Genetic gains in grain yield and related physiological attributes in Argentine maize hybrids

Genetic gains in grain yield and related phenotypic attributes have been extensively documented in maize (Zea mays L.), but the effect of breeding on the physiological determinants of grain yield is yet poorly understood. We determined genetic gains in grain yield and related physiological traits for seven maize hybrids developed for the central region of Argentina between 1965 and 1997. Gains were expressed as a function of the year of release (YOR). Hybrids were cropped in the field at five stand densities (from almost isolated plants to supra-optimal levels) during two contrasting growing seasons (E₁ and E₂). Water and nutrient stress were prevented and pests controlled. Genetic gains in grain yield (≥13.2 g m⁻² YOR⁻¹) were mainly associated with improved kernel number, enhanced postsilking biomass production, and enhanced biomass allocation to reproductive sinks, but computed gains were affected by the environment. Differences among hybrids arose at the start of the critical period, and were evident as improved mean radiation use efficiency (≥0.026 g MJ⁻¹ YOR⁻¹), enhanced plant growth rate at near optimum stand density (≥0.04 g pl⁻¹ YOR⁻¹), and improved biomass partitioning to the ear around silking (0.0034 YOR⁻¹, only for E₁). Improved biomass production after silking was related to an increased light interception (≥4.7 MJ m⁻² YOR⁻¹), and allowed for an almost constant source–sink ratio during grain filling. This trend determined no trade-off between kernel number and kernel weight. In contrast to previous studies, genetic gains were detected for potential productivity (e.g., maximum grain yield) on a per plant basis (i.e., under no resource competition), a promising aspect for the improvement of crop grain yield potential.     

The effect of plant population on peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) in a monsoonal tropical environment

The responses in the growth of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L. cv. Florunner) to plant density and to spatial ratio (ratio of inter-row: intra-row spacing) in a tropical monsoonal environment were investigated. Biological yield (above-ground biomass plus pods) was unresponsive to spatial ratio over the range 1:1-1:7:19, but it increased markedly (12 600-16 900 kg ha⁻¹), with increasing density up to the maximum density of 588 000 plants ha⁻¹. In contrast, economic yield (commercially recoverable pods and kernels) was relatively unresponsive to plant density in the range of 88 000–394 000 plants ha⁻¹, after which a marked decline was recorded (6 500 kg ha⁻¹ pods or 4 900 kg ha⁻¹ kernels, falling to 5 700 kg ha⁻¹ pods or 4 300 kg ha⁻¹ kernels). Economic yields were maximized at square plant-arrangements (6 900 kg ha⁻¹ pods or 5 200 kg ha⁻¹ kernels), but were relatively uneffected by increasing plant rectangularity from spatial ratios of 1:2.15-1:7.19 (6 100 kg ha⁻¹ pods or 4 600 kg ha⁻¹ kernels).The increase in biological yield with increasing plant was primarily attributed to differences in the amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) intercepted (I), which was evident during both vegetative growth and kernel development. In contrast, I was unresponsive to spatial ratio. Neither density nor spatial ratio affected the average efficiency of conversion (E_c) of I to biological yield during vegetative growth (2.6-3.0 g MJ⁻¹) nor during the entire life-cycle (2.1–2.3 g MJ⁻¹). Average E_cm during kernel development was 55–60% of that during vegetative growth. Thus the higher economic yield of the square plant-arrangement was not associated with changes in I and E_c. Rather it was associated with greater partitioning of dry matter to reproductive yield and a greater proportion of total pods recovered at harvest.     

