Wheat Grain Filling Is Limited by Grain Filling Capacity rather than the Duration of Flag Leaf Photosynthesis: A Case Study Using NAM RNAi Plants

It has been proposed that delayed leaf senescence can extend grain filling duration and thus increase yields in cereal crops. We found that wheat (Triticum aestivum) NAM RNAi plants with delayed senescence carried out 40% more flag leaf photosynthesis after anthesis than control plants, but had the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2015-08, Vol.10 (8), p.e0134947-e0134947
Main Authors: Borrill, Philippa, Fahy, Brendan, Smith, Alison M, Uauy, Cristobal
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural production
Agriculture - methods
Biosynthesis
Carbohydrates
Case reports
Case studies
Cereal crops
Crop yield
Flowers & plants
Fructans
Fructans - metabolism
Genomics
Genotypes
Grain
Leaves
Micronutrients - metabolism
Nitrogen
Organ Size
Photosynthesis
Physiological aspects
Plant Leaves - physiology
Plant Proteins - genetics
Plant Proteins - physiology
Plants
Plants, Genetically Modified
Repressor Proteins - genetics
Repressor Proteins - physiology
RNA Interference
RNA, Small Interfering - genetics
RNA-mediated interference
Seeds - growth & development
Seeds - metabolism
Senescence
Starch
Starch - metabolism
Starch synthase
Studies
Triticum - genetics
Triticum - growth & development
Triticum aestivum
Wheat
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Summary:It has been proposed that delayed leaf senescence can extend grain filling duration and thus increase yields in cereal crops. We found that wheat (Triticum aestivum) NAM RNAi plants with delayed senescence carried out 40% more flag leaf photosynthesis after anthesis than control plants, but had the same rate and duration of starch accumulation during grain filling and the same final grain weight. The additional photosynthate available in NAM RNAi plants was in part stored as fructans in the stems, whereas stem fructans were remobilised during grain filling in control plants. In both genotypes, activity of starch synthase was limiting for starch synthesis in the later stages of grain filling. We suggest that in order to realise the potential yield gains offered by delayed leaf senescence, this trait should be combined with increased grain filling capacity.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0134947