Water and Nutrient Use Efficiency in Diploid, Tetraploid and Hexaploid Wheats

Three diploid （Triticum boeoticum, AA; Aegilops speltoides, BB and Ae. tauschii, DD）, two tetraplold （T. dlcoccoides, AABB and T. dicoccon, AABB） and one hexapioid （T. vulgare, AABBDD） varieties of wheat, which are very important In the evolution of wheat were chosen in this study. A pot experiment was carried out on the wheat under different water and nutrient conditions （i） to understand the differences in biomass, yield, water use efficiency （WUE）, and nutrient （N, P and K） use efficiency （uptake and utilization efficiency） among ploidies in the evolution of wheat; （li） to clarify the effect of water and nutrient conditions on water and nutrient use efficiency; and （ill） to assess the relationship of water and nutrient use efficiency in the evolution of wheat. Our results showed that from diploid to tetraplold then to hexaploid during the evolution of wheat, both root biomass and above-ground biomass Increased Initially and then decreased. Water consumption for transpiration decreased remarkably, correlating with the decline of the growth period, while grain yield, harvest index, WUE, N, P and K uptake efficiency, and N, P and K utilization efficiency Increased significantly. Grain yield, harvest index and WUE decreased In the same order： T. vulgare 〉 T. dicoccon 〉 T. dicoccoides 〉 Ae. tauschii 〉 Ae. speltoides 〉 T. boeoticum. Water stress significantly decreased root blomass, above-ground biomass, yield, and water consumption for transpiration by 47-52%, but remarkably Increased WUE. Increasing the nutrient supply increased wheat above-ground biomass, grain yield, harvest Index, water consumption for transpiration and WUE under different water levels, but reduced root blomass under drought conditions. Generally, water stress and low nutrient supply resulted in the lower nutrient uptake efficiency of wheat. However, water and nutrient application had no significant effects on nutrient utilization efficiency, suggesting that wheat nutrient utilization efficiency is mainly controlled by genotypes. Compared to the other two diploid wheats, Ae. squarrosa （DD） had significant higher WUE and nutrient utilization efficiency, Indicating that the D genome may carry genes controlling high efficient utilization of water and nutrient. Significant relation- ships were found between WUE and N, P and K utilization efficiency.

Coinoculation of bioinoculants improve Acacia auriculiformis seedling growth and quality in a tropical Alfisol soil

We conducted a study to find out if arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM) fungi(Acaulospora scrobiculata,Scutellospora calospora) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria(PSB, Paenibacillus polymyxa) inoculation either individually or in combinations can improve Acacia auriculiformis seedling growth, uptake of nutrients and quality in a phosphorus deficient tropical Alfisol. The seedlings were assessed for various growth and nutrient uptake parameters after 60 days of treatment. Inoculation with P.polymyxa stimulated mycorrhizal formation. Seedling height, stem girth, taproot length, number of leaves and leaf area, plant dry matter production, nodulation, and nodular dry weight were significantly higher for seedlings that were either dual inoculated or triple inoculated compared to individual inoculation of AM fungi or PSB, and uninoculated seedlings. Dual and triple application of AM fungi and PSB also significantly improved the nutrient contents of shoots and roots and nutrient uptake efficiencies. The calculated seedling quality indexes of the AM fungi and PSB inoculated seedling were 25–208% higher than uninoculated seedlings. These findings show that A.auriculiformis seedlings when dual inoculated or triple inoculated performed better than seedlings inoculated with the microbes individually and compared with uninoculated control seedlings. We conclude that bioinoculation is important for the production of high-quality A.auriculiformis seedlings in tree nurseries for planting in nutrient deficient soils.

Nutrient Composition and Distance from Point Placement to the Plant Affect Rice Growth

Point placement of urea is an efficient technology to improve urea use efficiency in transplanted rice(Oryza sativa L.), but it is largely unknown how nutrient composition in the point placement and the distance from placement site to the plant influence rice root distribution and growth, nutrient uptake, and rice grain yield. A controlled greenhouse experiment was conducted using both N-and P-deficient soil with point placement of N only or N and P together(N + P) at a distance close to or far from the plant,in comparison to an N-spilt application and a no-N control. Both nutrient composition and distance significantly affected rice root growth. Compared with the N point placement, the N + P point placement led to smaller root length and mass densities, higher specific root length(SRL) around the placement site, smaller root system, higher straw mass and grain yield, and higher N and P uptake. The difference between the N + P and N point placements was greater when close to the plant than when far from the plant. It is suggested that higher SRL around the placement site is essential for improving nutrient uptake and rice grain yield, and simultaneous point placement of N and P has a synergistic effect on rice growth.