Abstract
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L) production on the Huang-Huai Plain of China has substantially affected in the past 50 years as a result of the decreasing total solar radiation and sunshine hours. Potassium has a significant effect on improving leaf photosynthesis ability under stress conditions. Five potassium application rates (K), 0 (K0), 50 (K50), 100 (K100), 150 (K150), and 250 (K250) mg K2O kg-1 soil, combined with two shading levels, no shading (NS) and shading at early filling stage for 10 days (SE), were used to investigate the effects of K application on winter wheat growth under SE condition. Under NS condition, the parameters related to chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics, dry matter productivity and grain yields reached the maximum values at a middle K application rate (100 mg K2O kg-1 soil). Shading stress significantly reduced leaf SPAD value, showed negative effects on chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics and reduced grain yield of winter wheat. However, as the result of the interaction of K×S, compared to NS condition, higher K application rate (150 mg and 250 K2O kg-1 soil) was beneficial in terms of achieving a higher grain yield of winter wheat under SE by improving leaf SPAD value, alleviating the damage of SE on the winter wheat photosynthetic system, and increasing fructan content and dry matter translocation percentage.
Highlights
According to available data, wheat yield has been substantially affected in the Huang-Huai Plain as a result of the decreasing total solar radiation and sunshine hours in the middle and lower regions of the Yellow River basin in the past 50 years (Yu et al, 2002; Yang et al, 2005; Duan et al, 2018)
The wheat yield, TKW and grain number per spike were progressively increased as the K application rate increased, and reached the maximum at K250 treatment
The results indicated that the application of medium K application rate could effectively improve winter wheat yield under normal light condition
Summary
Wheat yield has been substantially affected in the Huang-Huai Plain as a result of the decreasing total solar radiation and sunshine hours in the middle and lower regions of the Yellow River basin in the past 50 years (Yu et al, 2002; Yang et al, 2005; Duan et al, 2018) This reduction is more pronounced in winter and summer seasons (Xu and Zhao, 2005; Yang et al, 2005), especially after the wheat flowering, due to recurrent rainy climate that results in Potassium Application Alleviates Shading Stress lower light intensity (Wang et al, 2003; Liu et al, 2014). The results could provide guidance for increasing winter wheat production under low light intensity stress by fertilization management
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
