Register      Login
Crop and Pasture Science Crop and Pasture Science Society
Plant sciences, sustainable farming systems and food quality
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Waterlogging at tillering affects spike and spikelet formation in wheat

I. Arduini A , C. Orlandi A , S. Pampana A and A. Masoni A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy.

B Corresponding author. Email: alessandro.masoni@unipi.it

Crop and Pasture Science 67(7) 703-711 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP15417
Submitted: 10 December 2015  Accepted: 23 February 2016   Published: 28 July 2016

Abstract

Waterlogging stress is one of the limiting factors influencing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Wheat tolerance to waterlogging is related to the duration of the waterlogging event, the crop development stage in which waterlogging occurs, and the sensitivity of genotype. In this paper we investigated the impact of eight waterlogging durations (from 0 to 60 days) imposed at 3-leaf and 4-leaf growth stages (~30 and 40 days after sowing) on grain yield, grain yield components, straw and root dry weight and nitrogen concentration of grain, straw, and roots of two cultivars of wheat. The results showed that of the two cultivars, one (cv. Blasco) was tolerant to waterlogging and the other (cv. Aquilante) was sensitive, thus confirming that there are high genotypic differences in terms of tolerance to waterlogging in wheat. The sensitive cultivar showed a significant reduction in grain yield and straw and root dry weight only when waterlogging was prolonged for more than 20 days. Waterlogging depressed the grain yield of the sensitive cultivar, slowing tiller formation and consequently preventing many culms from producing spikes. It slowed down spikelet formation, consequently reducing the number of spikelets per spike, and reduced floret formation per spikelet, thus reducing the number of kernels per spike.

Additional keywords: grain yield, roots, spikelet initiation, tillering stage, waterlogging duration.


References

Abbate PE, Pontaroli AC, Làzaro L, Gutheim F (2013) A method of screening for spike fertility in wheat. The Journal of Agricultural Science 151, 322–330.
A method of screening for spike fertility in wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Baker CK, Gallagher JN (1983) The development of winter wheat in the field. 1. Relation between apical development and plant morphology within and between seasons. The Journal of Agricultural Science 101, 327–335.
The development of winter wheat in the field. 1. Relation between apical development and plant morphology within and between seasons.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bao X (1997) Study on identification stage and index of waterlogging tolerance in various wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.). Acta Agriculturae Shanghai 13, 32–38.

Belford RK (1981) Response of winter wheat to prolonged waterlogging under outdoor conditions. The Journal of Agricultural Science 97, 557–568.
Response of winter wheat to prolonged waterlogging under outdoor conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Brisson N, Rebiere B, Zimmer D, Renault P (2002) Response of the root system of a winter wheat crop to waterlogging. Plant and Soil 243, 43–55.
Response of the root system of a winter wheat crop to waterlogging.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XmsFWmurw%3D&md5=ce1afee15e1fac8744f3c69e9d3d8b77CAS |

Brooking IR, Jamieson PD, Porter JR (1995) The influence of daylength on final leaf number in spring wheat. Field Crops Research 41, 155–165.
The influence of daylength on final leaf number in spring wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cannell RQ, Belford RK, Gales K, Dennis CW, Prew RD (1980) Effect of waterlogging at different stages of development on the growth and yield of winter wheat. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 31, 117–132.
Effect of waterlogging at different stages of development on the growth and yield of winter wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cannell RQ, Belford RK, Gales K, Thomson RJ, Webster CP (1984) Effects of waterlogging and drought on winter wheat and winter barley grown on a clay and a sandy loam soil. Plant and Soil 80, 53–66.
Effects of waterlogging and drought on winter wheat and winter barley grown on a clay and a sandy loam soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Collaku A, Harrison SA (2002) Losses in wheat due to waterlogging. Crop Science 42, 444–450.
Losses in wheat due to waterlogging.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

de San Celedonio RP, Abeledo LG, Miralles DJ (2014) Identifying the critical period for waterlogging on yield and its components in wheat and barley. Plant and Soil 378, 265–277.
Identifying the critical period for waterlogging on yield and its components in wheat and barley.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXhsVOlu78%3D&md5=4c6809d22bfdaff73efa1ca450ae5c4cCAS |

