Varietal Differences of Wheat and Triticale to Water Stress

Six wheat ( Triticurn aestivum L.) and ten triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) cultivars were screened for water stress tolerance during germination and seedling stages in the laboratory and growth chamber, respectively. Germinating seeds and hydroponically-grown seedlings were subjected to osmotic stresses of –0.3 and –0.6 MPa using polyethylene glycol M. W. 8000. Both species and cultivar differences were found among the tested genotypes for all the parameters analyzed in both germination and seedling tests. Germination stress index was lower for seed exposed to -0.6 MPa than for -0.3 MPa osmotic stress. A significant relationship was found among plant height, fresh weight and dry weight stress indices evaluated during the seedling test. The cultivars that grew taller under stress conditions had greater dry matter accumulation, as well as higher germination and water uptake stress indices indicating the reliability of height to predict cultivar performance under such conditions. The cultivars Stacy (wheat) and Eu 14/15 (triticale) had higher dry matter accumulation, higher water uptake and leaf water potential, greater height and better germination under stress conditions than the other cultivars tested. Conversely, the cultivars GA 781014 (wheat) and Am 4147 (triticale) performed poorly with respect to all the parameters analyzed. Based on results from germination and seedling tests, the cultivars Stacy and Eu 14/15 were selected for more stress studies in the greenhouse and field.     

Screening Soybean Genotypes for Drought and Heat Tolerance

Several soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] germplasms from maturity groups III through VII were evaluated at three osmotic potential levels (-0.017, 0.3 and -0.5 MPa) using polyethylene glycol M.W. 8000 and four temperature regimes (10, 25, 50 and 110°C) for drought and heat tolerance, respectively. Heat injury varied significantly among growth stages with the highest heat injury occurring at the flowering stage. Susceptibility to heat injury decreased toward maturity with the exception of a few genotypes. Genotypic variability was found among the lines in both drought and heat tolerance tests. This study identified the lines PI 408.155, PI 423.827B, PI 423.759 and Pershing as both drought and heat tolerant. In general, the larger-seeded lines failed to germinate at -0.50 MPa. A positive and significant relationship between promptness index and germina-tion stress index was found. However, no significant correlation was observed between germination stress index and the heat tolerance test. Based on the results from the germination test, lines PI 393.550, PI393.547, PI 86.103, PI 171.437, PI 86.490 and PI 423.852 had high germination stress indices and need further testing for heat stress tolerance.     

Effects of tillage, weed control method and row spacing on soybean yield and certain soil properties

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an important crop in the southeastern United States, and thus there is a need for additional information on the effects of tillage, weed control methods and row spacing on soybean yields, weed populations and soil properties. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of three weed control methods (none, cultivation, and herbicide) and three row spacings (45, 60 and 90 cm) on soybeans planted in a conventionally prepared seedbed or planted in wheat stubble (no-till (NT)) on a Decatur silty clay loam (Rhodic Paleudult) soil during the 1987 and 1988 growing seasons. Following NT planting, soybean plots produced a seed yield of 3102 kg ha⁻¹ with herbicide, 2911 kg ha⁻¹ with cultivation and 2216 kg ha⁻¹ with no weed control. On a conventionally prepared seedbed, herbicide and cultivation resulted in almost equal seed yields (3898 kg ha⁻¹ and 3954 kg ha⁻¹ respectively) which were significantly higher than those from the no weed control plots (3151 kg ha⁻¹). Soybeans in narrow (45 cm) rows (3997 kg ha⁻¹) consistently out-yielded those in the wider 60 cm rows (3130 kg ha⁻¹) and 90 cm rows (2490 kg ha⁻¹) in both growing seasons, results averaged across years showed that conventionally planted soybeans produced higher yields (3668 kg ha⁻¹) than NT planted soybeans (2743 kg ha⁻¹). The weed infestation was significantly less with herbicide or cultivation than with no weed control and also less in narrow rows (45 cm) than in wider rows (60 and 90 cm). Data on the soil properties (from a depth of 0–15 cm) showed that moisture content, organic matter content and total soil nitrogen were higher in NT plots than in conventional plots. Similarly, disease ratings and infestation of bacterial blight of soybean were significantly higher in NT than in conventional tillage systems.