Effects of Different Drip Irrigation Patterns on Grain Yield and Population Structure of Different Water- and Fertilizer-Demanding Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties

In this study, we established a feasible fertilization programming method for wheat production by exploring the effects of the combined application of chemical and organic fertilizers on wheat yield, nutrient uptake, soil nutrient content, and fertilizer utilization. Six treatments, no fertilizer (CK), conventional fertilizer (CF), optimized fertilizer (with reduced fertilizer amount) (RF), chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer extract (RPAE), partial replacement of chemical fertilizer with raw amino acid powder (RAF), and partial replacement of chemical fertilizer with raw humic acid powder (RHF), were set up for a field experiment. The fertilizer application rates for the RF treatment were calculated based on fertilization-monitoring techniques (30.3% nitrogen and 24.8% phosphorus reductions in 2022 and 23.0% nitrogen and 1.5% phosphorus reductions in 2023). The effects of different fertilizer treatments on yield, dry matter accumulation, plant nutrient accumulation, soil nutrients, and nutrient utilization in wheat were investigated. The results showed that, on the basis of 23% nitrogen and 1.5% phosphorus reductions, there was no significant difference in wheat yield between the RF and CF treatments and that the utilization rate of nitrogen fertilizer was improved. The application of organic fertilizer promoted dry matter accumulation in different organs of wheat; increased plant nutrient accumulation; improved soil nutrient content, nutrient utilization rate, nutrient partial productivity, and nutrient agronomic use efficiency; and ensured stable and increased crop yield. Specifically, compared with CF, the RPAE, RAF, and RHF organic fertilizer treatments increased wheat yield by 3.85%, 1.97%, and 0.67%, respectively, and the utilization of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers induced by these treatments significantly increased by 40.46%, 39.28%, and 37.46% (nitrogen) and by 9.83%, 8.91%, and 7.46% (phosphorus), respectively. As a result of our experiment, we concluded that RPAE exerted the best effects among the three organic fertilizer treatments (RPAE, RAF, and RHF) and that its use can result in a higher wheat yield and fertilizer utilization rate in drip-irrigated wheat fields. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the combined application of chemical and organic fertilizers, which is conducive to sustainable agriculture development.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combined Application of Chemical and Organic Fertilizers: Effects on Yield and Soil Nutrients in Spring Wheat under Drip Irrigation

Chang,

He,

Cheng

et al. 2024

“…Drip irrigation technology, which integrates water and fertilizer, intelligent field management, and reduces labor and input costs, has become the main cultivation technology for wheat production in Xinjiang [22]. The regulatory mechanism of reducing nitrogen application under drip irrigation on the sucrose degradation and starch synthesis pathways in flag leaves and grains remains unclear.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Root Trace Nitrogen Reduction in Arid Areas on Sucrose–Starch Metabolism of Flag Leaves and Grains and Yield of Drip-Irrigated Spring Wheat

Ma,

Wang,

Liu

et al. 2024

To investigate the effect of nitrogen (N) application on the carbon metabolism and yield of flag leaves and grains of spring wheat under drip irrigation in Xinjiang, a split-zone design was adopted from 2020 to 2021, with strong-gluten wheat, Xinchun 37 (XC37), and medium-gluten wheat, Xinchun 6 (XC 6), as the main zones and different nitrogen application rates as the sub-zones. Four nitrogen application rates of 0, 210, 255, and 300 kg·ha−1 (CK2, B1, A1, and CK1, respectively) were set to analyze and compare the nitrogen response of key enzyme activity, soluble sugar, and sucrose and starch content in flag leaves and grains to control yield formation. The results showed that with the increase in nitrogen application, the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS) in flag leaves; the activities of SS, adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADPG-PPase), soluble starch synthase (SSS), granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS), and starch branching enzyme (SBE) in grains; the contents of soluble sugar and sucrose in the flag leaves; and the yield, all first increased and then decreased. There is a significant difference between A1 (255 kg·ha−1) and the CK1 (300 kg·ha−1), B1 (210 kg·ha−1), and CK2 (0 kg·ha−1) treatments under the above indicators, with increases of 8–158%, 9–155%, 8–53%, 5–63%, 3–86%, 3–57%, 9–79%, 9–197%, and 9–113%, as well as higher levels of amylose, amylopectin, and total starch content than other treatments by 2–30%, 11–84%, and 8–63%, respectively. Correlation and stepwise regression analyses indicated highly a significant positive correlation between the yield and soluble sugar and sucrose of flag leaves and grains, as well as their key enzymes and starch. Among them, soluble sugar in grains, amylopectin, and sucrose in grains have the greatest impact on the yield of XC37, determining 85% of its yield. SSS, soluble sugars in grains, amylopectin, and SBE have the greatest impact on the yield of XC 6, determining 80% of its yield. The starch showed a highly significant positive correlation with ADPG-PPase, SSS, GBSS, and SBE. There was a significant interaction effect between the nitrogen application rate and variety, with better performance observed in Xinchun 37 compared to Xinchun 6. Under drip irrigation conditions in arid areas, a nitrogen application of 255 kg·ha−1 can effectively regulate the metabolism of sucrose to starch in the flag leaves and grains of spring wheat, which is conducive to the accumulation of starch in grains and the formation of yield.

Agronomic Evaluation of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Different Degrees of Drought–Rehydration Conditions Under Drip Irrigation

Wang,

Kong,

Bie

et al. 2024

Establishing an optimal population structure is the fundamental approach to achieving high crop yield. By studying the changes in spring wheat yield and population structure under varying degrees of drought–rehydration conditions under drip irrigation, we can understand the balance between growth and stress response, explore the potential of wheat for biological water saving, and provide scientific evidence for the efficient production of drip-irrigated wheat in drought-prone areas. In this study, we used “Xinchun 6” (water-insensitive variety, XC 6) and “Xinchun 22” (water-sensitive variety, XC 22) as materials. Under two-year field planting conditions, mild (T1, J1, 60~65% FC, FC represents field capacity) and moderate (T2, J2, 45~50% FC) drought stress treatments were applied during the tillering and jointing stages, followed by drip irrigation for rehydration. The conventional drip irrigation served as the control (CK, 75~80% FC). We analyzed the relationship between the population quality and yield of different genotypes of wheat under water stress during the growth period and clarified the response of dry matter translocation to grains and high-quality populations to drought–rehydration. The results showed that drought stress reduced the tiller number (NT), leaf area index (LAI), grain number–leaf ratio (GNL), grain weight–leaf ratio (GWL), and dry matter weight. After rehydration, LAI, specific leaf weight (SLW), GNL, GWL, dry matter of vegetative organ and grain weight, and grain yield all reached their maximum values under T1 treatment. Compared with CK and moderate drought treatments (T2 and J2, respectively), these indicators under T1 treatment increased by an average of 1.04~30.96%, 0.82~6.28%, 0.57~26.10%, 0.41~8.01%, 0.48~41.10%, 0.53~13.97%, and 0.17~49.75%, respectively. Additionally, T1 treatment improved the post-flowering dry matter translocation rate and contribution rate. The compensatory effects on NT, LAI, GNL, GWL, and yield under drought–rehydration treatments during the tillering stage (T1 and T2) were superior to those during the jointing stage (J1 and J2). Correlation and path analysis indicated that yield was significantly positively correlated with LAI, GNL, and GWL, and increasing LAI had the best effect on yield increase. This suggests that rehydration after mild drought stress (T1) during the tillering stage can maintain a suitable leaf area for the population, enhance the grain–leaf ratio, promote post-anthesis material production and storage material transportation, coordinate the source–sink relationship, and achieve high yields for drip-irrigated spring wheat.