Nitrogen relations in winter wheat cultivars differing in grain protein percentage and stature

Accumulation of reduced nitrogen and its partitioning between vegetative tissue and grain are two important aspects of the nitrogen economy of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the range of nitrogen harvest index (NHI) among four hard red winter wheat cultivars differing in grain protein percent (GPP) and the influence of NHI on grain protein percent, and 2) to contrast the partitioning of nitrogen and dry matter to the component parts of the plant throughout growth and development. Plants were grown in a nutrient solution and nitrogen salts were withheld from the solution when the wheat reached anthesis. High nitrogen percentage of plant parts tended to correlate positively with grain protein percentage at first node and anthesis stages, but correlated negatively at latter stages. Dry weight was important in the accumulation of nitrogen; however, neither dry weight nor total plant nitrogen was correlated with GPP. Nitrogen harvest index was correlated strongly and positively with GPP and was independent of plant stature. The selection of parents with high NHI could be an important criterion in breeding programs to increase GPP of wheat.