Shade Avoidance Influences Stress Tolerance in Maize

Previous studies have suggested that the reduction in the root/shoot ratio that accompanies the shade avoidance response may reduce the tolerance of individuals to subsequent nutrient or moisture limitations. In this work, we examined the impact of the shade avoidance response on maize seedling grow...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Weed science 2011-07, Vol.59 (3), p.326-334
Main Authors: Page, Eric R, Liu, Weidong, Cerrudo, Diego, Lee, Elizabeth A, Swanton, Clarence J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
abiotic stress
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Allometry
Biological and medical sciences
Biomass
Biomass production
Corn
Crop harvesting
Crop science
Energy crops
fertigation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
harvest index
Leaves
Light quality
Nutrients
Parasitic plants. Weeds
Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection
Plant roots
Plants
red to far-red ratio
reproductive allometry
root to shoot ratio
seedling growth
Seedlings
shoots
stress
stress tolerance
Synergism
WEED BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
Zea mays
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Summary:Previous studies have suggested that the reduction in the root/shoot ratio that accompanies the shade avoidance response may reduce the tolerance of individuals to subsequent nutrient or moisture limitations. In this work, we examined the impact of the shade avoidance response on maize seedling growth and development and the response of these plants to a subsequent abiotic stress. Seedlings were grown in a field fertigation system under two light quality environments, ambient and a low red to far-red ratio, which were designed to simulate weed-free and weedy conditions, respectively. This system also enabled the controlled restriction of water and nutrients, which reduced the relative growth rate of the crop and created a secondary stress. Results of this study indicate that, while the shade avoidance response did reduce the root/shoot ratio in maize, this effect did not reduce plant tolerance to subsequent abiotic stress. Rather, the apparent additivity or synergism of shade avoidance and the secondary stressor on yield loss depended on whether the net effect of these two stressors was sufficiently large to shift the population toward the point where reproductive allometry was broken.
ISSN:0043-1745
1550-2759
DOI:10.1614/WS-D-10-00159.1