Grain yield components in maize: II. Postsilking growth and kernel weight

Maize kernel weight (KW) results from kernel growth during two stages of grain filling, the lag phase (formative period) and the effective grain-filling phase. Environmental conditions may affect kernel biomass accumulation in each phase. This work analyzed: (1) changes in duration and rate of kernel growth on a thermal time (°C day) basis; and (2) KW response to postsilking biomass production kernel⁻¹ (source:sink ratio). Sowing date, plant population, and nitrogen fertilization experiments were conducted in France and Argentina to induce changes in assimilate availability per kernel. Hybrids of different KW were tested. Hybrids differed in the duration of the lag phase, which determined kernel growth rate during the effective grain-filling period for hybrids with similar grain-filling duration (ca. 745°C day). Environments with low air temperature (<19°C) and less incident solar radiation led to a smaller final KW due to reductions in photoassimilate production and its partition to the grains. A value of 240 to 270 mg kernel⁻¹ during grain filling was determined as a threshold to have mobilization or storage of reserves. Small-kernel hybrids (KW<300 mg), with large kernel number (3500 to 5500 kernels m⁻²), depended more on reserve mobilization than large-kernel hybrids (KW>300 mg) with reduced kernel number (2800 to 4000 kernels m⁻²). For the former, grain yield increments should not be based on increased kernel number but on increased biomass production.     

The importance of the anthesis-silking interval in breeding for drought tolerance in tropical maize

Selection for improved performance under drought based on grain yield alone has often been considered inefficient, but the use of secondary traits of adaptive value whose genetic variability increases under drought can increase selection efficiency. In the course of recurrent selection for drought tolerance in six tropical maize (Zea mays L.) populations, a total of 3509 inbred progenies (S₁ to S₃ level) were evaluated in 50 separate yield trials under two or three water regimes during the dry winter seasons of 1986–1990 at Tlaltizapán, México. In over 90% of the trials, ears plant⁻¹, kernels plant⁻¹, weight kernel⁻¹, anthesis-silking interval (ASI), tassel branch number and visual scores for leaf angle, leaf rolling and leaf senescence were determined. Low scores indicated erect, unrolled or green leaves. Canopy temperature, leaf chlorophyll concentration and stem-leaf extension rate were measured in 20–50% of the trials. Across all trials, linear phenotypic correlations (P < 0.01) between grain yield under drought and these traits, in order listed, were 0.77, 0.90, 0.46, −0.53, −0.16, 0.06^NS, −0.18, −0.11, −0.27, 0.17 and 0.10. Genetic correlations were generally similar in size and sign. None of physiological or morphological traits indicative of improved water status correlated with grain yield under drought, although some had relatively high heritabilities. Genetic variances for grain yield, kernels ear⁻¹, kernels plant⁻¹ and weight kernel⁻¹ decreased with increasing drought, but those for ASI and ears plant⁻¹ increased. Broad-sense heritability for grain yield averaged around 0.6, but fell to values near 0.4 at very low grain yield levels. Genetic correlations between grain yield and ASI or ears plant⁻¹ were weak under well-watered conditions, but approached −0.6 and 0.9, respectively, under severe moisture stress. These results show that secondary traits are not lacking genetic variability within elite maize populations. Their low correlation with grain yield may indicate that variation in grain yield under moisture stress is dominated by variation in ear-setting processes related to biomass partitioning at flowering, and much less by factors putatively linked to crop water status. Field-based selection programs for drought tolerance should consider these results.     

Enhanced kernel set promoted by synchronous pollination determines a tradeoff between kernel number and kernel weight in temperate maize hybrids

Maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield is strongly related to the number of harvested kernels, where kernel number can be increased by synchronously pollinating silks rather than allowing them to be progressively pollinated as they naturally appear from the husks. However, there is scarce evidence on how this practice affects kernel weight (KW) and plant grain yield (PGY), and no report exists on its effects when combined with treatments aimed to reduce apical dominance, like male sterility and detasseling. Field experiments were conducted in two growing seasons (Exp₁ and Exp₂) using two hybrids, cropped at contrasting stand densities (3 and 9 plants per m²) and including (i) male-fertile and male-sterile versions, (ii) tasseled and detasseled plants, and (iii) natural (NP) and synchronous pollination (SP; pollen added manually to ears bagged 5 days after initial silking) systems. Tassel growth of sterile and fertile versions was also evaluated in a separate experiment (Exp₃). Detasseling increased the number of ears per plant reaching silking (P < 0.001) of NP plants, but this beneficial effect of reduced apical dominance did not improve kernel number per plant (KNP) or PGY. Similarly, the early arrest of anther growth in male-sterile plants had no clear benefit on KNP. In contrast, KNP was enhanced by synchronous pollination (range between −13% and +71%; average of +15.4% in Exp₁ and +3.9% in Exp₂). However, this pollination system promoted a decreased in KW (range between −30% and +4%; average of −11.8% in Exp₁ and −7.8 in Exp₂) such that the treatment had no effect on PGY (range between −19% and +37%; average of +1% in Exp₁ and −4% in Exp₂). Because plant growth rate around flowering was not different between pollination treatments, assimilate availability per kernel was reduced from ovary fertilization onwards in synchronously pollinated plants when compared to open pollinated plants. This explains the reduced KW when increasing KNP by synchronous pollination. In summary, none of the imposed treatments allowed grain yield to be increased at the plant level.     

Influence of water deficits on the water relations,canopy gas exchange,and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L., cv H-355) were subjected to four irrigation treatments after crop establishment: (i) unirrigated (D); (ii) irrigated until flower initiation [85 days from sowing (DAS)] and unirrigated thereafter (WD); (iii) unirrigated until active seed setting (129 DAS) and irrigated thereafter (DW); (iv) irrigated throughout (W). Several plant processes were measured on clear days betweem 85 and 144 DAS. The unirrigated plants had lower leaf water potentials, canopy evapotranspiration rates (ET), canopy photosynthetic rates (PN), plant dry weight and grain yield compared to the irrigated plants, but increased canopy-air temperature differences (T_c−T_a). Cessation of irrigation at flowering induced a rapid decrease in canopy photosynthesis and reduced the grain yield by 33% due to a decrease in the number of pods set. Irrigation from 129 DAS resulted in some recovery of grain yield resulting from the development of a small number of late pods with small seeds. Among yield components, water stress primarily affected the number of pods per plant and had little effect on the grain number per pod. Grain yield was linearly related to pod number, leaf water potential, and mean PN.     

Effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation on crop structure,growth and yield components of spring wheat under field conditions

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) was grown in the field for two consecutive seasons under ambient and supplemental levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280–315 nm) radiation to determine the potential for alterations in community structure, developmental stages, growth and yield components. The supplemental UV-B radiation simulated depletions of 12, 20, or 25% stratospheric ozone. Spring wheat is a potentially UV-B sensitive species, showing the greatest sensitivity to UV-B radiation at 5.31 kJ m⁻². Delays in development and decrease in plant height were observed at early tillering stage under UV-B treatment, and slowly exacerbated during further development. UV-B radiation changed crop structure, by decreasing the total number of tillers produced and increasing dead shoot number, resulted in fewer head-bearing shoots at ripening stage, and decreased biomass and yield. UV-B radiation decreased the area of the last leaf and leaf area index, but increased specific leaf weight. UV-B radiation inhibited biomass accumulation and altered the patterns of biomass partitioning; these effects might be correlated with yield. Decreases in yield were the result of significant reductions in spike number, grain number per spike and thousand grain weight under UV-B. Generally, the effects of UV-B radiation on developmental stages and crop structure were the most important, they might change the other characteristics of spring wheat crop. The responses of spring wheat crop to enhanced UV-B radiation were assessed, decreases in some crop characteristics caused by a 10 or 20% global ozone depletion were predicted. Ozone depletion had the greatest decrease in yield and the least reduction in plant height.     

