Grain-filling strategies of wheat of contrasting grain sizes under various planting patterns and irrigation levels

In a study comparing grain filling and yield in a large-and a small-grain-size wheat cultivar under two planting patterns and two irrigation regimes,plastic-covered ridge and furrow planting with sprinkler irrigation increased grain filling and yield in both cultivars.The largest contributors to grain yield were an extended active grain-filling period in Shuangda 1 and an increased mean grain-filling rate in XN538.

Effect of delayed sowing on grain number, grain weight, and protein concentration of wheat grains at specific positions within spikes

Delays in sowing have significant effects on the grain yield,yield components,and grain protein concentrations of winter wheat.However,little is known about how delayed sowing affects these characteristics at different positions in the wheat spikes.In this study,the effects of sowing date were investigated in a winter wheat cultivar,Shannong 30,which was sown in 2019 and 2020 on October 8(normal sowing)and October 22(late sowing)under field conditions.Delayed sowing increased the partitioning of ^(13)C-assimilates to spikes,particularly to florets at the apical section of a spike and those occupying distal positions on the same spikelet.Consequently,the increase in grain number was the greatest for the apical sections,followed by the basal and central sections.No significant differences were observed between sowing dates in the superior grain number in the basal and central sections,while the number in apical sections was significantly different.The number of inferior grains in each section also increased substantially in response to delayed sowing.The average grain weights in all sections remained unchanged under delayed sowing because there were parallel increases in grain number and ^(13)C-assimilate partitioning to grains at specific positions in the spikes.Increases in grain number m^(–2) resulted in reduced grain protein concentrations as the limited nitrogen supply was diluted into more grains.Delayed sowing caused the greatest reduction in grain protein concentration in the basal sections,followed by the central and apical sections.No significant differences in the reduction of the grain protein concentration were observed between the inferior and superior grains under delayed sowing.In conclusion,a 2-week delay in sowing improved grain yield through increased grain number per spike,which originated principally from an increased grain number in the apical sections of spikes and in distal positions on the same spikelet.However,grain protein concentrations declined in each section because of the increased grain number and reduced N uptake.

TaABI19 positively regulates grain development in wheat

Starch is the most important component in the endosperm, and its synthesis is regulated by multiple transcription factors(TFs) in cereals. However, whether the functions of these TFs are conserved among cereals remains unclear. In this study,we cloned a B3 family TF in wheat, named TaABI19, based on its orthologous sequence in maize(Zea mays L.). Alignment of the DNA and protein sequences showed that ABI19 is conserved in maize and wheat(Triticum aestivum L.). We found that TaABI19 is highly expressed in young spikes and developing grains, and encodes a nucleus-localized transcriptional activator in wheat. The taabi19-b1 null mutants obtained by EMS exhibited a down-regulation of starch synthesis, shorter grain length and lower thousand-grain weight(TGW). Furthermore, we proved that TaABI19 could bind to the promoters of TaPBF homologous genes and enhance their expression. Haplotype association showed that TaABI19-B1 is significantly associated with TGW. We found that Hap2 and Hap3 were favored and had undergone positive selection in China’s wheat breeding programs. Less than 50% of the modern cultivars convey the favored haplotypes, indicating that TaABI19 still can be considered as a target locus for marker-assisted selection breeding to increase TGW in China.

Introgression of chromosome 6PL terminal segment from Agropyron cristatum to increase both grain number and grain weight in wheat

Agropyron cristatum(2n=4x=28,PPPP),which harbours many high-yield and disease-resistance genes,is a promising donor for wheat improvement.Narrow genetic diversity and the trade-off between grain weight and grain number have become bottlenecks for increasing grain yield in wheat.In this study,a novel translocation line,WAT650l,was derived from the chromosome 6P addition line 4844–12,which can simultaneously increase both grain number per spike(GNS)and thousand-grain weight(TGW).Cytological analysis and molecular marker analysis revealed that WAT650l was a 5BL.5BS-6PL(bin 12–17)translocation line.Assessment of agronomic traits and analysis of the BC4F2 and BC5F2 populations suggested that the 6PL terminal chromosome segment in WAT650l resulted in increased grain number per spike(average increased by 14.07 grains),thousand-grain weight(average increased by 4.31 g),flag leaf length,plant height,spikelet number per spike and kernel number per spikelet during the two growing seasons of 2020–2021 and 2021–2022.Additionally,the increased GNS locus and high-TGW locus of WAT650l were mapped to the bins 16–17 and 12–13,respectively,on chromosome 6PL by genetic population analysis of three translocation lines.In summary,we provide a valuable germplasm resource for broadening the genetic base of wheat and overcoming the negative relationship between GNS and TGW in wheat breeding.

