Pushing yield frontiers of cereals and legumes is becoming increasingly difficult, especially in drylands. This paper argues and provides empirical evidence that food loss and wastage constitute a sizeable proportion of the total wheat supply in Egypt. By following the life cycle of food and using standard measurement protocols, we estimated the levels of food loss and wastage along the wheat value chain in Egypt and their socioeconomic, biophysical, and environmental implications. About 4.4 million tons (20.62% of total wheat supply from domestic production and imports in 2017/2018) is estimated to be lost or wasted in Egypt which is also associated with the wastage of about 4.79 billion m³ of water, and 74.72 million GJ of energy. This implies that if Egypt manages to eliminate, or considerably reduce, wheat-related losses and wastage, it will save enough food to feed 21 million more people from domestic production and hence reduce wheat imports by 37%, save 1.1 billion USD of much-needed foreign exchange, and reduce emissions of at least 260.84 million kg carbon dioxide-equivalent and 8.5 million kg of methane. Therefore, investment in reducing food loss and wastage can be an effective strategy to complement ongoing efforts to enhance food security through productivity enhancement in Egypt.

This study aimed to assess the heat tolerance of twelve bread wheat genotypes under eight different environments. Wheat genotypes were sown in two locations (Tomas, Luxor governorate, representing Upper Egypt and Alfashn in Bani Suef governorate, representing Middle Egypt) at two planting dates 25th November (recommended) and 25th December (late) during two seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. The experiment was grown in a randomized complete block design with three replications in each environment. The combined analysis of variance showed that number of spikes/m2, number of kernels/spike, 1000-kernel weight and grain yield were significantly affected by locations, and planting dates. Parameters of phenotypic stability indicated that wheat genotypes Misr2 and Giza171 were highly adapted to recommended environments for grain yield (ton/ha) in Luxor and Bani-Suef governorates, respectively. Whereas, Misr2 and Giza168 could be grown under heat stress environments for grain yield (ton/ha) in Luxor and Bani-Suef governorates, respectively. According to GE biplot and ASV, the most desired and stable genotypes were Shandaweel 1, Line#2, Sids 14 for number of spikes/m²; Misr 2, Sids 14 ,Giza 171 for number of kernels/spike; Line#2, Shandaweel1, Misr 2, Giza 168, Giza 171 for 1000-kernel weight and Line#1, Giza168, Sids12 and Misr2 for grain yield (ton/ha).

Wheat grain yield can be improved by using appropriate planting method with a balanced seeding rate. The experiment was conducted during the two successive growing seasons, i.e. 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 at Almatana Agricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt. The experiment was grown in a split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications, where the main plots were allocated to planting methods and seeding rates were represented in the split plots. The objective was to study the impact of three planting methods, i.e., broadcasting, drilling (conventional) and raised beds using three seeding rates, i.e., 35, 45 and 60 kg fed-1 (fed-1 = 4200 m2) on yield and yield components of wheat cultivar Misr3. Results showed that grain yield and its components traits were significantly affected by different planting methods and seeding rates. Concerning to the interaction between planting methods and seeding rates it was significantly affected number of kernels/spike-1 and grain yield (ardab/fed-1). Raised Beds method produced the maximum grain yield (21.98 ardab/fed-1) compared to the conventional methods; drilling method (16.41 ardab/fed-1) and broadcasting method (14.28 ardab/fed-1). Regarding to the seeding rates results found that 60 kg/fed-1 was the best seeding rate for conventional planting methods, while 45 kg/fed-1 seeding rate was the best for raised bed planting method.

The main objective of this investigation was to study gene effects by the analysis generation means for grain yield and its components characters in two bread wheat crosses, (Sids1 x Giza171) and (Shandaweel1 x Sakha94). Randomize complete block design with three replications was used for P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1, and BC2 during 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 growing seasons. The measurements of gene effect and non-allelic interaction in addition to heterosis, inbreeding depression and heritability of grain yield and yield components in bread wheat were estimated. Scaling test showed significant effect for almost characters in both crosses. The additive (d) gene effect was positive and highly significant for number of kernels/spike and grain yield/plant for the first cross and positive significant with 100-kernel weight in the second cross, but negative significant with first cross. Estimates of dominance (h) effects were highly significant for number of spikes/plant and number of kernels/spike in second cross. Better parent heterobeltiosis, significant and highly significant heterobeltiotic effect positive was found between crosses for grain yield in two crosses and number of kernel/spike for the second cross. Results of inbreeding depression were highly significant positive for all the study traits. Broad sense heritability values ranged from 45.15 to 88.01% for all studied characters in both crosses.

Considering the rapid climatic changes in the past few years, the effect of high temperature on wheat productivity is global concern. Heat stress is one of the major abiotic stresses reducing wheat production. Heat stress reduces grain weight and number, chlorophyll content and photosynthesis activity. This study was carried out during two successive seasons 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 at Almatana agricultural Research Station, Luxor, Upper Egypt, to investigate the effect of two sowing dates 20th November (favorable sowing date) and 10th January (late sowing date, after sugarcane harvest) on yield characters, of twenty bread wheat genotypes. The objective was to understand heat stress effects on grain yield and its components to estimate some selection indices for heat tolerance in wheat. The studied characters were number of spikes/m2, number of kernels/spike, 1000-kernel weight and grain yield (ton/ha). Results indicated that sowing dates and genotypes had significant effects for all studied characters. Delaying sowing date after sugarcane harvest reduced no. of spikes/m2, no. of kernels/spike, 1000-kernel weight and grain yield by an average of 31.62, 32.85, 32.76 and 37.74%, respectively, compared to the favorable sowing date. Highest grain yield (8.81) t/ha under favorable sowing date was for gemmeiza11, while shandaweel1 gave (5.92) t/ha the highest grain yield under late sowing date. Heat susceptibility index (HSI) over all two seasons ranged from 0.78 for Shandaweel1, to 1.23 for genotype Line8.

To determine the effects of different seeding rates and nitrogen fertilizer levels on yield and its components of six bread wheat genotypes, a field experiment was conducted at East Canal and Al Marashda Agricultural Research Stations during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 growing seasons. The experiment was laid out in a split-split plot arrangement in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Seeding rates (60, 80, and 100 kg fad. -1) were placed in the main plots, while nitrogen fertilizer levels (75,100 and 125 kg N fad. -1) were allotted in the subplots, whereas, the sub-sub plots were allocated to the bread wheat genotypes (Gemmeiza 12, Sids 14, Shandaweel 1, Line 1, Line 2 and Line 3). The number of spikes m-2, 1000 kernels weight, and grain yield were significantly higher at a seeding rate of 100 kg fad. -1 as compared to other seeding rates. Nitrogen fertilizer levels affected significantly yield and its components. Grain yield and its components increased with each increment in nitrogen fertilizer level from 75 to 100 and up to 125 kg N fad-1. Wheat is sown at a seeding rate of 100 kg fad. -1 with 125 kg N fad. -1 has the highest number of spikes m-2 and grain yield. The interaction effects of seeding rate by genotypes and nitrogen levels by genotypes reveal the superiority of Sids 14 and Shandaweel 1 wheat cultivars in grain yield when sown at a seeding rate of 100 kg fad. -1 with 125 kg N fad. -1 in both locations.