Agronomic Assessment of Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Spring Wheat and Interrelations with Leaf Greenness Under Field Conditions

ABSTRACT

Four spring wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown without (N0 = 0 kg N ha⁻¹) and under ample (N1 = 250 kg ha⁻¹) nitrogen (N) fertilizer in field experiments in two seasons. The aim was to assess genotypic variation in N use efficiency (NUE) components and N-related indices during grain filling thus to identify superior wheat genotypes. Leaf chlorophyll (SPAD) readings at crucial growth stages were employed to help differentiate genotypes. Interrelations between yield and N-related indices with SPAD, where also assessed to explain possible pathways of improving NUE early in the growing season. Results showed that genotypic effects on NUE were mostly evident in 2000, a year with drier preanthesis and wetter postanthesis than the normal periods. ‘Toronit’ almost always had the highest biomass yield (BY) and grain yield (GY). Except in 1999 under N0, ‘L94491ʹ showed the highest % grain N concentration (GNC). Genotypes affected SPAD at almost all stages and N fertilization delayed leaf senescence for all genotypes and growth seasons. Correlations between SPAD at different growth stages and GY, N biomass yield at maturity (NBYM) and GNC were significant (P≤ 0.001), positive and strong/very strong (>r = 0.7). N translocation efficiency (NTE) was inversely related to PANU (~r = − 0.77, P≤ 0.001), suggesting that N after anthesis is being preferentially transported to the ears to meet the N demand of the growing grains. It is concluded that there is still a large potential for increased NUE by improved N recirculation, use of fast and inexpensive crop N monitoring tools and high yielding, N uptake efficient genotypes.

Abbreviations: NUE, Nitrogen use efficiency; SPAD, Minolta SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter, NHI, nitrogen harvest index; HI, Harvest index; NTE, N translocation efficiency from vegetative plant parts to grain; DMTE, dry matter translocation efficiency; CPAY, contribution of pre-anthesis assimilates to yield; PANU, Post-anthesis N uptake, d.a.s., days after sowing, N0, zero (0) kg ha⁻¹ applied N fertilizer, N1, 250 kg ha⁻¹ applied N fertilizer.

KEYWORDS:

• Grain filling
• N-indices
• nitrogen fertilization
• SPAD - leaf greenness
• spring wheat

Acknowledgments

Research was initiated and founded within the framework of the project “Rooting patterns and protein yield of spring wheat cultivars” Record ID: 8865, ETH Research Database. We specially thank Dr. Liedgens Markus and Dr. Soldati Alberto for their support and scientific advice during the course of the experiments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.