Conservation of crop wild relatives (CWR) has always been predicated on the promise of new and useful traits, and thus modern genetics and genomics tools must help fulfill the promise and continue to secure the conservation of these resources. However, the vast genetic potential present in CWR is often difficult to tap, as identification of superior alleles can be hampered by the effects of the environment on expression of these alleles and masked in different genetic backgrounds; transfer of superior alleles into breeding pools to create new crop varieties can be slow and expensive. Some crop species have been more amenable to introgression of traits from wild relatives than others. In some cases, these species may be less diverged from their wild ancestors, which become a good source of mono‐ to oligogenic traits, many of which are more qualitative in nature, and sometimes of quantitative traits. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an introgression success story, and many traits, including cytoplasmic male sterility, herbicide tolerance, drought and biotic stress resistance, and modified fatty acid profiles, have been introgressed into the cultivated gene pool from wild relatives without depression of oil yield and quality. Others, including maize (Zea mays L.), have shown little progress in widening the cultivated gene pool using exotic sources due to temporary yield depression, potential for loss of quality, and disturbance of current logistical habits. Here, we review the breeding history of sunflower and maize and explore variables that have limited the use of CWR in some species and allowed success in others. Surprisingly, in both sunflower and maize, biological limitations are similar and smaller than expected and appear to be surmountable with sufficient determination. Possible new technologies and policies to allow a deeper mining of these genetic resources in all crop species are discussed.

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The prevalence of the digenean Plagiorchis sp. was investigated in a natural wood mouse population (Apodemus sylvaticus) in a periaquatic environment. Classical identification was complemented with the use of molecular differentiation to determine prevalence and verify species identity. Use of the complete ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 and partial 28S rDNA gene sequences have confirmed that the species reported at this location was Plagiorchis elegans and not Plagiorchis muris as reported previously. This underlines the difficulties in identification of these morphologically similar parasites. Plagiorchis elegans is typically a gastrointestinal parasite of avian species but has also been reported from small mammal populations. Although the occurrence of this digenean in A. sylvaticus in the UK is rare, in the area immediately surrounding Malham Tarn, Yorkshire, it had a high prevalence (23%) and a mean worm burden of 26.6 ± 61.5. The distribution of P. elegans followed a typically overdispersed pattern and both mouse age-group and sex were determined to be two main factors associated with prevalence. Male mice harboured the majority of worms, carrying 688 of 717 recovered during the study, and had a higher prevalence of 32.4% in comparison to only 8.7% in the small intestine of female mice. A higher prevalence of 43% was also observed in adult mice compared to 14% for young adults. No infection was observed in juvenile mice. These significant differences are likely to be due to differences in the foraging behaviour between the sexes and age cohorts of wood mice.

Abiotic stress is one of the major environmental stresses that decrease crop growth and yield even in irrigated soils worldwide. An important plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a vital role in addressing various stresses, such as thermal or heat stress, high salinity level, heavy metal stress, low temperature, drought, and stress on radiation. Its role is well explained in different processes for development, including germination of seed, stomata closure, and dormancy. Abscisic acid works through alteration of the gene expression levels and subsequently analyzing the cis and trans-regulatory components for receptive promoters. It is considered to have an interaction with the signaling elements of processes taking part in stress response and seed development. In general, a plant can be vulnerable or tolerant to stress when the correlated actions of different stress-reacting genes are considered. Many transcription factors are required for the regulation of expression of abscisic acid-responsive genes through interacting with their specific cis-acting components. Therefore, the mechanism behind it should be understood to make the plants stress-tolerant. This review explains the significance and function of ABA signaling concerning specific stress, the management of abscisic acid biosynthesis, and transcription factors (TFs) associated with stress tolerance.

An assay was designed to evaluate the efficacy of each entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, and diatomaceous (DE) and their combinations at concentrations of 1 × 10 6 and 1 × 10 8 conidia kg −1 of wheat and 200 and 400 ppm, respectively, on the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Tenebrionidae: Coleoptera), infesting wheat. Percent mortality of T. castaneum was recorded after 7, 14, and 21 days. Percent mycosis on dead cadavers was assessed after 21 days. Alive adults were removed from plastic jars after 21 days and kept for the next 60 days to assess the progeny production. The results indicated that the highest concentrations of B. bassiana and DE in their combinations were more effective for the virulence and progeny suppression of T. castaneum. Maximum mean percent mortality (88.13%) was recorded by B. bassiana (1 × 10 8 conidia kg −1 of wheat) and DE (400 ppm) in their combination after a 21-day exposure interval, while a minimum percent mean mortality (10.00%) was recorded by B. bassiana (1 × 10 6 conidia kg −1 of wheat) alone. The maximum percent mycosis (78.89%) on dead cadavers was recorded at a low concentration rate (1 × 10 6 conidia/kg) of B. bassiana. Mean progeny adult emergence was the highest (62.67 adults) at the low concentration of B. bassiana alone. Present studies showed that B. bassiana and DE are more effective in combination against T. castaneum on wheat as both substances are advantageous.