Breeding for enhanced rooting depth and root biomass in deeper soil layers is a promising strategy to adapt wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants to drought periods. We evaluated (1) the extent of indirect selection of root traits during the last century of wheat breeding and (2) how it affected the variety performance under well-watered conditions compared to gradually developing drought stress. Fourteen bread wheat genotypes covering 100 years of Swiss wheat breeding were grown in 1.6 m tall columns in the greenhouse under well-watered and drought conditions. Root parameters, such as rooting depth and root biomass and above ground parameters were determined at flowering and maturity. Rooting depth showed a negative trend in response to year of release under well-watered conditions but not under early water stress. Modern varieties responded with enhanced root allocation to deeper soil layers. Consequently, rooting depth was positively correlated with plant height at well-watered conditions but not under early water stress. Considerable genetic variation for rooting depth among modern varieties indicates that the trait is selectable without strong alteration of plant height. We conclude that modern varieties adjusted rooting depth to water demand.

Abstract. Over the past decades, average global wheat yields have increased by about 250 %, mainly due to the cultivation of high-yielding wheat cultivars. This selection process not only affected aboveground parts of plants, but in some cases also reduced root biomass, with potentially large consequences for the amount of organic carbon (OC) transferred to the soil. To study the effect of wheat breeding for high-yielding cultivars on subsoil OC dynamics, two old and two new wheat cultivars from the Swiss wheat breeding program were grown for one growing season in 1.5 m deep lysimeters and pulse labeled with 13CO2 to quantify the amount of assimilated carbon that was transferred belowground and can potentially be stabilized in the soil. The results show that although the old wheat cultivars with higher root biomass transferred more assimilated carbon belowground compared to more recent cultivars, no significant differences in net rhizodeposition were found between the different cultivars. As a consequence, the long-term effect of wheat cultivar selection on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks will depend on the amount of root biomass that is stabilized in the soil. Our results suggest that the process of wheat selection for high-yielding cultivars resulted in lower amounts of belowground carbon translocation, with potentially important effects on SOC stocks. Further research is necessary to quantify the long-term importance of this effect.

Abstract. Over the past decades, average global wheat yields have increased by about 250 %, mainly due to the cultivation of high-yielding wheat cultivars. This selection process not only affected aboveground parts of plants, but in some cases also reduced the root biomass, with potentially large consequences for the amount of organic carbon (OC) transferred to the soil. To study the effect of wheat breeding for high-yielding cultivars on subsoil OC dynamics, two old and two new wheat cultivars from the Swiss wheat breeding program were grown for one growing season in 1.5 m-deep lysimeters and pulse-labelled with 13CO2, to quantify the amount of assimilated carbon that was transferred belowground and potentially stabilized in the soil. The results show that although the old wheat cultivars with higher root biomass transferred more assimilated carbon belowground compared to more recent cultivars, no significant differences in net soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization were found between the different cultivars. As a consequence, the long-term effect of wheat cultivar selection on SOC stocks will depend on the amount of root biomass that is stabilized in the soil. Our results suggest that the process of wheat selection for high-yielding cultivars resulted in lower amounts of belowground carbon translocation, with potentially important effects on SOC stocks. Further research is necessary to quantify the long-term importance of this effect.

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