Crop management affects dry-milling quality of flint maize kernels

Dry-milling performance of maize (Zea mays, L.) kernels primarily depends on their hardness. The flint type is harder than the dent and semi-dent maize, yielding a higher proportion of big endosperm pieces in the mill. Nevertheless, crop growing conditions could modify milling properties. The objective of this work was to analyze the effect of different crop environments and management practices on dry-milling quality of flint maize kernels. Two orange-flint hybrids from different eras of breeding differing in flint type expression and grain yield potential were evaluated. They were grown at three different locations of the Argentina's main maize-production area under different sowing dates, plant densities, and fertilization rates during two growing seasons. Crop post-silking growth, grain yield and its components (kernel number and weight), kernel size and hardness-associated properties (test weight, percent floaters and milling ratio), and flaking-grit yield were analyzed. Most of observed differences in physical properties of kernels, particularly for the high-yielding new hybrid with unstable flint expression, were associated with the source-sink ratio established during the post-silking period (explored range from 154 to 617 mg kernel⁻¹). This variable mainly results from changes in crop growth during that period. Increases in weight per kernel improved hardness-associated properties. High crop grain yields together with top dry-milling quality were achieved when the new high-yielding hybrid was cropped with an appropriated crop management.     

Heat stress effects around flowering on kernel set of temperate and tropical maize hybrids

Final kernel number in the uppermost ear of temperate maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids is smaller than the potential represented by the number of florets differentiated in this ear, and than the number of silks exposed from it (i.e., kernel set <1). This trend increases when stressful conditions affect plant growth immediately before (GS₁) or during (GS₂) silking, but the magnitude of change has not been documented for heat stress effects and hybrids of tropical background. In this work we evaluated mentioned traits in field experiments (Exp₁ and Exp₂), including (i) two temperature regimes, control and heated during daytime hours (ca. 33-40 °C at ear level), (ii) two 15-d periods during GS₁ and GS₂, and (iii) three hybrids (Te: temperate; Tr: tropical; TeTr: Te × Tr). We also measured crop anthesis and silking dynamics, silk exposure of individual plants, and the anthesis-silking interval (ASI). Three sources of kernel loss were identified: decreased floret differentiation, pollination failure, and kernel abortion. Heating affected all surveyed traits, but negative effects on flowering dynamics were larger (i) for anthesis than for silking with the concomitant decrease in ASI, and (ii) for GS₁ than for GS₂. Heat also caused a decrease in the number of (i) florets only when performed during GS₁ (−15.5% in Exp₁ and −9.1% in Exp₂), and only among Te and TeTr hybrids, (ii) exposed silks of all GS × Hybrid combinations, and (iii) harvestable kernels (mean of −51.8% in GS₁ and −74.5% in GS₂). Kernel abortion explained 95% of the variation in final kernel numbers (P < 0.001), and negative heat effects were larger on this loss (38.6%) than on other losses (≤11.3%). The tropical genetic background conferred an enhanced capacity for enduring most negative effects of heating.     

Impact of different crop rotations and tillage systems on weed infestation and productivity of bread wheat

Crop rotation and tillage systems have important implications for weed infestation and crop productivity. In this study, five tillage systems viz. zero tillage (ZT), conventional tillage (CT), deep tillage (DT), bed sowing (60/30 cm with four rows; BS₁) and bed sowing (90/45 cm with six rows; BS₂) were evaluated in five different crop rotations viz. fallow-wheat (FW), rice-wheat (RW), cotton-wheat (CW), mungbean-wheat (MW) and sorghum-wheat (SW) for their effect on weed infestation and productivity of bread wheat. Interaction between different tillage practices and cropping systems had significant effect on density and dry biomass of total, broadleaved and grass weeds, agronomic and yield-related traits, and grain yield of bread wheat. The un-disturbed soils (ZT) under fallow-wheat or mungbean-wheat rotations favoured the weed prevalence (a total weed dry biomass of 72.4–109.6 and 105.6–112.1 g m⁻² in first and second year, respectively). Contrary to this, the disturbed soils (CT, DT, BS₁ and BS₂) had less weed infestation with either of the rotations (a total weed biomass of 0.4–7.1 and 1.1–5.4 g m⁻² in first and second year, respectively). Sorghum-wheat rotation had strong suppressive effect on weed infestation in all tillage systems. The impact of crop rotation was more visible during second year of experimentation. Bed sown wheat (BS₁ and BS₂) in mungbean-wheat rotation had the highest wheat grain yield (6.30–6.47 t ha⁻¹) compared to other tillage systems in different crop rotation combinations.     

