Drought and high temperature increases preharvest sprouting tolerance in a genotype without grain dormancy

Preharvest sprouting is common in cereals, which lack grain dormancy when maturing grain is exposed to rainfall or high moisture conditions. Environmental conditions such as drought and high temperature during grain filling have a large effect on the expression of sprouting tolerance. A dormant (DM 2001) and non-dormant (Cunderdin) hard white spring wheat were exposed to drought or irrigated conditions and either low or high temperature during grain filling. Dormancy and embryo sensitivity to ABA were analysed throughout grain filling. The conclusions from this investigation were as follows; firstly DM 2001 was more dormant than Cunderdin, with a four-fold lower germination index (GI) at maturity. Secondly during grain ripening drought increased dormancy and overrides any increase in dormancy with low temperature. Finally embryo sensitivity can be induced in a non-dormant genotype to the extent where the non-dormant genotype in a hot dry environment can have the same phenotype as a dormant genotype grown in a cool wet environment. In summary drought during grain filling increases dormancy suggesting breeders need to avoid drought when screening for sprouting tolerance in order to maximise the chances of identifying genetic differences in grain dormancy and avoid any maturity by drought interactions.     

Improving the Productivity of Bread Wheat by Good Management Practices under Terminal Drought

Drought‐induced damages in crop plants are ranked at top amid all losses instigated by diverse abiotic stresses. Terminal drought (drought at reproductive phase) has emerged as a severe threat to the productivity of wheat crop. Different seed enhancement techniques, genotypes and distribution of crop plants in different spacings have been explored individually to mitigate these losses; however, their interaction has rarely been tested in improving drought resistance in wheat. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential role of different seed enhancement techniques and row spacings in mitigating the adversities of terminal drought in two wheat cultivars during two consecutive growing seasons of 2010–2011 and 2011–2012. Seeds of wheat cultivars Lasani‐2008 (medium statured) and Triple Dwarf‐1 (dwarf height) soaked in water (hydropriming) or CaCl₂ (osmopriming) were sown in 20‐, 25‐ and 30‐cm spaced rows; just before heading, the soil moisture was maintained at 100 % field capacity (well watered) or 50 % field capacity (terminal drought) till maturity. Terminal drought significantly reduced the yield and related traits compared with well‐watered crop; however, osmopriming improved the crop performance under terminal drought. Among different row spacings, wheat sown in 20‐cm spaced rows performed better during both years of study. Wheat cultivar Lasani‐2008 performed better than cultivar Triple Dwarf‐1 under both well‐watered and stress conditions. Maximum net returns and benefit–cost ratio were recorded from osmoprimed seeds of cultivar Lasani‐2008 sown in 20‐cm spaced rows under well‐watered condition. Nonetheless, osmoprimed seeds of cultivar Lasani‐2008 sown in 20‐cm spaced rows were better able to produce good yield under terminal drought.     

旱地微垄地膜覆盖沟播栽培对土壤水分和胡麻产量的影响

春夏干旱是榆中县旱作区影响胡麻产量的主要限制因素,为了减少土壤水分的无效蒸发、提高土壤含水量、改善胡麻生长环境和提高胡麻产量,开展了旱地微垄地膜覆盖沟播栽培对土壤水分和胡麻产量的试验研究。结果表明,旱地胡麻微垄地膜覆盖沟播栽培减少了胡麻生长期间土壤水分的无效蒸发,胡麻生长期平均土壤含水量提高,胡麻的出苗率提高,胡麻有效分枝数、全株蒴果数、单蒴果粒数、千粒重等经济性状明显改善;旱地胡麻微垄地膜覆盖沟播栽培比露地栽培增产634.2kg/hm2,产值提高4 439.4元/hm2,纯收入增加3 149.4元/hm2。     

