Effects of drought on leaf area development, biomass production and nitrogen uptake of durum wheat grown in a Mediterranean environment.
1995
Giunta F. | Motzo R. | Deidda M.
A field experiment was carried out in Sardinia on durum wheat to analyse the effects of different moisture treatments, irrigated (I), rainfed (R) and stressed (S), on leaf area index (LAI), radiation intercepted (Q) and water use (WU), efficiency of conversion of radiation and water into dry matter (RUE and WUE), N uptake and C and N partitioning in the above-ground part of the plant. In the period between beginning of stem elongation and heading, drought affected the maximum LAI in the most stressed treatment, but not Q and WU. RUE was also lowered by drought in the period as a reduced biomass was recorded in S at heading. In contrast with the previous period, the reduction in LAI between heading and maximum ear weight (MEW) determined a significant reduction in Q and WU, WUE and RUE, resulting, ultimately, in notable differences in the total biomass produced until MEW. The amount of stem reserves relocated to the grain decreased as the level of stress increased, and was accumulated almost entirely in the post-heading period. N percentage was not affected by the treatments applied apart from the higher values in stem and flag leaf in S later in the growing season due to an inhibition of nitrogen translocation in S. The total N uptake was lower in S than in I only because of the different dry matter accumulation patterns. The importance of WUE in this type of Mediterranean environment is discussed.
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