Combining controlled-release urea and normal urea with appropriate nitrogen application rate to reduce wheat stem lodging risk and increase grain yield and yield stability

A mixture of controlled-release urea and normal urea(CRUNU)is an efficient nitrogen(N)fertilizer type,but little is known about its effects on stem lodging resistance,grain yield,and yield stability of wheat.In this study,a 4-year field experiment(from 2017 to 2021)was conducted to analyze the effects of N fertilizer types(CRUNU and normal urea(NU))and application rates(low level(L),135 kg ha^(–1);medium level(M),180 kg ha^(–1);high level(H),225 kg ha^(–1))on population lodging resistance,basal internode strength,lignin content and synthetase activity,stem lodging resistance,grain yield,and yield stability of wheat.Our results showed that the two N fertilizer types had the highest lodging rate under high N application rates,and the M-CRUNU treatment showed the lowest lodging rate.Compared with NU,CRUNU improved the wheat population lodging resistance under the three N application rates,mainly related to improving wheat population characteristics and breaking the strength of the second basal internode.Correlation analysis showed that the breaking strength of the second basal internode was related to the physical characteristics,chemical components,and micro-structure of the internode.Compared with NU,CRUNU significantly increased wheat grain yield by 4.47,14.62,and 3.12%under low,medium,and high N application rates,respectively.In addition,CRUNU showed no significant difference in grain yield under medium and high N application rates,but it presented the highest yield stability under the medium N application rate.In summary,CRUNU,combined with the medium N application rate,is an efficient agronomic management strategy for wheat production.

Dissecting the genetic basis of grain color and pre-harvest sprouting resistance in common wheat by association analysis

Pre-harvest sprouting(PHS) adversely affects wheat quality and yield, and grain color(GC) is associated with PHS resistance. However, the genetic relationship between GC and PHS resistance remains unclear. In this study, 168 wheat varieties(lines) with significant differences in GC and PHS resistance were genotyped using an Illumina 90K iSelect SNP array. Genome-wide association study(GWAS) based on a mixed linear model showed that 67 marker-trait associations(MTAs) assigned to 29 loci, including 17 potentially novel loci, were significantly associated with GC, which explained 1.1–17.0% of the phenotypic variation. In addition, 100 MTAs belonging to 54 loci, including 31 novel loci, were significantly associated with PHS resistance, which accounted for 1.1–14.7% of the phenotypic variation. Subsequently, two cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences(CAPS) markers, 2B-448 on chromosome 2B and 5B-301 on chromosome 5B,were developed from the representative SNPs of the major common loci Qgc.ahau-2B.3/Qphs.ahau-2B.4controlling GC/PHS resistance and PHS resistance locus Qphs.ahau-5B.4, respectively. Further validation in 171 Chinese mini-core collections confirmed significant correlations of the two CAPS markers with GC and PHS resistance phenotypes under different environments(P<0.05). Furthermore, the wheat public expression database, transcriptomic sequencing, and gene allelic variation analysis identified TraesCS5B02G545100, which encodes glutaredoxin, as a potential candidate gene linked to Qphs.ahau-5B.4. The new CAPS marker CAPS-356 was then developed based on the SNP(T/C) in the coding sequences(CDS) region of TraesCS5B02G545100. The high-density linkage map of the Jing 411/Hongmangchun 21 recombinant inbred lines(RILs) constructed based on specific locus amplified fragment sequencing markers showed that CAPS-356 collocated with a novel QTL for PHS resistance, supporting the role of TraesCS5B02G545100 as the potential candidate gene linked to Qphs.ahau-5B.4. These results provide valuable information for the map-based cloning of Qphs.ahau-5B.4 and breeding of PHS resistant white-grained varieties.