不同秋眠类型苜蓿品种的生产性能研究

通过对国内外42个秋眠级为2~9级的紫花苜蓿品种4个生产年的研究, 探讨苜蓿秋眠级与生产性能的关系。结果表明: (1)不同秋眠级苜蓿的干物质产量均呈第4年≈第3年＞第1年＞第2年的趋势, 其中第2生长年(2003年)天气温度较低和降雨过量是其低产的直接原因; (2)在郑州地区, 4、2秋眠级苜蓿干物质产量显著高于非秋眠品种, 其他秋眠或半秋眠苜蓿产量也程度不同地高于非秋眠苜蓿; (3)不同秋眠级的苜蓿品种第1茬产量最高, 其次为第2、3、4茬, 第5茬产量最低; (4)苜蓿的秋眠级与年干物质产量、粗蛋白质(CP)含量呈负相关, 与粗纤维(CF)呈正相关, 认为郑州地区不宜选用非秋眠品种。     

Modulation of Brassica napus source–sink physiology through film antitranspirant induced drought tolerance amelioration that is dependent on the stress magnitude

Increase in drought conditions during the oilseed rape (OSR) reproductive phase is predicted to occur more often in the temperate zone, leading to significant yield losses. Crop management solutions such as film antitranspirant (AT) applied at key drought‐sensitive growth stages on both wheat and oilseed rape have recently been shown to alleviate drought‐induced yield losses. However, there is a lack of information regarding potential AT effectiveness to reduce drought damage on OSR plants at different soil moisture regimes. Therefore, two similar experiments were performed in a computer‐controlled glasshouse/phenotyping centre to investigate the physiological responses of OSR to well‐watered (WW), moderate water stress (MWS), water stress (WS) and severe water stress (SWS) conditions. Stress treatments were imposed at the initiation of flowering and treated with an AT or water onto the leaf canopy. Stress limited the gas‐exchange and increased leaf temperature, leaf‐to‐air temperature, bud‐to‐air temperature and ABA concentrations which increased with stress intensity in all tissues analysed. Yield components were significantly reduced by WS and SWS treatments when compared to the WW plants. Application of AT counteracted the detrimental effect of WS and SWS by decreasing water use over the first few days of stress application thus improving relative water content and leaf water‐use efficiency, decreasing ABA accumulation in leaf and all the reproductive organs analysed (buds, flowers and pods) and avoiding bud‐to‐air temperature increases. AT application sustained pod formation and seed production under WS but only seed production under SWS conditions. These data suggest that leaf‐canopy application of AT at key phenological stages under particular magnitudes of soil moisture deficit may sustain OSR reproduction and reduce yield losses.     

Inheritance of conditional dormancy in over-summering buds of Phalaris aquatica L.

Summary The relative ability of the underground buds of a Mediterranean perennial grass species to break dormancy in response to summer rain was compared between individual plants and between half-sib families in two experiments with broadly-based breeding populations under different environmental conditions. Significant genetic variation was found in summer regrowth activity in both experiments. The narrow-sense heritability of the ratio of new to old, dead tillers after summer rain under spaced plant conditions at a relatively cool site was 0.40±0.16. Under sward conditions at a warm site, the narrow-sense heritability of an index of summer regrowth potential on a half-sib family mean basis was 0.36±0.08. Summer regrowth activity was negatively but weakly correlated with flowering time (r_g=–0.22), and strongly positively correlated with early autumn herbage yield (r_g=0.79). Summer regrowth activity was not genetically correlated with seedling size or herbage yield in the second or third growing seasons. These correlations are different in sign or magnitude from those observed in collections of Mediterranean ecotypes from which the breeding populations were derived by crossing to Australian cultivars and recurrent selection for vigour and persistence. The correlations in Mediterranean populations therefore are not due to pleiotropic effects; they can be altered by recombination. Phenotypic variance relative to the population mean was considerable in both experiments, and hence the level of the responsiveness of dormant buds to summer rainfall should be manipulable readily by selection. The possible effects of altered responsiveness on long term survival and productivity in several different environments are discussed.     

