Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in Wheat
Crop breeding has been successful in increasing crop grain yield (GY; reproductive biomass) largely through reduced vegetative size, increased reproductive effort (<i>RE</i> = reproductive biomass/total biomass) and increased water-use efficiency (WUE) in grain production. Flowering time...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/5/1217 |
| _version_ | 1797601514127097856 |
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| author | Yue Xi Dong Wang Jacob Weiner Yan-Lei Du Feng-Min Li |
| author_facet | Yue Xi Dong Wang Jacob Weiner Yan-Lei Du Feng-Min Li |
| author_sort | Yue Xi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Crop breeding has been successful in increasing crop grain yield (GY; reproductive biomass) largely through reduced vegetative size, increased reproductive effort (<i>RE</i> = reproductive biomass/total biomass) and increased water-use efficiency (WUE) in grain production. Flowering time is an important life history trait that signifies the switch from vegetative to reproductive growth. The relationship between GY and time from sowing to flowering (Tsf) is unclear. We fit the relationships between GY and <i>RE</i> vs. Tsf to the logistic model using data from 18 spring wheat genotypes grown under simulated rainfed conditions. Tsf accounted for water use before and after flowering, root length density, total leaf area, and the time from flowering to harvest. Early flowering meant decreased water use before flowering and increased water use afterward. Soil water remaining at harvest was positively correlated with yield. Early flowering genotypes have a higher WUE of grain production, but there was no significant difference in the WUE of total biomass production. The relationship between grain yield and Tsf is described as a unimodal curve, as is the relationship between <i>RE</i> and Tsf. Higher yields and a higher <i>RE</i> have been achieved through earlier flowering, and both <i>RE</i> and Tsf reached their optimal values for maximizing GY. Crop breeding is unlikely to achieve further increases in GY through this route in the future. The results suggest that breeding does not improve biomass’s water-use efficiency, but causes changes in biomass allocation strategy, and this could be a new direction for genetically improving grain yield. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:01:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6bb5b7567a84b35bb8160cd4c3915d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:01:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6bb5b7567a84b35bb8160cd4c3915d62023-11-18T00:04:49ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-04-01135121710.3390/agronomy13051217Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in WheatYue Xi0Dong Wang1Jacob Weiner2Yan-Lei Du3Feng-Min Li4College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCollege of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaDepartment of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1165 København, DenmarkCollege of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCollege of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCrop breeding has been successful in increasing crop grain yield (GY; reproductive biomass) largely through reduced vegetative size, increased reproductive effort (<i>RE</i> = reproductive biomass/total biomass) and increased water-use efficiency (WUE) in grain production. Flowering time is an important life history trait that signifies the switch from vegetative to reproductive growth. The relationship between GY and time from sowing to flowering (Tsf) is unclear. We fit the relationships between GY and <i>RE</i> vs. Tsf to the logistic model using data from 18 spring wheat genotypes grown under simulated rainfed conditions. Tsf accounted for water use before and after flowering, root length density, total leaf area, and the time from flowering to harvest. Early flowering meant decreased water use before flowering and increased water use afterward. Soil water remaining at harvest was positively correlated with yield. Early flowering genotypes have a higher WUE of grain production, but there was no significant difference in the WUE of total biomass production. The relationship between grain yield and Tsf is described as a unimodal curve, as is the relationship between <i>RE</i> and Tsf. Higher yields and a higher <i>RE</i> have been achieved through earlier flowering, and both <i>RE</i> and Tsf reached their optimal values for maximizing GY. Crop breeding is unlikely to achieve further increases in GY through this route in the future. The results suggest that breeding does not improve biomass’s water-use efficiency, but causes changes in biomass allocation strategy, and this could be a new direction for genetically improving grain yield.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/5/1217flowering timereproductive effortwheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)vegetative biomasswater use efficiencyagroecology |
| spellingShingle | Yue Xi Dong Wang Jacob Weiner Yan-Lei Du Feng-Min Li Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in Wheat Agronomy flowering time reproductive effort wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) vegetative biomass water use efficiency agroecology |
| title | Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in Wheat |
| title_full | Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in Wheat |
| title_fullStr | Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in Wheat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in Wheat |
| title_short | Time to Onset of Flowering, Water Use, and Yield in Wheat |
| title_sort | time to onset of flowering water use and yield in wheat |
| topic | flowering time reproductive effort wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) vegetative biomass water use efficiency agroecology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/5/1217 |
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