley genetics and genomics from the research group led by Dr. Ping Yang (Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences) and that in barley microspore culturing led by Dr. Chenghong Liu (Biote.....»»
From fields to front lines: The impact of the war in Ukraine on global food supply
One country produces about 12% of the grains (wheat, barley, maize and sunflower) traded globally. Developing countries in Africa and South Asia rely heavily on it. In fact, this country supplies up to 40% of the grain distributed by the United Natio.....»»
Adapting to climate change: Researchers find natural gene variant that allows barley to flower earlier
A tiny mutation in the genetic material of barley ensures that those plants develop faster and thus flower earlier than established barley varieties. At the same time, plant yields remain the same, a team from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenber.....»»
Untapping barley"s grain yield potential by mitigating floral degeneration
Barley possesses an indeterminate "spike"-type inflorescence that forms basic floral structures, called spikelets, in a distichous pattern along its central axis (termed rachis). Each rachis node in the barley spike produces three (one central and tw.....»»
New research maps out exactly what happens when agriculture replaces forestry
Humans first started farming about 12,000 years ago. On the shores of the Euphrates and the Tigris, in what is now Iraq and Syria, small groups of people started to grow peas, lentils and barley independently of each other. They felled trees to make.....»»
Decoding the genetics behind plant height and seed weight scaling in barley
Biological functions, resource availability, and evolutionary processes often play a key role in determining the expression of genetic traits and their correlations. In fact, several plant traits are commonly correlated due to different ecological fa.....»»
IPK researchers provide insights into grain number determination mechanism of barley
Modifying inflorescences with higher grain capacity is vital for crop grain production. One recurring target is to select inflorescences with more branches or floral structures. Prominent examples include genes affecting floral identity or meristem d.....»»
Tracing the evolution of wheat spikes since the Neolithic revolution
About 12,000 years ago, the Neolithic revolution radically changed the economy, diet and structure of the first human societies in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East. With the beginning of the cultivation of cereals, such as wheat and barley, and.....»»
A journey to the birthplace of lager beer
Without barley, hops and yeast, there is no beer. Brewing specialist Dr. Martin Zarnkow and beverage microbiologist Dr. Mathias Hutzler believe that a very special yeast variety might be found in Georgia. So they embarked on a "yeast hunt" and invest.....»»
200-year-old barley could be the toast of modern whisky
Scotch whisky could be in for a revamp from a 200-year-old barley crop......»»
Virus undercuts fungus"s attacks on wheat
A naturally occurring virus co-discovered by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university scientists may offer a way to undermine a costly fungal threat to wheat, barley and other small-grain crops......»»
Researchers use Cas9 gene scissors to establish new virus resistance in winter barley
Genome editing comes with great hopes for the improvement of crops in regards to the challenges posed by climate change, but also for breeding of disease resistance and an improved sustainability of agriculture......»»
How year-round crops could reduce farm pollution in the Mississippi River
Don Wyse's field of winter barley used to be mostly empty in the spring......»»