Intra-specific competition in maize: early establishment of hierarchies among plants affects final kernel set

Reduced plant biomass and increased plant-to-plant variability are expected responses to crowding in monocultures, but the underlying processes that control the onset of interplant interference and the establishment of hierarchies among plants within a stand are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that early determined plant types (i.e. dominant and dominated individuals) are the cause of the large variability in final kernel number per plant (KNP) usually observed at low values of plant growth rate (PGR) around silking in maize (Zea mays L.). Two hybrids (DK696 and Exp980) of contrasting response to crowding were cropped at different stand densities (6, 9 and 12 plants m⁻²), row spacings (0.35 and 0.70 m), and water regimes (rainfed and irrigated) during 1999/2000 and 2001/2002 in Argentina. The onset of interplant competition started very early during the cycle, and significant differences (P<0.05) in estimated plant biomass between stand densities were detected as soon as V_4–6 (DK696) and V_6–7 (Exp980). Plant population and row spacing treatments did not modify the onset of the hierarchical growth among plants, but did affect (P<0.02–0.08) the dynamic of the process. For both hybrids, the rate of change in relative growth between plant types was larger at 9 and 12 plants m⁻² (ca. 0.12 g/g per 100 °C day) than at 6 plants m⁻² (ca. 0.07 g/g per 100 °C day). For all treatments, the largest difference in estimated shoot biomass between plant types took place between 350 (V₇) and 750 °C day (V₁₃) from sowing, and remained constant from V₁₃ onwards. Dominant plants always had more kernels per plant (P<0.05) than the dominated ones, but differences between plant types in PGR around silking were significant (P<0.05) only at 12 plants m⁻². Our research confirmed the significant (P<0.01) curvilinear response of KNP to PGR around silking, but also determined a differential response between plant types: the mean of residual values were significantly (P<0.01) larger for dominant than for dominated individuals. Estimated ear biomass at the onset of active kernel growth (R₃) reflected the variation in KNP (r²≥0.62), and was significantly (P<0.01) related to estimated plant biomass at the start of active ear growth (ca. V₁₃). This response suggested that the physiological state of each plant at the beginning of the critical period had conditioned its reproductive fate. This early effect of plant type on final KNP seemed to be exerted through current assimilate partitioning during the critical period.     

The influence of nitrogen fertilizer on the yield and combustion quality of whole grain crops for solid fuel use

Whole grain crops can be suitable for the production of solid biofuels because they have a high biomass yield and can be harvested with a low water concentration. The concentrations of water, ash, nitrogen (N), sulphur (S), chlorine (Cl) and potassium (K) in solid biofuels should be as low as possible and calcium (Ca) concentrations high to avoid technical problems and environmentally harmful emissions during the combustion process. Since N fertilization can negatively influence the combustion quality of biomass, a conflict between yield and quality aims can arise. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the dosage of N fertilization on the yield and quality of the whole crop biomass of triticale, rye and wheat. In 1996 and 1997, field trials with winter triticale, winter rye and winter wheat were conducted at three locations in South-West Germany. N fertilizer doses were varied from 0 to 70 and 140 kg N ha⁻¹ a⁻¹. All N doses were applied between March and May. The whole crop biomass was harvested. The water concentrations and concentrations of ash, N, K, Cl and Ca in straw and grain were measured. A dose of 70 kg N significantly increased the yield of all cereal species, but yield increases at 140 kg N were not always significant when compared with 70 kg N. At 70 kg N the energy yields reached 137–249 GJ ha⁻¹, for wheat, 142–263 GJ ha⁻¹ for rye and 182–250 GJ ha⁻¹ for triticale. The water concentration of the biomass, mainly of the straw, was significantly increased by N fertilization when the harvest was performed early at comparatively high water concentrations. For all cereal species a significant increase of N concentrations, especially in the grain, was measured at increased N fertilizer levels. The K concentrations of the straw and the Ca concentrations of straw and grain of all cereal species were also increased by N fertilization. N fertilization had little or no effect on the ash and Cl concentrations, which slightly decreased with increased N fertilization. N fertilization can, therefore, be used as a tool to influence the concentrations of N and K in the biomass. When combining yield and quality aims, 70–100 kg ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ N fertilizer was the best dosage for the whole grain crops at the southwestern German locations tested here.     