Evaluating the role of seed priming in improving drought tolerance of pigmented and non‐pigmented rice

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of seed priming on drought tolerance of pigmented and non‐pigmented rice. Seeds of pigmented (cv. Heug Jinju Byeo) and non‐pigmented (cv. Anjoong) rice were soaked in water (hydropriming) or solution of CaCl₂ (osmopriming). Seeds were sown in soil‐filled pots retained at 70 (well‐watered) and 35% (drought) water‐holding capacity. Drought stress caused erratic and poor stand establishment and decreased the growth of both rice types. More decrease in plant height and leaf area under drought stress was noted in pigmented rice, whereas decrease in root length and seedling dry weight, under drought, was more obvious in non‐pigmented rice. Pigmented rice maintained more tissue water and photosynthesis and had more polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity than non‐pigmented rice. Seed priming was effective in improving stand establishment, growth, polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity; however, extent of improvement was more in pigmented rice under drought. In conclusion, drought caused erratic germination and suppressed plant growth in both rice types. However, pigmented rice had better drought tolerance owing to uniform emergence, and better physiological and morphological plasticity. Seed priming was quite helpful in improving the performance of both rice types under drought and well‐watered conditions.     

Management of Italian and Perennial Ryegrasses for Seed and Forage Production in Crop Rotations

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and perennial ryegrass (L. perenne L.) can be grown for seed and forage in cold winter regions provided the stand persists well over winter. Seed yield and plant characteristics during primary growth, and forage yield during regrowth, were determined for two Italian and one perennial ryegrass cultivars in Atlantic Canada. Establishment methods and dates included sowing ryegrass in cultivated soil alone or with barley in mid‐May and, after harvesting the barley crop, by sowing ryegrass following conventional or reduced cultivation and by no‐till drilling into barley stubble in mid‐August and early September. Despite some winterkill, particularly in Italian ryegrass, seed and forage yields were adequate in post‐establishment growing seasons. Seed yield for Italian ryegrass was greatest (1270 kg ha^?1) when it was sown into cultivated soil in mid‐August and least (890 kg ha^?1) when sown alone in May. Italian ryegrass yielded 15–17 % more seed when plots were established in mid‐August rather than in mid‐May or early September. Italian ryegrass cv. Lemtal had a greater density of fertile tillers (1030 m^?2) in the sward than cv. Ajax (860 m^?2) and its tiller density was greater when seeded into cultivated soil in September than in mid‐August. There were fewer spikelets per seed head for sowing Italian ryegrass with barley in May than for the other methods of establishment. Forage yield in regrowth was greater for Italian ryegrass cv. Ajax (2770 kg ha^?1) than for cv. Lemtal (2480 kg ha^?1). Seed yield of perennial ryegrass was greater when seeded in mid‐May than in mid‐August or early September. The seed yield of perennial ryegrass was greater when it was sown with barley in May and harvested for grain, than when it was sown alone or with barley harvested at late milk stage. The establishment methods for mid‐August and early September sowing had little effect on seed yield. However, the no‐till and reduced tillage methods resulted in a greater tiller density than sowing into the cultivated seedbed. Fertile tillers tended to be denser under reduced cultivation for sowing in August. Forage yield of perennial ryegrass regrowth was not influenced by the sowing method and timing. In conclusion, Italian and perennial ryegrasses produce adequate seed and forage regrowth under different establishment methods and timing. However, the poor persistence of Italian ryegrass may limit commercial production after the establishment year in Atlantic Canada.     

Genetic and environmental influences on chickpea water‐use efficiency

Chickpea is a major crop grown for its nutritional value, and it is used for both food and feed. However, terminal drought greatly reduces grain yield in many chickpea producing areas. The impacts of drought could be mitigated by adapting chickpea genotypes with higher water‐use efficiency (WUE). To assess genetic variation for WUE, contrasting genotypes were sown in two moisture regimes (well‐watered and water‐limited) and two tillage regimes (tillage and no‐tillage) in north‐western NSW across two consecutive seasons. The well‐watered and no till treatments were higher yielding than their respective rainfed and tillage treatments. Genotypes did not differ (p < 0.05) in their water use but differed significantly in their WUE, and a significant genotype‐by‐moisture treatment effect was observed. The heritability of WUE was higher under tillage (71.3% for tillage under rainfed conditions and 73.0% for tillage and irrigated conditions) than no‐till (43.3% for no till under rainfed conditions and 36.4% for no‐till and irrigated conditions), and no significant genotype‐by‐tillage interaction was observed.     

2006年重庆特大干旱期间的遥感监测应用研究

本文根据MODIS数据,基于植被供水指数法（VSWI）,通过对2006年6月10-9月21日期间的12个时相的全市干旱空间分布状况分析,得到了2006年重庆特大干旱期间从旱情发生-旱情加重-局部缓解-旱情再次加重-旱情彻底缓解的整个演变过程。为了验证VSWI方法对2006年重庆特大干旱监测的准确性,结合全市同时期170土壤墒情监测站的土壤湿度资料,对此次监测过程进行了验证。结果表明：基于MOIDS数据的植被供水指数法可以对重庆市夏季干旱进行实时监测和有效反馈,VSWI与土壤湿度有较好的负相关关系,同时VSWI指数与土壤墒情数据的相关性与高程有一定的相关关系。     

夏季干旱期间贵州农业气候资源优劣分析

为定量评估夏季干旱期间光照、热量和水分农业气候资源对粮食作物的客观影响,采取粮食光温生产潜力、光温水生产潜力评估方法,对比分析夏季干旱期间粮食生产潜力相对于气候平均状态的偏差,客观定量地分析夏季干旱期间贵州农业气候资源优势和劣势。研究表明：夏季干旱背景下,贵州水稻、玉米光温生产潜力相对于正常气候年份普遍偏高10%左右,光照和热量资源优势明显;而水稻、玉米光温水生产潜力却普遍偏低30%~40%,水分资源劣势限制了作物生长。通过水资源的合理开发和高效利用,满足干旱期间农作物的水分需求,良好的光照和热量条件可更加有利于农业生产。     

Functional contribution of two perennial grasses to enhance pasture production and drought resistance under a leaf regrowth stage defoliation criterion

Lolium perenne L. (Lp) is the main pasture species in New Zealand, but climate change increases the likelihood of drought during summer and consequently lowers its growth rates. Bromus valdivianus Phil. (Bv) tolerates better the summer soil water restriction, but its competitiveness in a diverse pasture relates to the defoliation management and soil moisture levels. The performance of both species in terms of production, persistence and feed quality across seasons under different defoliation regimens was evaluated when the species were mixed and in monoculture. The treatments were applied in a randomised complete block design with three blocks. Bromus valdivianus and Lp monocultures and the 50/50 mixture (Mx) were grazed at low and high defoliation frequencies (i.e. based on Bv and Lp optimal leaf regrowth stage [LS], respectively). Herbage mass production was 15% higher in the Mx, mainly due to an increase in production in spring and summer. In spring, there was complementarity growth between the species, while during summer/early autumn, the Mx production relayed in the higher participation of Bv. Root biomass at depth (31–70 cm) was 38% greater for Bv monoculture and the Mx compared with Lp monoculture, which demonstrated the contribution of Bv to a better production of the mixture during and following the dry periods. In addition, the maintenance of the Bv tiller population and the higher growth rate during dry periods demonstrated its better fitness to low soil water availabilities than Lp. Although herbage mass was not modified by the defoliation frequency, forage quality of Bv showed values at low defoliation frequency that could compromise animal production during spring. However, there was an increase in root biomass under low defoliation frequencies, which suggested that a flexible grazing management across seasons would increase the niche utilisation between species in the mixture. The defoliation frequency of the mixture could be based on Lp LS during spring and winter, and slowed down, following Bv criteria, during summer and autumn.     

Independent and Combined Effects of Soil Warming and Drought Stress During Anthesis on Seed Set and Grain Yield in Two Spring Wheat Varieties

Increase in soil temperature together with decrease in soil moisture during anthesis of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L) crops is predicted to occur more frequently in a future climate in Denmark. The objective of this study was to investigate the responses of two Danish spring wheat varieties (Trappe and Alora) to soil warming (H), drought (D) and both (HD) during anthesis. The plants were grown in pots in a climate‐controlled glasshouse. In H, the soil temperature was increased by 3 °C compared with the control (C). In both D and HD treatments, the plants were drought‐stressed by withholding irrigation until all of the transpirable soil water had been depleted in the pots. Results showed that, particularly under D treatment, Alora depleted soil water faster than Trappe. In both varieties, flag leaf relative water content (RWC) was significantly lowered, while spikelet abscisic acid (ABA) concentration was significantly increased by D and HD treatments. Compared with the C plants, D and HD treatments significantly reduced ear number, ear to tiller ratio, shoot biomass, grain yield, harvest index and seed set but hardly affected tiller number and 1000‐kernel weight, whereas H treatment alone only decreased shoot biomass and reduced seed set. When analysed across the varieties and the treatments, it was found that the reduction in seed set was closely correlated with the increase in spikelet ABA concentration, indicating that D and HD treatments induced greater spikelet ABA concentrations might have caused seed abortion. It was concluded that the grain yield reduction under D and HD treatments during anthesis in spring wheat is ascribed mainly to a lowered seed set and wheat varieties (i.e. Alora) with more dramatic increase in spikelet ABA concentration are more susceptible to D and HD treatment.     