Raised bed planting promotes grain number per spike in wheat grown after rice by improving spike differentiation and enhancing photosynthetic capacity

The yield of wheat in wheat–rice rotation cropping systems in the Yangtze River Plain, China, is adversely impacted by waterlogging. A raised bed planting(RBP) pattern may reduce waterlogging and increase the wheat yield after rice cultivation by improving the grain number per spike. However, the physiological basis for grain formation under RBP conditions remains poorly understood. The present study was performed over two growing seasons(2018/2019and 2019/2020) to examine the effects of the planting pattern(i.e., RBP and flat planting(FP)) on the floret and grain formation features and leaf photosynthetic source characteristics of wheat. The results indicated that implementation of the RBP pattern improved the soil–plant nitrogen(N) supply during floret development, which facilitated balanced floret development, resulting in a 9.5% increase in the number of fertile florets per spike. Moreover, the RBP pattern delayed wheat leaf senescence and increased the photosynthetic source capacity by 13.9%, which produced more assimilates for grain filling. Delayed leaf senescence was attributed to the resultant high leaf N content and enhanced antioxidant metabolism. Correspondingly, under RBP conditions, 7.6–8.6% more grains per spike were recorded, and the grain yield was ultimately enhanced by 10.4–12.7%. These results demonstrate that the improvement of the spike differentiation process and the enhancement of the leaf photosynthetic capacity were the main reasons for the increased grain number per spike of wheat under the RBP pattern, and additional improvements in this technique should be achievable through further investigation.

Late spring cold reduces grain number at various spike positions by regulating spike growth and assimilate distribution in winter wheat

Late spring cold(LSC) occurred in the reproductive period of wheat impairs spike and floret differentiation during the reproductive period,when young spikelets are very cold-sensitive.However,under LSC,the responses of wheat spikelets at various positions,leaves,and stems and the interactions between them at physiological levels remain unclear.In the present study,two-year treatments at terminal spikelet stage under two temperatures(2 C,-2 C) and durations(1,2,and 3 days) were imposed in an artificial climate chamber to compare the effects of LSC on grain number and yield in the wheat cultivars Yannong 19(YN19,cold-tolerant) and Xinmai 26(XM26,cold-sensitive).The night temperature regimes were designed to reproduce natural temperature variation.LSC delayed plant growth and inhibited spike and floret differentiation,leading to high yield losses in both cultivars.LSC reduced dry matter accumulation(DMA,g) in spikes,stems,and leaves,reducing the DMA ratios of the spike to leaf and spike to stem.Plant cell wall invertase(CWINV) activity increased in upper and basal spikelets in YN19,whereas CWINV increased in middle spikelets in XM26.Under LSC,soluble sugar and glucose were transported and distributed mainly in upper and basal spikelets for glume and rachis development,so that spike development was relatively complete in YN19,whereas the upper and basal spikelets were severely damaged and most of the glumes in middle spikelets were relatively completely developed in XM26,resulting in pollen abortion mainly in upper and basal spikelets.The development of glumes and rachides was influenced and grain number per spike was decreased after LSC,with kernels present mainly in middle spikelets.Overall,reduced total DMA and dry matter partitioning to spikes under LSC results in poor spikelet development,leading to high losses of grain yield.

Quantifying major sources of uncertainty in projecting the impact of climate change on wheat grain yield in dryland environments

