Abstract
Rapeseed is one of the most important edible oil crops in the world and the seed yield has lagged behind the increasing demand driven by population growth. Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is widely cultivated with relatively low yield in China, so it is necessary to find the strategies to improve the expression of yield potential. Planting density has great effects on seed yield of crops. Hence, field experiments were conducted in Wuhan in the Yangtze River basin with one conventional variety (Zhongshuang 11, ZS11) and one hybrid variety (Huayouza 9, HYZ9) at five planting densities (27.0×104, 37.5×104, 48.0×104, 58.5×104, 69.0×104 plants ha–1) during 2010–2012 to investigate the yield components. The physiological traits for high-yield and normal-yield populations were measured during 2011–2013. Our results indicated that planting densities of 58.5×104 plants ha–1 in ZS11 and 48.0×104 plants ha–1 in HYZ9 have significantly higher yield compared with the density of 27.0×104 plants ha–1for both varieties. The ideal silique numbers for ZS11 and HYZ9 were ∼0.9×104 (n m–2) and ∼1×104 (n m-2), respectively, and ideal primary branches for ZS11 and HYZ9 were ∼250 (n m–2) and ∼300 (n m–2), respectively. The highest leaf area index (LAI) and silique wall area index (SAI) was ∼5.0 and 7.0, respectively. Moreover, higher leaf net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and water use efficiency (WUE) were observed in the high-yield populations. A significantly higher level of silique wall photosynthesis and rapid dry matter accumulation were supposed to result in the maximum seed yield. Our results suggest that increasing the planting density within certain range is a feasible approach for higher seed yield in winter rapeseed in China.
Highlights
Rapeseed is cultivated worldwide and plays an important role in guaranteeing an adequate food supply
Planting density did not affect the number of siliques on the main inflorescences, seeds per silique, or 1000-seed weight in Zhongshuang 11 (ZS11) and Huayouza 9 (HYZ9) in either year
To explore the ideotype population of winter rapeseed in the central part of the Yangtze River basin, the yield components, morphological and physiological traits of two elite cultivars were investigated under field conditions
Summary
Rapeseed is cultivated worldwide and plays an important role in guaranteeing an adequate food supply. The yield is insufficient to meet the increasing demands, especially in China [3]. Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is widely planted in the Yangtze River region, accounting for 89% of total rapeseed yields in China [3,4], whereas the yield per unit area decreased over past few years [5]. Planting density is an important crop management that affects the seed yield [7,8,9,10]. Since mechanical production has been popularized along the Yangtze River, it’s the need of time to reform the traditional rapeseed cultivation system by optimizing the planting density to have maximum seed yield of the crop
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