Zhenwen YU, Yu SHI, Wenxue DUAN, Yongli ZHANG, Zhenzhu XU, Dong WANG

Effects of nitrogen application on biomass accumulation, remobilization, and soil water Contents in a rainfed wheat field

This study examined the effects of different levels of N fertilization on dry matter accumulation andremobilization, and soil water contents in a rainfed winter wheat field. The experiments were carried outduring growth seasons in 20092012 in a hilly region in Shandong Province, China. The N rates applied were0 (N0, the control), 90 (N1), 120 (N2), 150 (N3), 180 (N4), and 210 (N5) kg N ha 1. Our results showed that Nfertilization significantly increased dry matter accumulation and post-anthesis assimilates compared withcontrols. At anthesis, total above -ground biomass increased signific antly with increasing N rate up to 150 kgha 1 and then leveled off in the 20092010 and 20112012 growth seasons. However, the biomass in the 2010 2011 growth season did not vary with different N rates. At maturity, the accumulation of dry matter invegetative organs significantly increased with increasing N rate up to 150 kg ha 1 and then leveled off in allgrowth seasons. Of all the treatments, N3 and N4 had relatively higher total above -ground biomass at maturity.In contrast, dry matter remobilization efficiency showed a declining trend under increasing N rate. The higherpost- anthesis assimilates and the contribution of pre -anthesis assimilates to grains were obtained at N rates of150 and 180 kg ha 1 in all growth seasons. Soil water contents in 0120, 0100, and 40160 cm soil layersduring each growth season decreased significantly with increasing N rate up to 150 kg ha 1. The maximumgrain yields were obtained under N rate of 150 kg ha 1 in all growth seasons, with the highest grain yield being7160.8 kg ha 1 in the 20112012 growth season. Our results suggested that N fertilization at 150 kg N ha 1 wasoptimal for grain production via promoting above-ground biomass and soil water consumption in deep soillayers. These results should help provide guidance for N fertilization management for optimal and sustainablewheat production in the said region.