Modelling the impact of climate change on cropping systems is crucial to support policy-making for farmers and stakeholders.Nevertheless,there exists inherent uncertainty in such cases.General Circulation Models(GCMs)and future climate change scenarios(different Representative Concentration Pathways(RCPs)in different future time periods)are among the major sources of uncertainty in projecting the impact of climate change on crop grain yield.This study quantified the different sources of uncertainty associated with future climate change impact on wheat grain yield in dryland environments(Shiraz,Hamedan,Sanandaj,Kermanshah and Khorramabad)in eastern and southern Iran.These five representative locations can be categorized into three climate classes:arid cold(Shiraz),semi-arid cold(Hamedan and Sanandaj)and semi-arid cool(Kermanshah and Khorramabad).Accordingly,the downscaled daily outputs of 29 GCMs under two RCPs(RCP4.5 and RCP8.5)in the near future(2030s),middle future(2050s)and far future(2080s)were used as inputs for the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator(APSIM)-wheat model.Analysis of variance(ANOVA)was employed to quantify the sources of uncertainty in projecting the impact of climate change on wheat grain yield.Years from 1980 to 2009 were regarded as the baseline period.The projection results indicated that wheat grain yield was expected to increase by 12.30%,17.10%,and 17.70%in the near future(2030s),middle future(2050s)and far future(2080s),respectively.The increases differed under different RCPs in different future time periods,ranging from 11.70%(under RCP4.5 in the 2030s)to 20.20%(under RCP8.5 in the 2080s)by averaging all GCMs and locations,implying that future wheat grain yield depended largely upon the rising CO2 concentrations.ANOVA results revealed that more than 97.22% of the variance in future wheat grain yield was explained by locations,followed by scenarios,GCMs,and their interactions.Specifically,at the semi-arid climate locations(Hamedan,Sanandaj,Kermanshah and Khorramabad),most of the variations arose from the scenarios(77.25%),while at the arid climate location(Shiraz),GCMs(54.00%)accounted for the greatest variation.Overall,the ensemble use of a wide range of GCMs should be given priority to narrow the uncertainty when projecting wheat grain yield under changing climate conditions,particularly in dryland environments characterized by large fluctuations in rainfall and temperature.Moreover,the current research suggested some GCMs(e.g.,the IPSL-CM5B-LR,CCSM4,and BNU-ESM)that made moderate effects in projecting the impact of climate change on wheat grain yield to be used to project future climate conditions in similar environments worldwide.

Straw return and appropriate tillage method improve grain yield and nitrogen efficiency of winter wheat

Straw return is an important management tool for tackling and promoting soil nutrient conservation and improving crop yield in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, China. Although the incorporation of maize straw with deep plowing and rotary tillage practices are widespread in the region, only few studies have focused on rotation tillage. To determine the effects of maize straw return on the nitrogen （N） efficiency and grain yield of winter wheat （Triticum aestivum L.）, we conducted experiments in this region for 3 years. Five treatments were tested： （i） rotary tillage without straw return （RT）; （ii） deep plowing tillage without straw return （DT）; （iii） rotary tillage with total straw return （RS）; （iv） deep plowing tillage with total straw return （DS）; （v） rotary tillage of 2 years and deep plowing tillage in the 3rd year with total straw return （TS）. Treatments with straw return increased kernels no. ear-1, thousand-kernel weight （TKW）, grain yields, ratio of dry matter accumulation post-anthesis, and nitrogen （N） efficiency whereas reduced the ears no. ha-1 in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 growing seasons. Compared with the rotary tillage, deep plowing tillage significantly increased the grain yield, yield components, total dry matter accumulation, and N efficiency in 2013-2014. RS had significantly higher straw N distribution, soil inorganic nitrogen content, and soil enzymes activities in the 0-10 cm soil layer compared with the DS and TS. However, significantly lower values were ob- served in the 10-20 and 20-30 cm soil layers. TS obtained approximately equal grain yield as DS, and it also reduced the resource costs. Therefore, we conclude that TS is the most economical method for increasing grain yield and N efficiency of winter wheat in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain.

Delayed sowing can increase lodging resistance while maintaining grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat

Lodging resistance of winter wheat(Trnticum aestivum L.) can be increased by late sowing.However, whether grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency(NUE) can be maintained with delayed sowing remains unknown. During the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 growing seasons, two winter wheat cultivars were sown on three dates(early sowing on October 1, normal so,wing on October8, and late sowing on October 15) to investigate the responses of lodging resistance, grain yield,and NUE to sowing date. No significant differences in lodging resistance, grain yield, or NUE between early and normal sowing were observed. Averaging over the two cultivars and years,postponing the sowing date significantly increased lodging resistance by 53.6% and 49.6%compared with that following early and normal sowing, respectively. Lodging resistance was improved mainly through a reduction in the culm height at the center of gravity and an increase in the tensile strength of the base internode. Late sowing resulted in similar grain yield as well as kernel weight and number of kernels per square meter, compared to early and normal sowing.Averaging over the two cultivars and years, delayed sowing resulted in a reduction in nitrogen uptake efficiency(UPE) by 11.0% and 9.9% compared to early and normal sowing, respectively,owing to reduced root length density and dry matter accumulation before anthesis. An average increase in nitrogen utilization efficiency(UTE) of 12.9% and 11.2% compared to early and normal sowing, respectively, was observed with late sowing owing to a reduction in the grain nitrogen concentration. The increase in UTE offset the reduction in UPE, resulting in equal NUEs among all sowing dates. Thus, sowing later than normal could increase lodging resistance while maintaining grain yield and NUE.