Effect of Simulating Drought in Various Phenophases on the Water Use Efficiency of Winter Wheat

In Central Europe, drought is the most important limiting factor for autumn‐sown cereals. Due to the decline in groundwater, it is a priority to use less water‐demanding forms of crop production. Water use efficiency (WUE) can only be increased if cultivars with satisfactory water management traits are grown, so that they can exploit the water reserves of the soil even if drought occurs during the vegetation. Water consumption and water use efficiency of winter wheat genotypes were investigated in a model experiment carried out in a climate‐controlled glasshouse. The plants were grown either with optimum water supplies or with simulated drought in three phenophases, and measurements were made on the yield parameters, phenological traits and water use parameters of the plants. Substantial differences were observed between the water demands of the cultivars, and it was found that the later the phenophase in which drought was simulated, the greater the decline in water uptake. The analysis of WUE led to the conclusion that the WUE values of cultivars with short vegetation periods dropped to the greatest extent when water deficit was suffered at first node appearance, while cultivars with longer vegetation periods were more sensitive to drought during the heading and grain‐filling stages.     

Photosynthesis and Remobilization of Dry Matter in Wheat as Affected by Progressive Drought Stress at Stem Elongation Stage

With increasingly erratic rainfall patterns particularly in drought‐prone production systems, the capacity of plants to recover productively from drought spells becomes an important feature for yield stability in rainfed agriculture. Consequently, effects of water management at the stem elongation stage on partitioning and remobilization of dry matter, alteration in photosynthesis and water‐use efficiency (WUE), and yield components of wheat plants were studied in a glasshouse pot experiment. The plants were subjected to three soil moisture regimes: well watered during all phenological stages (WW), drought affected during stem elongation and post‐anthesis stages (DD) and drought affected during stem elongation and rewatered at post‐anthesis stage (DW). Total dry weight substantially decreased by both drought treatments. However, DD plants allocated relatively higher assimilates to roots whereas DW plants remobilized them to the grains. Drought applications resulted in a decrease of grain yield and thousand grain weight while reduction was more pronounced in DD treatment. Relative contribution of post‐anthesis photosynthesis to dry matter formation in grain was higher in WW treatment (72.6 %) than DD (68.5 %) and DW (68.2 %) treatments. Photosynthetic rate, gas exchange and transpiration decreased whereas leaf (photosynthetic) and plant level WUE increased with drought applications. However, all these parameters were rapidly and completely reversed by rewatering. Our findings showed that partitioning of dry weight to grain increases with rewatering of wheat plants subjected to drought during stem elongation phase, but the relative contributions of remobilization of stem reserves and post‐anthesis photosynthesis to grain did not change. Moreover, rewatering of plants at booting stage after a drought period lead to full recovery in photosynthesis and WUE, and a significant although partial recovery of yield components, such as grain yield, TGW and harvest index.     

Response of Root Branching and Shoot Water Potentials of French Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to Soil Moisture and Fertilizer Potassium