玉米不同部位子粒灌浆特性与粒重的关系研究

以郑单958(ZD958)和登海661(DH661)为试验材料,研究在4.5万、7.5万、10.5万株/hm2种植密度下玉米上部及中下部子粒灌浆特性和粒重的关系。结果表明,穗粒数和千粒重是决定子粒最终产量的重要因素,两者均随着密度的增加而显著降低。同一密度下,穗位层光照自开花当天(0 d)先降低后升高,总体呈"高-低-高"的变化趋势,底层光照则持续升高。上部子粒的起始生长势、灌浆速率、胚乳细胞数及淀粉含量均低于中下部子粒。相关及通径分析表明,影响粒重的主要因素是灌浆速率、胚乳细胞数目和淀粉含量,其相关系数分别为0.959 66**、0.981 91**和0.877 76*。光照(包括穗位层和底层)主要通过灌浆速率和淀粉含量来间接影响粒重。     

Effect of nitrogen supply on crop conductance,water- and radiation-use efficiency of wheat

Water-use efficiency (WUE_DM) is directly related to radiation-use efficiency (RUE) and inversely related to crop conductance (g_c). We propose that reduced WUE_DM caused by shortage of nitrogen results from a reduction in RUE proportionally greater than the fall in conductance. This hypothesis was tested in irrigated wheat crops grown with contrasting nitrogen supply; treatments were 0, 80 and 120 kg N ha⁻¹ in 1998 and 0, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha⁻¹ in 1999. We measured shoot dry matter, yield, intercepted solar radiation and soil water balance components. From these measurements, we derived actual evapotranspiration (ET), soil evaporation and transpiration, WUE_DM (slope of the regression between dry matter and ET), WUE_Y (ratio between grain yield and ET), RUE (slope of the regression between dry matter and intercepted radiation), and g_c (slope of the regression between transpiration and intercepted radiation). Yield increased from 2.3 in unfertilised to an average 4.7 t ha⁻¹ in fertilised crops, seasonal ET from 311 to 387 mm, WUE_DM from 23 to 37 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹, WUE_Y from 7.6 to 12.4 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹, RUE from 0.85 to 1.07 g MJ⁻¹, while the fraction of ET accounted for soil evaporation decreased from 0.20 to 0.11. In agreement with our hypothesis, RUE accounted for 60% of the variation in WUE_DM, whereas crop conductance was largely unaffected by nitrogen supply. A greater fraction of evapotranspiration lost as soil evaporation also contributed to the lower WUE_DM of unfertilised crops.     

Radiation-use efficiency of sunflower crops: effects of specific leaf nitrogen and ontogeny

