The effects of timing of N application and plant growth regulators on morphogenesis and yield formation in wheat

• Published in: Plant growth regulation Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 239 - 245
• Main Authors: ZHANG GUOPING, CHEN JIANXING, BULL, David Augustine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.11.2001; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical agents; Crop yield; Economic plant physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Grain; Growth and development; Growth regulators; Leaves; Lodging; Morphogenesis, differentiation, rhizogenesis, tuberization. Senescence; Pesticides; Plant growth; Plant physiology and development; Vegetative apparatus, growth and morphogenesis. Senescence; Wheat; Tillering; Nitrogen fertilization; Monocotyledones; Growth; Ear(plant); Gibberellin; Plant leaf; Growth regulator treatment; Cereal crop; Morphogenesis; Seed yield; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Triazole derivatives; Development; Plant growth substance; Spermatophyta; Gibberellic acid; Triticum aestivum
• ISSN: 0167-6903; 1573-5087
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1014411316780

The influence of timing of N application and PGRs on wheat morphogenesisand yield formation was studied under non-lodging condition. N treatmentsconsisted of three different proportions applied at sowing, 3-leaf stage, stemelongation stage and booting stage, respectively. PGR treatments were 30ppm uniconazole (S^sub 3307^), 30 ppmgibberellicacid (GA^sub 3^) and a mixture of S^sub 3307^ and GA^sub 3^.S^sub 3307^ increased tillering, but had no obvious effect on the finalnumber of ears per plant. The combined application of S^sub 3307^ andGA^sub 3^increased ears per plant. S^sub 3307^ significantly reducedplant height and the length of two basal internodes, the area of two topmostleaves, number of florets per spike, shoot and grain weight per plant in all Ntreatments, particularly in N treatment 6040 (see below), but increased dryweight per unit length of two basal internodes. It is suggested thatapplicationof plant growth retardant such as S^sub 3307^ may reduce grain yield byinhibiting formation and development of both source (leaf area) and sink(floret) under little or no lodging condition. When applied together,GA^sub 3^ modified some inhibition of growth by S^sub 3307^. Thetiming of N application had significant influence on most of the charactersstudied. The N treatment 6040, in which 60% of total N fertiliser wasapplied at sowing and 40% at stem elongation, produced the greatest earnumber per plant, florets and grains per ear, the largest area of the twotopmost leaves, and the highest grain yield, indicating that more N applicationat stem elongation was favourable to high yield formation.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]