Root carbon consumption and grain yield of spring wheat in response to phosphorus supply under two water regimes

• Published in: Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016-07, Vol.15 (7), p.1595-1601
• Main Authors: GUAN, Yu, QIAO, Zhen, DU, Jiu-yuan, DU, Yan-lei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: grain yield; phosphorus supply; root carbon consumption; spring wheat; water supply; 半干旱地区; 地上生物量; 小麦根系; 春小麦产量; 水分条件; 碳消耗; 籽粒产量; 粮食作物
• ISSN: 2095-3119; 2352-3425
• DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61193-5

In semiarid areas, cereal crops often alocate more biomass to root at the expense of aboveground yield. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate carbon consumption of roots and its impact on grain yield of spring wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） as affected by water and phosphorus （P） supply. A factorial design was used with six treatments namely two water regimes （at 80–75% and 50–45% ifeld capacity （FC）） and three P supply rates （P1=0, P2=44 and P3=109 μg P g–1 soil）. At shooting and lfowering stages, root respiration and carbon consumption increased with the elevate of P supply rates, regardless of water conditions, which achieved the minimum and maximum at P1 under 50–45% FC and P3 under 80–75% FC, respectively. However, total aboveground biomass and grain yield were higher at P2 under 80–75% FC; and decreased with high P application （P3）. The results indicated that rational or low P supply （80–75% of ifeld water capacity and 44 mg P kg–1 soil） should be recommended to improve grain yield by decreasing root carbon consumption in semiarid areas.