The objective of this field crop study was to compare the effect of organic (cattle manure, off-season cover crop) and mineral N (NH₄NO₃; 0, 50, 100° 150 kg N ha⁻¹) fertilizers on (i) gluten-starch interaction, and (ii) rheological properties of winter wheat dough. Data were collected from the long-term field experiment located in the Baltic Sea region (58°22′ N, 26°40′ E) in years 2013–2017. The amount of minuppueral N 150 kg ha⁻¹ applied in two parts before flowering ensured higher gluten content (31 ± 3.3%) and dough quality (81 ± 7.4 mm) due to more positive interactions between gluten proteins and starch granules. The quality of dough was more variable in organic treatments (ranged up to 33%) because the availability of organic N was more variable and sensitivity to the weather conditions was higher. The mean variability of different dough properties over trial years under organic treatments was 1.4–2.0 times higher than in the treatment with 150 kg N ha⁻¹.

A spelt diversity panel including 80 genotypes of winter spelt was tested for resistance to common bunt, leaf blotch, powdery mildew, leaf rust, stem rust and yellow rust. The reaction to diseases was investigated in field trials carried out at multiple European locations between 2013 and 2019. Resistance was assessed after artificial inoculation or natural infestation by visual scoring of symptoms. The presence of rust resistance genes was postulated using molecular markers. It was found that the presence of hulls plays a role as a passive resistance factor against common bunt. The risk of fungal diseases in spelt is not negligible. Genotypes with low disease severity in all environments as well as combined resistance to multiple diseases were determined. Across all test environments, spelt genotypes ʻSofia 1ʼ and ʻAlbinʼ showed a very low disease infestation by common bunt, ʻSofia 1ʼ, ʻRiniken Weißkornʼ, ʻZürcher Oberländer Rotkornʼ and ʻToess 5Bʼ by leaf blotch, ʻSpeltvete från Gotlandʼ by yellow rust and ʻSofia 1ʼ by leaf rust and stem rust. The influence of the breeding period was examined, and differences between modern and old varieties/landraces have not been proven. The results obtained can be used for the selection of suitable parental material for breeding spelt with improved disease resistance.

This study evaluated the grain characteristics, dough rheology, and baking performance of two winter wheat cultivars, 'Edvins' and 'Fredis', grown in Estonia between 2021 and 2024. Seven fertilisation treatments were compared, including three organic (Org0, OrgI, and OrgII) and four conventional (N0, N50, N100, and N150), using data from a long-term crop rotation experiment. Yield, thousand kernel weight, protein content, wet gluten content, gluten index, dough rheology, and bread quality traits were assessed. Higher mineral nitrogen input in the conventional system enhanced both grain yield and quality traits, compared with the organic system, which yielded ~50% less. The N150 treatment yielded the highest loaf volume, achieving 575 cm³ from an initial input of 250 g of flour and exceeding Org0 substantially. Rheological traits were largely unaffected by the cropping system, except for dough development time, which was longer for flour from the conventional system. Cultivar 'Fredis' showed more stable quality across treatments. 'Fredis’ was associated with high yield and quality traits, while 'Edvins' was more sensitive to early-season climatic conditions. Cropping systems and nitrogen management are the primary drivers of winter wheat productivity and baking quality, while cultivar selection contributes to quality stability under organic production.

In wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), flag leaf is crucial in determining grain-filling rate and final grain yield. Stomata, microscopic pores on plant surfaces, balance CO ₂ uptake and evaporative water loss; their numbers and aperture sizes depend on environmental factors. Previous studies have reported associations between stomatal traits and grain yield; mostly under controlled conditions. Our study aimed to investigate flag leaf stomatal anatomical and physiological traits, and their relationships with winter wheat grain yield under field conditions. We measured stomatal density and size, and stomatal conductance on adaxial and abaxial flag leaf surfaces in a three-year field study with twenty-five winter wheat varieties. Stomatal density ratio remained constant despite different stomatal densities occurring in different years, indicating coordinated adjustments of stomatal numbers between leaf surfaces in response to environmental conditions. Stomatal conductance ratios varied widely, indicating leaf-surface specific stomatal responses to environmental conditions. Grain yield was positively associated with stomatal density and negatively with stomatal size. Flag leaf removal reduced grain weight per spike and did not affect grain numbers per spike, unlike in spring wheat. Our field study provides valuable insights into the relationships between winter wheat stomatal traits and grain yield that can be used in breeding.

We applied DNA-based marker-assisted selection to introduce the rare Glu-A1t allele into winter bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) and provided the first validation of the Glu-A1t DNA markers for varieties adapted to Northern European conditions. The allele has earlier only been screened in spring wheat using protein analysis. The Glu-A1t allele encodes a unique pair of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs), with both A1x21* and A1y21* being expressed. This allele has shown potential for improving bread-making quality and increasing grain protein content in bread wheat. Four molecular markers (the indel marker Xid3, the STS marker Axnull, and two KASP markers Mk-A1-1-12 and Mk-A1-1-13) were validated for their ability to detect Glu-A1t and distinguish it from other GLU-A1 alleles (a, b, c). These markers were used for creating hybrid winter wheat lines, which can be used for evaluating the effects of Glu-A1t on yield and baking quality. Genotyping results were fully consistent with SDS-PAGE analysis of HMW-GS composition, confirming the presence of both A1x21* and A1y21* subunits in F3 hybrids. Overall, this study delivers a novel set of validated molecular tools and genetic resources that can be directly applied in breeding programs aimed at improving wheat baking quality in Northern Europe.