Slight shading after anthesis increases photosynthetic productivity and grain yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) due to the delaying of leaf senescence

The solar radiation intensity and duration are continuously decreasing in the major wheat planting area of China. As a con- sequence, leaf senescence, photosynthesis, grain filling and thus wheat yield shall be affected by light deficiency. Therefore, two winter wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） cultivars, Tainong 18 （a large-spike cultivar） and Ji＇nan 17 （a multiple-spike cultivar）, were subjected to shading during anthesis and maturity under field condition in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. Under the slight shading treatment （$1,88% of full sunshine）, leaf senescence was delayed, net photosynthesis rate （Po） and canopy apparent photosynthesis rate （CAP） were improved, and thus thousand-kernel weight （TKW） and grain yield were higher as compared with the control. However, mid and severe shading （S2 andS3, 67 and 35% of full sunshine, respectively） led to negative effects on these traits substantially. Moreover, superoxide dismutase （SOD）, peroxidase （POD） and cat- alase （CAT） activities in flag leaf were significantly greater under slight shading than those in other treatments, while the malondialdehyde （MDA） content was less than that under other treatments. In addition, the multiple-spike cultivar is more tolerant to shading than large-spike cultivar. In conclusion, slight shading after anthesis delayed leaf senescence, enhanced photosynthesis and grain filling, and thus resulted in higher grain yield.

Effects of Different Tillage Systems on Soil Properties,Root Growth,Grain Yield,and Water Use Efficiency of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Arid Northwest China

Studies on root development, soil physical properties, grain yield, and water-use efficiency are important for identifying suitable soil management practices for sustainable crop production. A field experiment was conducted from 2006 through 2008 in arid northwestern China to determine the effects of four tillage systems on soil properties, root development, water-use efficiency, and grain yield of winter wheat （Triticum aestivum L.）. The cultivar Fan 13 was grown under four tillage systems：conventional tillage （CT） without wheat stubble, no-tillage without wheat stubble mulching （NT）, no-tillage with wheat stubble standing （NTSS）, and no-tillage with wheat stubble mulching （NTS）. The soil bulk density （BD） under CT system increased gradually from sowing to harvest, but that in NT, NTSS, and NTS systems had little change. Compared to the CT system, the NTSS and NTS systems improved total soil water storage （0-150 cm） by 6.1-9.6 and 10.5- 15.3% before sowing, and by 2.2-8.9 and 13.0-15.1% after harvest, respectively. The NTSS and NTS systems also increased mean dry root weight density （DRWD） as compared to CT system. The NTS system significantly improved water-use efficiency by 17.2-17.5% and crop yield by 15.6-16.8%, and the NTSS system improved that by 7.8-9.6 and 7.0-12.8%, respectively, compared with the CT system. Our results suggested that Chinese farmers should consider adopting conservation tillage practices in arid northwestern China because of benefits to soil bulk density, water storage, root system, and winter wheat yield.

