Understanding Dry Matter and Nitrogen Accumulation with Time-Course for High-Yielding Wheat Production in China

Abstract

Understanding the time-course of dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) accumulation in terms of yield–trait relationships is essential to simultaneously increase grain yield and synchronize N demand and N supply. We collected 413 data points from 11 field experiments to address patterns of DM and N accumulation with time in relation to grain yield and management of winter wheat in China. Detailed growth analysis was conducted at the Zadok growth stages (GS) 25 (regreening), GS30 (stem elongation), GS60 (anthesis), and GS100 (maturity) in all experiments, including DM and N accumulation. Grain yield averaged 7.3 Mg ha−1, ranging from 2.1 to 11.2 Mg ha−1. The percent N accumulation was consistent prior to DM accumulation, while both DM and N accumulation increased continuously with growing time. Both the highest and fastest DM and N accumulations were observed from stem elongation to the anthesis stage. Significant correlations between grain yield and DM and N accumulation were found at each of the four growth stages, although no positive relationship was observed between grain yield and harvest index or N harvest index. The yield increase from 7–9 Mg ha−1 to >9 Mg ha−1 was mainly attributed to increased DM and N accumulation from stem elongation to anthesis. Although applying more N fertilizer increased N accumulation during this stage, DM accumulation was not improved, indicating that N fertilizer management and related agronomic management should be intensified synchronously across the wheat growing season to simultaneously achieve high yields and match N demand and N supply.

Multisplit Nitrogen Application via Drip Irrigation Improves Maize Grain Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

“…From these results, we can also conclude that drip fertigation improved early N accumulation to promote later increases in DM accumulation. This is consistent with findings from previous research on winter wheat (Ye et al, 2011;Meng et al, 2013).…”

“…This view is consistent with other studies (Borrás and Westgate, 2006) Under the H cropping system, although N concentration at V6, averaged across three treatments in 2013, was greater than that for 2012, no difference in N concentration at V6 averaged across 2 yr was found among treatments across 2 yr. This is consistent with findings from previous research on winter wheat (Ye et al, 2011;Meng et al, 2013). Greater N accumulation at the early growth stages promotes leaf area development and increases interception of solar radiation and assimilation availability (Echarte et al, 2008;Ciampitti and Vyn, 2011).…”

Manure Limits Wheat Yield Losses Due to Delayed Seeding

“…Recent studies have proposed that increasing wheat yield cannot be dependent solely on increasing the total tiller number, but should emphasize improving early initiated tiller growth (quantity and individual stem quality) to increase tiller productive percentage (Maidl et al, 1998; Duggan et al, 2005; Lu et al, 2014). For example, Meng et al (2013) found that high‐yielding populations usually consist of more and stronger pre‐winter tillers compared with low‐yielding populations that have more spring tillers (TS). Lu et al (2014) reported that an increased number of spring unproductive tillers resulted in lower yield for high‐tillering cultivars grown in the NCP.…”

Effect of different supplemental irrigation strategies on photosynthetic characteristics and water use efficiency of wheat

“…Meng et al (2013) found that DM at the regreening, stem elongation, anthesis, and maturity stages are all significantly correlated with grain yield, and the increase in grain yield from 7-9 t ha -1 to > 9 t ha -1 is mainly attributed to the increase in DM from stem elongation to anthesis stage. Compared with W1 and W2, W0 reduced the average total DM content in the two growing seasons by 32.15% in anthesis stage, and this phenomenon is mainly caused by DM reduction in stem + sheath (Table 3).…”

“…The DM accumulates post-anthesis which is produced by photosynthesis of flag leaves and spikes accounts for more than 60% of grain yield (Fang et al, 2006), indicating a positive correlation between grain yield and DM accumulation post-anthesis (Ye et al, 2011;Meng et al, 2013). Water deficit post-anthesis reduces photosynthesis and DM accumulation, resulting in reduced grain weight and grain yield (Plaut et al, 2004;Bahrani et al, 2011).…”