Effects of Fertility and Density on Biomass Production,Translocation and Lodging Resistance of Millet(Setaria italica L.)in North China

In this study, the plant biomass production, biomass translocation rates across tissues and the lodging resistant-associated traits of millet （ Setaria italica L.） in North China were investigated. Among the four summer millet cultivars, Baogu 19 exhibited improved plant biomass （PB） production at flowering and maturity stages, biomass translocation amount （BTA） from vegetative tissues to seeds during filling period, and lodging resistant-associated （LRA） traits compared with other cultivars, including enhanced stem lignin contents, increased anti-broken resistance （ABR）, anti-puncturing resistance （APR）, and stem diameter （SD） of plants. Compared with treatment regular cultivation （RC）, high fertility treatment （HF） increased the plant BP, BTA from vegetative tissue to seed at filling stage, and the plant LRA traits; whereas high density treatment （HD） decreased the plant BP at plant level, plant BTA from vegetative tissues to seeds at filling stage, and the plant LRA traits. Correlation analysis revealed that stem ABR is significantly correlated with the plant lodging resistant-associated traits including APR and SD in the summer millet cultivars examined under various cultivation treatments. Our investigation indicates that cultivar Baogu 19 together with suitable fertilization and density can promote the plant biomass production, enhance vegetative tissue biomass translocation to seeds, and improve the lodging resistance of summer millet plants in North China.

Effects of Nitrogen Amount on the Photosynthesis Parameters of Summer Millet in North China

In this study,effects of nitrogen（ N） amount applied on photosynthesis behaviors of the summer millet in North China was investigated. Photosynthetic rates（ Pn）,chlorophyll contents（ Chl）,photosynthetic active duration（ PAD）,and chlorophyll relative steady phase（ RSP） in flag and the upper third leaves were assessed in cultivars of Baogu 19,Jigu 19,9050,and 60 D under three N treatments [i. e.,0（ control）,75,and 150 kg/hm2]. Results indicated that the photosynthesis parameters were drastically regulated by external N levels,all of them showing elevation along with the increased N input in both assayed leaves.Among the cultivars examined,behaviors of the photosynthetic parameters were much better in Baogu 19 and worse in 60 D. The plant yields in the cultivars under various N treatments were shown to be in consistent with the behavior of the photosynthesis parameters. Correlation analysis revealed that plant yield is positively correlated with Pn and Chl and significantly positively correlated with PAD and RSP,suggesting that longer effective photosynthetic duration of leaves impacts largely on plant biomass production and the yield formation potential. Our investigation indicates that suitable external N applied can increase the yield of summer millet associating with the improvement of photosynthesis behaviors in upper leaves that contribute to plant biomass at the late growth stage. Baogu 19 exhibited higher plant yield together with improved photosynthetic parameters in upper leaves,suggesting its potential as an elite cultivar in planting in the summer season of North China.