Extensive branching patterns of roots and the maintenance of adequate water within shoots enables plants to overcome water stress. However, information on the relationship between fertilizer potassium, root branching patterns and shoot water potentials of food legumes grown under different soil moisture regimes is scarce. Thus, an experiment was conducted in a phytotron to ascertain the effect of fertilizer potassium on root branching patterns and shoot water potentials of a popular tropical food legumes (Frenchbeans Phaseolus vulgaris L). The plants were grown in a sand medium with 0.1, 0.8 or 3.0 mM of potassium under a suboptimal and optima) soil moisture regime.
Root lengths and dry weights were enhanced by potassium, especially under a suboptimal soil moisture regime. The branching patterns changed due to potassium, where the numbers of second and third order roots increased under both soil moisture regimes, although the impact was greater in plants grown with low soil moisture. Plant water contents measured in terms of shoot water potential, relative water contents, rurgid weight: dry weight ratio and water uptake capacity were also increased by potassium. A positive relationship was observed between root branching patterns and water potentials with increasing potassium levels especially in plants grown under suboptimal soil moisture conditions. Shoot growth and nodulation was also promoted by potassium. The ability of plants to develop a more extensive branching pattern of roots by inducing a greater number of second and third order roots and changing the root branching habit from a herringbone to a dichotomous type to maintain a greater shoot water potential especially under low soil moisture regimes is presented.     

不同底墒处理对夏玉米生长发育及产量的影响

研究不同底墒处理下夏玉米生长发育与产量特性,探讨不同品种的抗旱性。以8 个河南省主栽夏玉米品种为材料,比较池栽条件下底墒对玉米株高、干物质、根系及产量等指标的影响。结果表明,半量底墒处理条件下,‘郑单958’和‘洛玉8 号’的产量及植株生物学性状指标减小幅度较小,‘蠡玉16’、‘中科4 号’和‘伟科702’的减幅较大,而‘浚单20’、‘先玉335’和‘隆平206’的减幅处于中间水平。‘郑单958’和‘洛玉8号’抗旱性较强,‘蠡玉16’、‘中科4号’和‘伟科702’抗旱性较弱,而‘浚单20’、‘先玉335’ ‘隆平206’等品种抗旱性中等。     

不同生育期干旱对南方春玉米生长发育及水分利用效率的影响

为了研究不同生育期干旱对南方春玉米的生长发育、土壤水分、产量及水分利用效率的影响,在防雨棚下的测坑中进行试验,设计了6个处理,春玉米需水关键期设计了3个水平,分析南方春玉米的生长发育、土壤水分、产量及水分利用效率规律。结果表明：拔节期轻旱对春玉米的株高和叶面积影响最大;灌浆期轻旱对春玉米的产量及产量性状影响最大;高水分处理的耗水总量最大,低水分处理的耗水总量最小;耗水量为464.6 mm时,最高产量为6795 kg/hm2;拔节期轻旱的水分利用效率最高。建议在南方春玉米不同生育期应采用适宜的灌水方式,可达到节水和高产的双重效果。     

成熟期控水对烤烟生长及产量的影响

成熟期是烤烟需水次临界期。为明确烤烟成熟期土壤水分对烟株生长及烟叶产量的影响,试验在烤烟成熟期进行土壤控水,研究烟株物质积累及烟叶产量的变化。结果表明：成熟期土壤长期干旱不利于烟叶生长,干旱后复水对烟叶生长无明显影响,且土壤水分对烤烟茎围和根系体积的影响均不显著;长期干旱不利于烤烟根、茎和叶等器官生物量提高,旱后增加复水量有利于根系生长;长期干旱显著降低烟株干物质积累,复水提高干物质积累量,但仍低于充分灌溉处理;长期干旱烟叶产量降低9.70%,旱后复水2次烟叶产量仅降低1.80%,且上中等烟叶比例比对照处理（相对土壤含水率70%~75%）提高2.88%,而单位面积产值仅减少1.09%。烤烟成熟期干旱胁迫后复水一定程度限制了烟株生长,但烟叶产量下降较少,上中等烟叶比重提高,单位面积产值略微降低。     

影响淮北地区小麦生产的降水因子分析

利用濉溪县1958—2004年小麦产量资料和相应的降水资料,进行同步统计分析,结果表明：小麦气象产量与播种~分蘖和返青~拔节期的降水量显著正相关,与抽穗~成熟期的降水量显著负相关。适宜的降水量为：底墒水60~120mm,生育期内降水220~290mm。濉溪县小麦生产过程中降水总量适中,部分时段略显不足,旱多于涝,要优化品种结构,抢墒早播,浇好播种底墒水、分蘖越冬水和拔节孕穗水,集雨保墒。