Winter Wheat Photosynthesis and Grain Yield Responses to Spring Freeze

Abstract

Spring freeze events seriously limit the growth, development, and grain yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A 2-yr eld experiment with two contrasting cultivars: XM21 (low-temperature resistant) and XZ24 (low-temperature sensitive), was conducted using an air temperature control device designed to allow investigation of the physiological and grain yield responses to spring freeze. e plants were grown in the eld and subjected to a 5-d spring freeze episode (approximately 8°C lower than the ambient temperature) at jointing stage (Zadoks scale 31). Spring freeze signi cantly decreased gas exchange rates and maximum quantum e ciency of photosystem II in wheat leaves of both cultivars. Under spring freeze, the yield loss was 12 to 14% in XZ24 vs. 5 to 6% in XM21. Greater yield loss in XZ24 coincided with a greater reduction of tiller and spike number in XZ24 than in XM21. Spring freeze occurring at jointing stage depressed the photosynthetic capacity of the leaves when measured at the end of the 5-d period and again at 7 d later, resulting in lowered number of e ective tillers, and eventually decreasing the grain yield. e genetic and/or bio-physiochemical basis for the di erent sensitivity of tiller development to spring freeze between the two cultivars could be further exploited for breeding new wheat cultivars tolerant to spring freeze stress.

Chilling and Drought Stresses in Crop Plants: Implications, Cross Talk, and Potential Management Opportunities

“… Whaley et al (2004) found that chilling stress during stem elongation reduced the internode extension, caused spikelet death, and lowered biomass accumulation and grain yield in wheat. Low temperature at jointing and booting stages of wheat significantly decreased the number of productive tillers per plant ( Li et al, 2015 ), and negatively affected the development of young spikes ( Thakur et al, 2010 ).…”

Double benefits of mechanical wounding in enhancing chilling tolerance and lodging resistance in wheat plants

“…; Li et al . ). Although cold acclimation has been considered an effective way to combat chilling stress, more efficient strategies towards preventing and alleviating this stress in late spring in winter wheat production remain far from clear.…”

Modulation of photosynthate supply by CO2 elevation affects the post‐head‐emergence frost‐induced grain yield loss in wheat

“…Low‐temperature stress depresses plant growth and development and is a major constraint to grain yield formation in wheat (Li et al., ). Our previous and other studies have demonstrated the negative effects of low‐temperature events during the vegetative stage on grain yield in wheat (Barlow, Christy, O'Leary, Riffkin, & Nuttall, ; Ji et al., ; Li, Cai, Liu, Dai et al., ; Li, Pu et al., ). A grain yield loss in a high range of 3%–85% was found under low temperature at jointing and booting stages, which is related to many factors including the level and duration of low temperature, the wheat growth stage when the low‐temperature events occur, and the cold tolerance of wheat cultivars (Craufurd, Vadez, Svk, Pvv, & Zamanallah, ; Ji et al., ; Li, Cai, Liu, Dai et al., ).…”

“…The PHEF-induced grain yield loss in wheat could be severe, because a short PHEF event can destroy the individual plant by weakening stems and even killing whole heads (Frederiks et al, 2012;Mushtaq et al, 2017;Zheng et al, 2015). During the vegetative growth stages, frost could cause an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a reduction in photosynthetic carbon assimilation in wheat (Li, Pu et al, 2015;Shahryar & Maali-Amiri, 2016). When wheat develops into reproductive phase, especially after heading, wheat plants are very susceptible to frost stress (Whaley et al, 2004).…”