PDF

___

Angus, J.F., A.F. Herwaarden . 2001. Increasing water use and water use efficiency in dryland wheat. Agron J. 93 : 290 -298.
Arduini, I., A. Masoni, L. Ercoli, M. Mariotti. 2006. Grain yield, and dry matter and nitrogen accumulation and remobilization in durum wheat as affected by variety and seeding rate. Eur J . Agron. 25 : 309 -318.
Austin, R.B., C.L. Morgan, M.A. Ford, R.D. Blackwell. 1980. Contribution to grain yield from pre -anthesis assimilation in tall and dwarf barley phenotypes in two contrasting seasons. Ann Bot. 45 : 309 -319.
Bahrani, A., H.H. Sharifabad , Z.T. Sarvestani, G.H. Moafpourian , A.A. Band . 2011. Remobilization of dry matter in wheat: effects of nitrogen application and post-anthesis water deficit during grain filling. New Zeal J. Crop Hort Sci. 39 : 279 -293.
Basso, B., D. Cammarano, A. Troccoli, D.L. Chen, J.T. Ritchie, 2010. Long -term wheat response to nitrogen in a rainfed Mediterranean environment: Field data and simulation analysis. Eur J. Agron . 33 : 132 -138.
Chen H.L., X.H. Tian, X.F. Wang, Y.X. Cao, Y.H. Wu, Z.H. Wang . 2010. Effects of cultivation models on soil water, soil temperature and yield during the winter wheat growth in the Weibei dry highland. Acta Ecol Sin. 30: 2424 -2433.
Corbeels, M., G. Hofman, O.V. Cleemput. 1998. Analysis of water use by wheat grown on a cracking clay soil in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment: weather and nitrogen effects. Agr Water Manage. 38 : 147 -167.
Dordas, C. 2009. Dry matter, nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation, partitioning and remobilization as affected by N and P fertilization and source sink relations. Eur J. Agron . 30 : 129 -139.
Ehdaie, B., J.G. Waines. 2001. Sowing date and nitrogen rate effects on dry matter and nitrogen partitioning in bread and d urum wheat. Field Crops Res . 73 : 47 -61.
Ercolia, L., L. Lullib, M. Mariottib, A. Masonib, I. Arduini. 2008. Post-anthesis dry matter and nitrogen dynamics in durum wheat as affected by nitrogen supply and soil water availability. Eur J. Agron . 28 : 138 -147.
Ferrise, R., A. Triossi, P. Stratonovitch , M. Bindi, P. Martre. 2010. Sowing date and nitrogen fertilis ation effects on dry matter and nitrogen dynamics for durum wheat: An experimental and simulation study. Field Crops R es . 117 : 245 -257.
Fois, S., R. Motzo, F. Giunta. 2009. The effect of nitrog enous fertiliser application on leaf traits in durum wheat in relation to grain yield and development. Field Crops Res . 110 : 69 -75.
Gan, Y.T., G.P. Lafond, W.E. May. 2000. Grain yield and water use: Relative performance of winter vs. spring cereals in east-central Saskatchewan . Can J. Plant Sci. 80 : 533 -541.
Garabet, S., M. Wood, J. Ryan . 1998. Nitrogen and water effects on wheat yield in a Mediterranean -type climate I. Growth, water-use and nitrogen accumulation . Field Crops Res . 57 : 309 318.
Gentile, R.M., P.J. de Rocquigny, M.H. Entz. 2005. Soil water depletion by tall and semidwarf oat and wheat cultivars. Can J. Plant Sci. 85: 385 -388.
Halvorson, A.D., D.C. Nielsen, C.A. Reule . 2004. Nitrogen fertilization and rotation effects on no -till dryland wheat production. Agron J. 96 : 1196 -1201.
Hao, M.D., J. F, Q.J.Wang, T.H. Dang, S.L. Guo, J.J. Wang . 2007. Wheat grain yield and yield stability in a long -term fertilization experiment on the Loess Plateau. Pedosphere. 17 : 257 -264.
Hassan, M.I. , A.M. Badreldin . 1996. Phasic development of spring wheat and stability of yield and its components in hot environments . Field Crops Res . 46 : 169 -176.
Holger, M., L.H. Graeme, V.K. Herman , R. Rudy, A.K. Brian . 1997. Improving wh eat simulation capabilities in Australia from a cropping systems perspective: water and nitrogen effects on spring wheat in a semi-arid environment. Eur J. Agron . 7 : 75 -88.
Hossein, S ., J.B. Mohammad . 2009. Effects of crop residue and nitrogen rates on yield and yield components of two dryland wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. Plant Prod Sci. 12 : 497 -502.
Kang, S.Z., L. Zhang , Y.L. Liang , X.T. Hu, H.J. Cai, B.J. Gu . 2002. Effects of limited irrigaiton on yield and water use efficiency of winter wheat in the Loess Plateau of China. Agr Water Manage. 55 : 203 -216.
Knaggs, P.J. 2002. Yield physiology, quality and soil water dynamics of a semidwarf and a tall oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivar. M.Sc. thesis, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB. 168 pp.
Latiri-Souki, K., S. Nortcliff, D.W. Lawlor. 1998. Nitrogen fertilizer can increase dry matter, grain production and radiation and water use efficiencies for durum wheat under semi-arid conditions. Eur J. Agron . 9 : 21 -34.
Li, J.M., S. Inanag , Z.H. Li., A.E.Eneji. 2005. Optimizing irrigation scheduling for winter wheat in the North China Plain. Agr Water Manage. 76 : 8 -23.
Li T.L., Y.H. Xie, M.M. Ren, S.Y. Deng, J. Shan, Z.Y. Lei, J.P. Hong, C H Wang . 2011. Effects of fertilization and plastic film mulched ridge-furrow cultivation on yield and water and nitrogen utilization of winter wheat on dryland. Acta Ecol Sin. 31: 212 -220.
Li, Y.Y., Y.J. Guo, M.A. Shao . 2000. The effect of fertilizer application on the growth and development and water use of winter wheat in hilly land of west Henan. Agric Res Arid Areas. 18 : 15 -21 .
Li, Z.Z., W.D. Li, W.L. Li. 2004. Dry -period irrigation and fertilizer application affect water use and yield of spring wheat in semi-arid regions. Agr Water Manage. 65 : 133 -143.