Dickin E, Bennett S, Wright D (2009) Growth and yield responses of UK wheat cultivars to winter waterlogging. The Journal of Agricultural Science 147, 127–140.
Growth and yield responses of UK wheat cultivars to winter waterlogging.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ghobadi ME, Ghobadi M (2010) Effect of anoxia on root growth and grain yield of wheat cultivars. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 70, 85–88.

Ghobadi ME, Ghobadi M, Zebarjadi A (2011) The response of winter wheat to flooding. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 78, 440–442.

Hayashi T, Yoshida T, Fujii K, Mitsuya S, Tsuji T, Okada Y, Hayashi E, Yamauchi A (2013) Maintained root length density contributes to the waterlogging tolerance in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Field Crops Research 152, 27–35.
Maintained root length density contributes to the waterlogging tolerance in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hossain MA, Uddin SN (2011) Mechanisms of waterlogging tolerance in wheat: Morphological and metabolic adaptations under hypoxia or anoxia. Australian Journal of Crop Science 5, 1094–1101.

Hossain MA, Araki H, Takahashi T (2011) Poor grain filling induced by waterlogging is similar to that in abnormal early ripening in wheat in Western Japan. Field Crops Research 123, 100–108.
Poor grain filling induced by waterlogging is similar to that in abnormal early ripening in wheat in Western Japan.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Huang B, Johnson JW (1995) Root respiration and carbohydrate status of two wheat genotypes in response to hypoxia. Annals of Botany 75, 427–432.
Root respiration and carbohydrate status of two wheat genotypes in response to hypoxia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXmsVKjtb0%3D&md5=cd670e605be9a3136b4a37aaca8dc0c9CAS |

Jiang D, Fan X, Dai T, Cao W (2008) Nitrogen fertiliser rate and post-anthesis waterlogging effects on carbohydrate and nitrogen dynamics in wheat. Plant and Soil 304, 301–314.
Nitrogen fertiliser rate and post-anthesis waterlogging effects on carbohydrate and nitrogen dynamics in wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXitVaqs70%3D&md5=b05e8a7b1deb77e97e2dafa3b86f97afCAS |

Kafi M (2001) Apex development of three wheat cultivars in the presence of salinity. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology 3, 1–8.

Kirby EJM (1990) Co-ordination of leaf emergence and leaf and spikelet primordium initiation in wheat. Field Crops Research 25, 253–264.
Co-ordination of leaf emergence and leaf and spikelet primordium initiation in wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Luxomoore RJ, Fisher RA, Stolzy LH (1973) Flooding and soil temperature effects on wheat during grain filling. Agronomy Journal 65, 361–364.
Flooding and soil temperature effects on wheat during grain filling.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Malik AI, Colmer TD, Lambers H, Setter TL, Schortemeyer M (2002) Short-term waterlogging has long-term effects on the growth and physiology of wheat. New Phytologist 153, 225–236.
Short-term waterlogging has long-term effects on the growth and physiology of wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Marti J, Savin R, Slafer GA (2015) Wheat yield as affected by length of exposure to waterlogging during stem elongation. Journal of Agronomy & Crop Science 201, 473–486.
Wheat yield as affected by length of exposure to waterlogging during stem elongation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXhslegurzO&md5=4b8f85b23e7dc974d13b1e72584987f2CAS |