Loss of nitrogen from the leaves and a reduction in specific leaf nitrogen (SLN, g N m⁻²) is associated with grain filling in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). To explore the relationship between crop radiation-use efficiency (RUE, g MJ⁻¹) and SLN, crop biomass accumulation and radiation interception were measured between the bud-visible and physiological-maturity stages in crops growing under combinations of two levels of applied nitrogen (0 and 5 g N m⁻²) and two population densities (2.4 and 4.8 plants m⁻²). Both nitrogen fertilization and density had significant (P = 0.05) effects on crop biomass yield, nitrogen uptake, leaf area index and SLN, but the nitrogen effects were more pronounced for these and other crop variables. Linear regressions of accumulated biomass (OCdwt, corrected for the energy costs of oil synthesis in the grain) on accumulated intercepted short-wave radiation between bud visible and early grain filling provided appropriate and significantly (P = 0.05) different estimates of RUE for the pooled 0 g N m⁻² (1.01 g OCdwt MJ⁻¹) and 5 g N m⁻² (1.18 g OCdwt MJ⁻¹) treatments. When calculated for each inter-harvest interval, crop RUE varied in a curvilinear fashion during the season, with a broad optimum from 40 to 70 days after emergence of the crops, and with lower values earlier and later in the season. The reduction in RUE toward physiological maturity was particularly marked. A plot of RUE against SLN revealed a reduction in RUE at small SLN values, but the relationship may be confounded by ontogenetic changes in other factors. A published model (Sinclair and Horie (1989), Crop Sci., 29: 90–98) was used to explore the RUE/SLN relationship. The model was unable to reproduce the decline in RUE during the second half of the grain-filling period. It is suggested that an important cause of this failure may be the partition, in the model, of a fixed, rather than a variable, fraction of crop gross photosynthesis to respiration.     

Effect of the type of fertilizer and source of irrigation water on N use in a maize crop

An experiment in a maize crop evaluated the influence of several types of commercial nitrogenous fertilizers with different action mechanisms — urea (soluble), Floranid-32 (low water solubility) and Multicote 4 (coated fertilizer) — on maize grain and biomass yields, as well as on plant N use. The fertilizers were applied as a top-dressing of 294 kg N ha⁻¹. All treatments additionally received 64 kg N ha⁻¹ as 8.0 (N):6.5 (P):12.5 (K) compound prior to seedbed preparation. The influence of NO⁻₃ content in the irrigation water was also assessed, using water with either 2.5 or 35 mg l⁻¹ of NO⁻₃. Irrigation plus rainfall totalled 513 mm (1.20 potential ET). Nitrogen lost during the cultivation period was calculated from the N balance of the topsoil.Results obtained under these experimental conditions showed that the type of fertilizer did not alter maize grain and biomass yields. Yields for maize irrigated with the higher NO⁻₃ water were systematically greater than those obtained with irrigation water of low NO⁻₃ content.Nitrogen lost from the topsoil during the cultivation period varied between 240 and 280 kg N ha⁻¹ for all treatments, and was well correlated with NO⁻₃-N leached into the aquifer during the same period.     

Modelling the nitrogen-driven trade-off between nitrogen utilisation efficiency and water use efficiency of wheat in eastern Australia

The nitrogen-driven trade-off between nitrogen utilisation efficiency (yield per unit nitrogen uptake) and water use efficiency (yield per unit evapotranspiration) is widespread and results from well established, multiple effects of nitrogen availability on the water, carbon and nitrogen economy of crops. Here we used a crop model (APSIM) to simulate the yield, evapotranspiration, soil evaporation and nitrogen uptake of wheat, and analysed yield responses to water, nitrogen and climate using a framework analogous to the rate-duration model of determinate growth. The relationship between modelled grain yield (Y) and evapotranspiration (ET) was fitted to a linear-plateau function to derive three parameters: maximum yield (Y_max), the ET break-point when yield reaches its maximum (ET^#), and the rate of yield response in the linear phase (ΔY/ΔET). Against this framework, we tested the hypothesis that nitrogen deficit reduces maximum yield by reducing both the rate (ΔY/ΔET) and the range of yield response to evapotranspiration, i.e. ET^# − E_s, where E_s is modelled median soil evaporation.     