Global sensitivity analysis of wheat grain yield and quality and the related process variables from the DSSAT-CERES model based on the extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test method

A crop growth model,integrating genotype,environment,and management factor,was developed to serve as an analytical tool to study the influence of these factors on crop growth,production,and agricultural planning.A major challenge of model application is the optimization and calibration of a considerable number of parameters.Sensitivity analysis(SA) has become an effective method to identify the importance of various parameters.In this study,the extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test(EFAST) approach was used to evaluate the sensitivity of the DSSAT-CERES model output responses of interest to 39 crop genotype parameters and six soil parameters.The outputs for the SA included grain yield and quality(take grain protein content(GPC) as an indicator) at maturity stage,as well as leaf area index,aboveground biomass,and aboveground nitrogen accumulation at the critical process variables.The key results showed that:(1) the influence of parameter bounds on the sensitivity results was slight and less than the impacts from the significance of the parameters themselves;(2) the sensitivity parameters of grain yield and GPC were different,and the sensitivity of the interactions between parameters to GPC was greater than those between the parameters to grain yield;and(3) the sensitivity analyses of some process variables,including leaf area index,aboveground biomass,and aboveground nitrogen accumulation,should be performed differently.Finally,some parameters,which improve the model’s structure and the accuracy of the process simulation,should not be ignored when maturity output as an objective variable is studied.

Responses of Phosphorus Use Efficiency, Grain Yield, and Quality to Phosphorus Application Amount of Weak-Gluten Wheat

Phosphorus （P） is one of the most widely occurring nutrients for development and growth of wheat. In this study, the effects of P application amount on grain yield, protein content, and phosphorus use efficiency （PUE） were studied by agronomic management of P fertilizer on spring weak-gluten wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） grown under field conditions for 2 yr. The experiments were performed at five levels of P205 application amount, including 0, 72, 108, 144, and 180 kg ha-1. As a result, with increase in P fertilizer, grain yield, and P agricultural efficiency （AEp） increased in a quadratic equitation, but partial factor productivity of P （PFPp） decreased in a logarithmic eq. When 108 kg ha-1 P2Os was applied, the grain yield reached the highest level, but the protein content in gain was lower than 11.5%, a threshold for the protein content to evaluate weak-gluten wheat suitable for production of cake and biscuit. Yangmai 13 and Ningmai 9 could tolerate to higher P level of soils than Yangmai 9 that had more loss in grain yield when P fertilizer was over-applied. AEp had a concomitant relationship with grain yield and was a better descriptor for P use efficiency in the wheat. A high P use efficiency resulted in leaf area index （LAI）, increased chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate, and stable acid phophatase （APase） activity to accumulate more dry matter after anthesis, which explained that the optimum P fertilizer increased grain yield and improved grain quality of weak-gluten wheat.

Transcriptome analysis reveals key differentially expressed genes involved in wheat grain development

Wheat seed development is an important physiological process of seed maturation and directly affects wheat yield and quality. In this study, we performed dynamic transcriptome microarray analysis of an elite Chinese bread wheat cultivar(Jimai 20) during grain development using the Gene Chip Wheat Genome Array. Grain morphology and scanning electron microscope observations showed that the period of 11–15 days post-anthesis(DPA) was a key stage for the synthesis and accumulation of seed starch. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling and significance analysis of microarrays revealed that the period from 11 to 15 DPA was more important than the 15–20 DPA stage for the synthesis and accumulation of nutritive reserves.Series test of cluster analysis of differential genes revealed five statistically significant gene expression profiles. Gene ontology annotation and enrichment analysis gave further information about differentially expressed genes, and Map Man analysis revealed expression changes within functional groups during seed development. Metabolic pathway network analysis showed that major and minor metabolic pathways regulate one another to ensure regular seed development and nutritive reserve accumulation. We performed gene co-expression network analysis to identify genes that play vital roles in seed development and identified several key genes involved in important metabolic pathways. The transcriptional expression of eight key genes involved in starch and protein synthesis and stress defense was further validated by q RT-PCR. Our results provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of wheat seed development and the determinants of yield and quality.

Grain yield and water use of winter wheat as affected by water and sulfur supply in the North China Plain

