Genetic and Environmental Factors Affecting the Grain Quality and Yield of Cereals

Dear Colleagues,

Cereals contribute a substantial part of the world’s plant-derived food production and comprise a majority of the crops that are harvested. In fact, FAO statistics show that in 2019, the production of primary crops was 9.4 billion tons, and four crops account for about half of global primary crop production: sugar cane, maize, wheat, and rice. In addition, according to the Foreign Agricultural Service/USDA, the preliminary world production in 2019 of maize, wheat, and rice-paddy was estimated at around 1148, 765, and 755 million tons, respectively. Given the importance of cereals as staple foods worldwide (more than 40% of the total dietary energy supply was provided by cereals at world level in 2018), one of the major challenges that plant breeders/producers are currently facing is to increase cereal grain production (grain yield) while improving grain quality, which has important implications for the nutritional quality of foods, especially in developing countries. Considering the economic and social importance of cereal crops in the context of global climate changes, this Special Issue will focus on the effects and interactions of genetic and environmental factors (drought, elevated temperatures, CO₂ concentration, etc.) that can affect the grain qualities and/or productivity of cereals.

Dr. Thierry Aussenac
Guest Editor

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