Effect of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on biomass yield and efficiency of energy use in crop production of Miscanthus

The perennial C₄ grass Miscanthus has been proposed as a biomass energy crop in Europe. Effects of crop age, irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on biomass and energy yields and N content of Miscanthus were investigated and the energy costs of production determined. After an establishment period of 1 year, cultivation of Miscanthus resulted in a dry matter production of over 37 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ over a period of 4 years. Irrigation and nitrogen level greatly affected Miscanthus biomass yield. In absence of N fertilization, irrigation did not modify biomass yield and the effect of irrigation increased with the increase in N level. The average N response ranged from 37 to 50 kg biomass kg⁻¹ N applied. Because the calorific value of Miscanthus biomass (16.5 MJ kg⁻¹) was not affected by irrigation and N fertilization, energy production depended exclusively on biomass yield. Maximum energy yield was 564 GJ ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Without N supply and irrigation, energy yield was 291 GJ h⁻¹. Net energy yield, calculated as the difference between energy output and input, but without inclusion of drying costs, was 543 GJ ha⁻¹ with N fertilization and irrigation and 284 GJ ha⁻¹ without; the ratios of energy output to input in crop production were 22 and 47, respectively.     

Ecophysiological determinants of biomass and grain yield of wheat under P deficiency

Grain yield of crops can be expressed as a function of the intercepted radiation, the radiation use efficiency and the partitioning of above-ground biomass to grain yield (harvest index). When a wheat crop is grown under P deficiency the grain yield is reduced but it is not clear how these three components are affected. Our aim was (i) to identify which of these components were affected in spring bread wheat under P deficiency at field conditions and (ii) to relate the grain yield responses to processes of grain yield formation during the spike growth period. Three field experiments were conducted in the potentially high wheat yielding environment of southern Chile. All experiments had two levels of P availability: with (155 kg P ha⁻¹) or without P fertilization (average soil P-Olsen concentration of 10 ppm, a medium level of P availability). High wheat grain yields were obtained varying between 815 and 1222 g m⁻² with P applications. Experiments showed a grain yield reduction caused by P deficiencies of 35, 16 and 18% in experiments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. This was related (R² = 0.99, P < 0.01) to a reduction in the total above-ground biomass at harvest and not to the harvest index. Reductions in above-ground biomass were due to a reduction in radiation intercepted under P deficiency without effecting radiation use efficiency. Grain number per square meter was the main yield component (R² = 0.99, P < 0.01) that explained the grain yield reduction caused by the P deficiency which was due to low spike biomass at anthesis (R² = 0.96, P < 0.05). The reduction in spike biomass at anthesis was related (R² = 0.86, P < 0.01) to reductions in crop growth rate during the spike growth period as a consequence of a lower radiation intercepted during this period. This study showed that under high wheat yield conditions the main effect of a P deficiency on grain yield reduction was a negative impact on the total above-ground biomass due to the negative impact on intercepted radiation, particularly during the spike growth period, affecting negatively spike biomass at anthesis and consequently grain number and yield.     

Grain yield analysis of a triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) collection grown in a Mediterranean environment

The breeding of triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) is of great importance in those Mediterranean environments where low winter temperature and soil acidity interact with drought, increasing the adaptability of this species in comparison with other temperate cereals. In order to identify the way in which the various yield components contribute to the realisation of high yields in a Mediterranean environment, and the effect of a different phenology on these patterns, a two-year trial was carried out in Sardinia (Italy) with 271 pure lines grown under rainfed conditions. The relationships between characters were assessed by phenotypic correlation analysis after grouping the lines into phenological classes. In both years total biomass explained more of the variation in yield than harvest index and was little affected by earliness. Both total biomass and HI were strongly correlated with kernels m⁻². More kernels m⁻² are therefore essential to obtain high grain yields in triticale, regardless of earliness, highlighting the importance of the pre-anthesis period, even in conditions of increasing drought stress during spring. Grain yield showed a closer correlation with HI in the less favourable year, but became independent of HI above values of 20–25,000 kernels m⁻² and HI values of 0.35. The winter types were taller, with less spikes m⁻², and a longer and more fertile spike than the spring types.