Lu, Z.G., T.B. Dai, D. Jiang , Q. Jing , Z.G.Wu, P.N. Zhou, W.X. Cao . 2007. Effects of nitrogen strategies on population quality index and grain yield and quality in weak-gluten wheat. Acta Agron Sin . 33 : 590 -597.
Ma, D.H., Y.F. Wang , H. Zhou, H. Sun . 2007. Effect of post-anthesis soil water status and nitrogen on grain yield and canopy biomass accumulation and transportation of winter wheat. J. Triticeae Crops. 27 : 847 -851 .
Mainard, S.D. and M.H. Jeuffroy. 2001. Partitioning of dry matter and nitrogen to the spike throughout th e spike growth period in wheat crops subjected to nitrogen deficiency. Field Crops Res . 70 : 153 -165.
Ministry of Agriculture of the Peoples Republic of China. 2010. China Agriculture Statistical Report. China Statistics Press, Beijing, China. pp, 26 .
Mir anzadeh, H., Y. Emam, P. Pilesjö, H. Seyyedi. 2011. Water use efficiency of four dryland wheat cultivars under different levels of nitrogen fertilization. J. Agr Sci Tech . 13 : 843-854.
Papakosta, D.K. and A.A. Gagianas . 1991. Nitrogen and dry Matter Accumu lation, remobilization, and losses for Mediterranean wheat during grain filling. Ag ron J . 83 : 864 -870.
Pheleung, P.C. and K.H.M. Siddique . 1991. Contribution of stem dry matter to grain yield in wheat cultivars. Aust J. Plant Physiol. 18 : 53 -64.
Przulj, N . and V. Momcilovic . 2001. Genetic variation for dry matter and nitrogen accumulation and translocation in two -rowed spring barley I. Dry matter translocation. Eur J. Agron . 15 : 241 -254.
Ryan, J., M. Abdel Monem, J.P. Shroyer, M. El Bouhssini, M.M. Nachit. 1998. Potential for nitrogen fertilization and Hessian fly -resistance to improve Moroccos dryland wheat yields. Eur J. Agron . 8: 153 -159.
Ryan, J., R. Sommer, H. Ibrikci. 2012. Fertilizer best management practices: A perspective from the dryland West As iaNorth Africa region. J . Agron Crop Sci. 198 : 57 -67 .
Santiveri, F., C. Royo, I. Romagosa . 2004. Growth and yield responses of spring and winter triticale cultivated under Mediterranean conditions. Eur J. Agron . 20 : 281 -292.
Schnyder, H. 1993. The role of carbohydrate storage and redistribution in the source -sink relations of wheat and barley during grain filling a review. New Phytol. 123 : 233 -245.
Timsina, J., U. Singh, M. Badaruddin, C. Meisner, M.R. Amin . 2001. Cultivar, nitrogen, and water effects on p roductivity, and nitrogen -use efficiency and balance for rice -wheat sequences of Bangladesh . Field Crops Res . 72 : 143 -161.
Villegas, D., J. Casadesus , S.G. Atienza, V. Martos, F. Maalouf, F. Karame, I. Aranjuelo, S. Nogues. 2010. Tritordeum, wheat and triticale yield components under multi-local mediterranean drought conditions . Field Crops Res . 116 : 68 -74.
Wang, B., W.Z. Liu , T.H. Dang , C.Q. Gao , Z. Li, Z.T. Gan . 2007. Distribution features of soil water content in the profile of rainfed cropland with long -term fertilization. Plant Nutr Fert Sci. 13 : 411 -416 .
Wan g D., Z.W. Yu, Y.L. Zhang. 2007. Meteorological conditions affecting the quality of strong -gluten and medium-gluten wheat and climate division in Shandong Province. Chin J . Appl Ecol. 18: 2269 -2276 .
Wang F.Y., W.J. Feng, S.Y. Liu, Z.C. Wang, L. Mei, Y. Tang. 2013. Research and development of weather risk assessment model group for wheat in Shandong Province. Chin Agri Sci Bull. 29: 197 -204.
Wang, G.L., Y.L. Ye, H.H. Li, Y.J. Zhu . 2010. Effect of n itrogen fertilizer application on grain yield and dry matter accumulation for different genotypes of winter wheat. J. Triticeae Crops. 30 : 116 -122 .
Wang, Y.F., J.L. Cheng, B.J. Wang, Y.G. Wang, L.L. Wang, C.Q. Sui. 2003. Review and outlook to the production and development of wheat in dryland of Shandong. J . Laiyang Agric Coll. 20 : 200 -205 .
Xie, Y.H., T.L. Li, J.P. Hong , L.Q. Liu , J. Pang , Q. Feng , S.Y. Deng, J. Shan . 2011. Effects of nitrogen application and ridge film furrow planting on water use of win ter wheat in dryland of South Shanxi. Chin. J . Appl Ecol. 22 : 2038 -2044 .
Xu, Z.Z., Z.W. Yu, D. Wang, Y.L. Zhang . 2005. Nitrogen accumulation and translocation for winter wheat under different irrigation regimes. J. Agron. Crop Sci. 191: 439 -449.
Xue, Q.W., Z.X. Zhu , J.T. Musick, B.A. Stewart, D.A. Dusek. 2006. Physiological mechanisms contributing to the increased water-use efﬁciency in winter wheat under deﬁcit irrigation. J . Plant Physiol. 163 : 154 -164.
Yule, D.F. 1984. Volumetric calculations in crackin g clay soils. In: McGarity, J.W., Hoult, E.H., So, H.B. (Eds.), Properties and Utilization of Cracking Clay Soils. Reviews in Rural Science, vol. 5, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia, pp. 136 -140.
Zhang, B.C., F.M. Li, G.B. Huang, Y. Gan , P.H. Liu, Z.Y. Cheng . 2005. Effects of regulated deficit irrigation on grain yield and water use efficiency of spring wh eat in an arid environment. Can J. Plant Sci. 85 : 829 -837.
Zhang, J.H., J.L. Liu , J.B. Zhang , F.T. Zhao , Y.N. Cheng, W.P. Wang . 2010. Effects of nitrogen application rates on translocation of dry matter and utilization of nitrogen in rice and wheat. Acta Agron Sin. 36 : 1736 -1742.
Zhang, M., D. Jiang, R.L. Miao , K. Xu , Y.Y. Liu, J. Zhang , H.C. Zang . 2010. Effects of different soil fertility levels and N application rate on wheat yield and matter production after rice. J. Triticeae Crops. 30 : 330 -336 .
Zou , B., Z. R. Dong , J .S . Wang , J . Zhang , J . Tan , X .G. Xu , Y. Liu, X.W. Li. 2011. Response of post-anthesis assimilates remobilization and yield to nitrogen management in wheat cultivar with different spike -types. Chin Agric Sci Bull. 27 : 63 -67 .