Abiotic stresses are one of the major constraints to crop production and food security worldwide. The situation has aggravated due to the drastic and rapid changes in global climate. Heat and drought stress are undoubtedly the two most important stresses having huge impact on growth and productivity of the crops. It is very important to understand the physiological, biochemical and ecological interventions related to these stresses for better management. A wide range of plant responses to these stresses could be generalized into morphological, physiological and biochemical responses. Interestingly, this review provides a detailed account of plant responses to heat and drought stresses with special focus on highlighting the commonalities and differences. Crop growth and yields are negatively affected by sub-optimal water supply and abnormal temperatures due to physical damages, physiological disruptions and biochemical changes. Both these stresses have multi-lateral impacts and therefore, complex in mechanistic action. A better understanding of plant responses to these stresses has pragmatic implication for remedies and management. A comprehensive account of conventional as well as modern approaches to deal with heat and drought stresses have also been presented here. A side-by-side critical discussion on salient responses and management strategies for these two important abiotic stresses provides a unique insight into the phenomena. A holistic approach taking into account the different management options to deal with heat and drought stress simultaneously could be a win-win approach in future.

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Crop Production under Drought and Heat Stress: Plant Responses and Management Options

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen causing disease in a wide range of plants. This review summarizes current knowledge of mechanisms employed by the fungus to parasitize its host with emphasis on biology, physiology and molecular aspects of pathogenicity. In addition, current tools for research and strategies to combat S. sclerotiorum are discussed. Taxonomy: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary: kingdom Fungi, phylum Ascomycota, class Discomycetes, order Helotiales, family Sclerotiniaceae, genus Sclerotinia. Identification: Hyphae are hyaline, septate, branched and multinucleate. Mycelium may appear white to tan in culture and in planta. No asexual conidia are produced. Long-term survival is mediated through the sclerotium; a pigmented, multi-hyphal structure that can remain viable over long periods of time under unfavourable conditions for growth. Sclerotia can germinate to produce mycelia or apothecia depending on environmental conditions. Apothecia produce ascospores, which are the primary means of infection in most host plants. Host range: S. sclerotiorum is capable of colonizing over 400 plant species found worldwide. The majority of these species are dicotyledonous, although a number of agriculturally significant monocotyledonous plants are also hosts. Disease symptoms: Leaves usually have water-soaked lesions that expand rapidly and move down the petiole into the stem. Infected stems of some species will first develop dark lesions whereas the initial indication in other hosts is the appearance of water-soaked stem lesions. Lesions usually develop into necrotic tissues that subsequently develop patches of fluffy white mycelium, often with sclerotia, which is the most obvious sign of plants infected with S. sclerotiorum.

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary: biology and molecular traits of a cosmopolitan pathogen.

Inducing drought tolerance in plants: Recent advances

The Colletotrichum acutatum species complex

Chalcone synthase (CHS, EC 2.3.1.74) is a key enzyme of the flavonoid/isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Besides being part of the plant developmental program the CHS gene expression is induced in plants under stress conditions such as UV light, bacterial or fungal infection. CHS expression causes accumulation of flavonoid and isoflavonoid phytoalexins and is involved in the salicylic acid defense pathway. This review will discuss CHS and its function in plant resistance.

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Chalcone synthase and its functions in plant resistance

NE01481' (Reg. No. CV-1061, PI 659689) hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed cooperatively by the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA-ARS and released in April 2010. NE01481 will be marketed as Husker Genetics brand McGill. In addition to superior agronomic performance, Nebraska wheat growers would like to have increased resistance to Wheat soilborne mosaic virus. NE01481 was selected from the cross NE92458/'Ike' that was made in 1995. The pedigree of NE92458 is OK83201/'Redland' and the pedigree of OK83201, an experimental line developed by Oklahoma State University is 'Vona'//'Chisholm'/'Plainsman V'. NE01481 was selected with the bulk- breeding method as an F 3:4 line in 1999, and in 2001 it was assigned experimental line number NE01481. NE01481 was released because of its superior grain yield in rainfed wheat production systems in southeastern, south central, and southwestern Nebraska and that it is the fi rst modern release from our program with resistance to Wheat soilborne mosaic virus.

/pdf/registration-of-ne01481-hard-red-winter-wheat-4oaygr9sp8.pdf

Registration of 'NE01481' hard red winter wheat

Depending on the pathogen, environmental conditions, application equipment, and producer needs, fungicides are applied as a granular, dust, smoke, fog, mist, gas, or liquid form. Fungicides possess unique modes of action to control pathogens. Modes of action may include cell membrane disruption, interfering with metabolic processes, or targetEC3033 · Index: Crops, Crop Production/Field Crops Issued June 2018

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Understanding Fungicide Resistance

‘Mattern’ (Reg. No. CV-1092, PI 665947) hard winter waxy wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed cooperatively by the USDA–ARS and the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 2012. Mattern has red grain color and waxy (amylose-free) endosperm starch. It was released primarily for its unique end-use quality attributes and for grain yield competitive with currently grown Nebraska adapted cultivars. The waxy starch is conditioned by the presence of three naturally occurring mutations that eliminate production of the enzyme granule-bound starch synthase. Granule-bound starch synthase synthesizes amylose in typical wheats and other cereal crops. Mattern was tested experimentally as NX04Y2107 and was selected from the cross NW98S061/99Y1442.

Release of 'Mattern' waxy (amylose-free) winter wheat

https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PHP-2005-0214-01-HN

First report of association between delphinium and Peziza repanda.

/pdf/fungicide-application-timing-and-disease-control-46gp0u5bqo.pdf

Stephen N. Wegulo

Papers

Registration of 'NE01481' hard red winter wheat

Understanding Fungicide Resistance

Release of 'Mattern' waxy (amylose-free) winter wheat

First report of association between delphinium and Peziza repanda.

Fungicide Application Timing and Disease Control