Water shortage has threatened sustainable development of agriculture globally as well as in the North China Plain（NCP）.Irrigation,as the most effective way to increase food production in dry land,may not be readily available in the situation of drought.One of the alternatives is to supply plants with enough nutrients so that they can be more sustainable to the water stress.The objective of this study was to explore effects of irrigation and sulphur（S）application on water consumption,dry matter accumulation（DMA）,and grain yield of winter wheat in NCP.Three irrigation regimes including no irrigation（rainfed,I0）during the whole growth period,once irrigation only at jointing stage（90 mm,I1）,and twice respective irrigation at jointing and anthesis stages（90 mm plus 90 mm,I2）,and two levels of S application including 0S0and 60 kg ha^–1（S60）were designed in the field experiment in NCP.Results showed that increasing irrigation times significantly increased mean grain yield of wheat by 12.5–23.7%and nitrogen partial factor productivity（NPFP）by 21.2–45.0%in two wheat seasons,but markedly decreased crop water use efficiency（YWUE）.Furthermore,S supply 60 kg ha^–1 significantly increased mean grain yield,YWUE,IWUE and NPFP by 5.6,6.1,23.2,and 5.6%（across two wheat seasons）,respectively.However,we also found that role of soil moisture prior to S application was one of important greater factors on improving the absorption and utilization of storage water and nutrients of soil.Thus,water supply is still the most important factor to restrict the growth of wheat in the present case of NCP,supplying 60 kg ha^–1 S with once irrigation 90 mm at the jointing stage is a relatively appropriate recommended combination to improve grain yield and WUE of wheat when saving water resources is be considered in irrigated wheat farmlands of NCP.

Monitoring Protein and Starch Accumulation in Wheat Grains with Leaf SPAD and Canopy Spectral Reflectance

The research was conducted to determine the relationships of protein and starch accumulation dynamics in grains of wheat to post-heading leaf SPAD values and canopy spectral reflectance. The results showed that leaf nitrogen accumulation was exponentially related to leaf SPAD values and linearly related to canopy spectral reflectance, and that there was negative linear relationship between leaf nitrogen accumulation and grain protein accumulation, but positive linear relationship between post-heading leaf nitrogen transloca-tion and grain protein accumulation at maturity. In addition, leaf SPAD values were parabolically related with and ratio indices R(l 500,610)and R(l 220,560)were exponentially related with protein and starch accumulation in grains. These results indicate that leaf SPAD values and canopy spectral reflectance should be good indicators of quality formation dynamics in wheat grains.

Effects of High Temperature on Antioxidant Enzymes and Lipid Peroxidation in Flag Leaves of Wheat During Grain Filling Period

On the basis of the phytotron, the effects of high temperature （daily average temperature 25, 30, 35 and 40℃, respectively） on antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation in flag leaves of wheat at 50% relative air moisture during grain fastest filling stage [19-21 days after anthesis （DAA）] were studied. The wheat cultivars tested were Yangmai 9 with weak-gluten and Yangmai 12 with medium-gluten. Compared with 25℃, the higher the temperature was, the higher was the MDA content in flag leaves, while lower were the SOD, POD, and CAT activities. SOD and CAT activities in Yangmai 12 appeared to be more sensitive to high temperature than that in Yangmai 9. But POD activity in Yangmai 12 was less sensitive to high temperature. MDA content in Yangmai 12 was higher than that in Yangmai 9. The 1000-grain weight declined with increase in temperature.

Inheritance and Availability of High Grain Number Per Spike in Two Wheat Germplasm Lines

Grain number per spike （GNPS） is a major factor in wheat yield breeding. The development of high GNPS germplasm is widely emphasized in wheat-yield breeding. This paper reported two high GNPS wheat germplasm lines, Pubing 3228 and Pubing 3504, which had a stable and wide adaptability to different ecological regions. By exploring a nested cross design with reciprocals using Pubing 3228 or Pubing 3504 as a common parent and investigating the GNPS phenotypes of F1 hybrids in 2007-2008 and F2 populations in 2008-2009 of different cross combinations, the narrow-sense GNPS heritability was up to 49.58 and 52.23%, respectively. Genetic model analysis predictions suggested that GNPS in Pubing 3228 and Pubing 3504 was mainly controlled by additive genetic effects. Correlation analysis results between GNPS and 1 000- kernel weight （TKW） of F2 populations showed that TKW was not influenced with the increase of GNPS. The good coordination among three yield components of spike number per plant （SNPP）, GNPS, and TKW in the F2 segregating population implied that selection of good candidate individuals in breeding programs would be relatively straightforward. Overall, our results indicated that Pubing 3228 and Pubing 3504 are two potential germplasm lines for yield improvement of GNPS in pedigree selection of wheat breeding.