Meyer WS, Barrs HD (1988) Response of wheat to single short-term waterlogging during and after stem elongation. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 39, 11–20.
Response of wheat to single short-term waterlogging during and after stem elongation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Moonen AC, Ercoli L, Mariotti M, Masoni A (2002) Climate changes in Italy indicated by agrometeorological indices over 122 years. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 111, 13–27.
Climate changes in Italy indicated by agrometeorological indices over 122 years.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Musgrave ME (1994) Waterlogging effects on yield and photosynthesis in eight winter wheat cultivars. Crop Science 34, 1314–1318.
Waterlogging effects on yield and photosynthesis in eight winter wheat cultivars.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Musgrave ME, Ding N (1998) Evaluating wheat cultivars for waterlogging tolerance. Crop Science 38, 90–97.
Evaluating wheat cultivars for waterlogging tolerance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rasaei A, Ghobadi ME, Jalali-Honarmand S, Ghobadi M, Saeidi M (2012) Impacts of waterlogging on shoot apex development and recovery effects of nitrogen on grain yield of wheat. European Journal of Experimental Biology 2, 1000–1007.

Renault P, Sierra J (1994) Modeling oxygen diffusion in aggregated soils. II. Anaerobiosis in topsoil layers. Soil Science Society of America Journal 58, 1023–1030.
Modeling oxygen diffusion in aggregated soils. II. Anaerobiosis in topsoil layers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXlsFKntLk%3D&md5=29fab39702aac6e307c885635893eb19CAS |

Robertson D, Zhang H, Palta JA, Colmer T, Turner NC (2009) Waterlogging affects the growth, development of tillers, and yield of wheat through a severe, but transient, N deficiency. Crop & Pasture Science 60, 578–586.
Waterlogging affects the growth, development of tillers, and yield of wheat through a severe, but transient, N deficiency.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXntFequr8%3D&md5=abee6401db65e29e2e13bdd68e956837CAS |

Sayre KD, Van Ginkel M, Rajaram S, Ortiz-Monasterio I (1994) Tolerance to waterlogging losses in spring bread wheat: effect of time of onset on expression. Annual Wheat Newsletter 40, 165–171.

Setter TL, Waters I (2003) Review of prospects for germplasm improvement for waterlogging tolerance in wheat, barley and oats. Plant and Soil 253, 1–34.
Review of prospects for germplasm improvement for waterlogging tolerance in wheat, barley and oats.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXltVemsb4%3D&md5=dc134e45beaec6d37411e7617a612848CAS |

Setter TL, Waters I, Sharma SK, Singh KN, Kulshreshtha N, Yaduvanshi NPS, Ram PC, Singh BN, Rane J, McDonald G, Khabaz-Saberi H, Biddulph TB, Wilson R, Barclay I, McLean R, Cakir M (2009) Review of wheat improvement for waterlogging tolerance in Australia and India: the importance of anaerobiosis and element toxicities associated with different soils. Annals of Botany 103, 221–235.
Review of wheat improvement for waterlogging tolerance in Australia and India: the importance of anaerobiosis and element toxicities associated with different soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXjsFCktbY%3D&md5=50bf4025f26ecd54821a30e7234a64a1CAS | 18708642PubMed |

Sharma DP, Swarup A (1988) Effects of short-term flooding on growth, yield and mineral composition of wheat on sodic soil under field conditions. Plant and Soil 107, 137–143.
Effects of short-term flooding on growth, yield and mineral composition of wheat on sodic soil under field conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXkt1aiurg%3D&md5=9e2608b71513a9a89251504406fb215cCAS |

Sinclair TR, Jamieson PD (2006) Grain number, wheat yield, and bottling beer: An analysis. Field Crops Research 98, 60–67.
Grain number, wheat yield, and bottling beer: An analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Steel RGD, Torrie JH, Dickey DA (1997) ‘Principles and procedures of statistics: a biometrical approach.’ 3rd edn. (McGraw-Hill: New York)

Whingwiri EE, Stern WR (1982) Floret survival in wheat: significance of the time of floret initiation relative to terminal spikelet formation. The Journal of Agricultural Science 98, 257–268.
Floret survival in wheat: significance of the time of floret initiation relative to terminal spikelet formation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |