Optimized seeding rate and nitrogen topdressing ratio for simultaneous improvement of grain yield and bread‐making quality in bread wheat sown on different dates

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sowing date, seeding rate, and nitrogen (N) topdressing ratio have strong effects on grain yield (GY) and breadmaking quality (BQ) in bread wheat. Simultaneous improvement in GY and BQ in bread wheat has long been a challenge due to the inverse relationship between GY and grain protein concentration (GPC). In this study, we investigated whether the GY and BQ of bread wheat sown on different dates could be improved simultaneously by optimizing the seeding rate and the N topdressing ratio.RESULTS: Delaying sowing beyond a certain period led to decreases in both GY and BQ. Optimizing the seeding rate and N topdressing ratio enhanced the N uptake during pre-and post-anthesis, as well as N remobilization during grain filling for all wheat plants sown on different dates, thereby increasing the GPC and the total N per grain (N tot ). Consequently, grain protein composition was improved, resulting in an increased glutenin/gliadin ratio, sodium dodecyl sulfate-insoluble glutenin/total glutenin (i.e., glutenin polymerization index), and high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit/ low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS/LMW-GS) ratio. Increased GPC and improved grain protein composition enhanced BQ.CONCLUSION: The mechanism underlying simultaneous improvement in GY and GPC as well as N tot was the greater increase in N accumulation in grains per unit area relative to increases in GY, or total grain number per unit area. The GY and BQ can be improved simultaneously regardless of sowing date by optimizing the seeding rate and N topdressing ratio via enhanced N uptake and N remobilization into grains.

Reducing Nitrogen Rate and Increasing Plant Density Accomplished High Yields with Satisfied Grain Quality of Soft Wheat via Modifying the Free Amino Acid Supply and Storage Protein Gene Expression

“…In the present study, we observed the improvement in the GY of current two soft wheat cultivars with a reduced N rate when the top-dressed N application ratio was adjusted from 30 to 50% at the jointing stage (Figure , Table and Supporting Information, Table S4). This agreed with the findings of Garrido-Lestache et al and Dong et al that enhancing a top-dressed N ratio could improve GY without changing the total N fertilizer application amount. Here, two-year field experiments confirmed that the combination of the reduced N rate with an enhanced top-dressed N ratio and increased plant density achieved both the required lower GPC for soft wheat and maintained a relatively higher GY, in relation to the conventional cultivation pattern (Figure , Table and Supporting Information, Table S4).…”

Advancing Sowing Time and Conservation Tillage - The Climate-Resilient Approach to Enhance the Productivity and Profitability of Wheat

“…Kajla et al ( 2015 ) also reported that high yielding varieties (PBW-343 and DBW-17) have flexibility, adaptability and well suited to timely as well as early sowing time. In another study from China, Dong et al ( 2022 ) found similar grain yield of wheat sown between 8 and 22 October but it decreased when sowing was delayed beyond 22 October. The effect of tillage was found non-significant and wheat yield was similar under CST (63.82 q ha − 1 ) and CT (63.99 q ha − 1 ) systems.…”

Quality of Winter Wheat Flour from Different Sowing and Nitrogen Management Strategies: A Case Study in Northeastern Poland

“…In the work of Zhang et al [119], the dough stability increased by 17% when sowing was delayed by 50 days. In turn, Dong et al [93] reported that early sowing, a high sowing density, and a high N rate applied in FN had a positive impact on dough stability. Contrary to Zhang et al [119] and the present study, Hao et al [111] and Soofizada et al [73] found that an increase in the sowing density had a negative effect on the dough stability.…”

“…There is also limited evidence to indicate that the sowing date is associated with the water absorption capacity of flour, dough stability, and bread loaf volume. Delayed sowing decreases the water absorption capacity of flour and dough stability and increases the bread loaf volume [92,93]. The optimal sowing density in wheat production also needs to be redefined due to global climate change.…”