Growth and dry matter partition wheat plants in response to seed vigor and water restriction

Felipe Koch,Emanuela Garbin Martinazzo,Tiago Pedó,Francisco Amaral Villela,Tiago Zanatta Aumonde,Jessica Mengue Rolim

doi:10.1590/2317-1545v43239171

Abstract

Abstract: The quality of the seeds and the occurrence of stresses are decisive for the development of the crops. Thus, the work aimed to verify the effect of seed vigor on growth and dry weight partition of wheat plants subjected to water stress. For growth evaluation, the experimental design was completely randomized, in a 2 x 2 x 8 factorial scheme (vigor level x water regime x collection time), with four replications. To evaluate the yield of the seeds, the design was completely randomized, in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme (level of vigor x water regime), with four replications. Total dry weight, dry weight production rate, relative growth rate, leaf area ratio, leaf area, solar energy conversion efficiency, dry weight partition and harvest index were evaluated. Total dry weight production, dry weight production rate, leaf area, leaf weight ratio, solar energy conversion efficiency and yield were higher for plants from highly vigorous seeds under field capacity. The yield was higher for plants with high vigor compared to those with low vigor in field capacity.

Highlights

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is considered as one of the most cultivated crops on the planet, being a cereal of great importance in the global economy, as it contributes with approximately one fifth of the total calories consumed by humans (Santos et al, 2016; Goergen et al, 2017; Appels et al, 2018)
Plants grown from high and low vigor seeds kept at field capacity, maintained values of relative leaf water content (RWC) between 84 and 96% in both periods
Plants grown from high vigor seeds exposed to water restriction and plants grown from low vigor seeds kept at field capacity reached maximum values of Fa at 28 Days after emergency (DAE)

Summary

Introduction

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is considered as one of the most cultivated crops on the planet, being a cereal of great importance in the global economy, as it contributes with approximately one fifth of the total calories consumed by humans (Santos et al, 2016; Goergen et al, 2017; Appels et al, 2018). Brazilian wheat production does not meet the demand for high consumption of seeds of this species, which are of great importance in the animal diet (Borém and Scheeren, 2015). Alternatives are needed to achieve selfsufficiency in wheat production, among which, the increase in yield and the expansion of the cultivated area (Oliveira et al, 2011; Borém and Scheeren, 2015). In this sense, the expression of the seed yield potential depends on genetic and environmental factors, in addition to the interaction between both, which results in differences considered in the performance of plants when grown under different environmental conditions (Yan and Holland, 2010). Biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as soil fertility and phytosanitary management can be directly linked to low crop yields

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion