Juan M. Herrera

Leaching and utilization of nitrogen during a spring wheat catch crop succession.

An experiment covering a 2-yr spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) catch crop succession was conducted in lysimeters to account for the losses of N due to leaching. We sought to relate these losses to the N uptake of the main crop and to integrate the estimated N loss and uptake into a balance. The non-winter hardy catch crops [yellow mustard (Sinapis alba L.), Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth), and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)] as well as bare soil fallow were studied at low and high N input levels of 4 and 29 g N m(-2) yr(-1), respectively. Catch crops allowed for an effective reduction of N leaching of 0.33 to 1.67 g N m(-2) yr(-1) compared to fallow. Reductions in N leaching were achieved mainly by avoiding the fallow period during autumn and winter while the catch crop species grown had little impact. During the spring wheat growing season, N leaching losses were highest after yellow mustard, the most effective catch crop for the entire crop succession. A balance of N indicated that the reductions in N leaching exerted by the catch crops did not result in a higher overall utilization of N by spring wheat. Thus, the efficacy shown by catch crops in reducing N leaching during growth is relatively lower when considering the entire crop succession. In addition, the N saved by growing catch crops does not increase N utilization by succeeding spring wheat.

Root Growth and Nitrate-Nitrogen Leaching of Catch Crops following Spring Wheat

Growing nitrogen (N) catch crops can reduce NO(3)-N leaching after cultivating cereals. The objective of this study was to relate NO(3)-N leaching to variation in the uptake of N and the size and distribution of the root systems of different catch crops species. In a 3-yr lysimeter experiment, phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), and a Brassica species (yellow mustard [Brassica alba L.] or a hybrid of turnip rape [B. rapa L. spp. oleifera (DC.) Metzg.] and Chinese cabbage [B. rapa L. ssp. chinensis (L.) Hanelt]) were grown after the harvest of spring wheat under two levels of N supply. Bare soil lysimeters served as the control. Water percolation from the lysimeters and the NO(3)(-) concentration in the leachate were measured weekly from the sowing until the presumed frost-kill of the catch crops. Minirhizotrons were used to assess the spatial and temporal patterns of root growth from 0.10 to 1.00 m. The catch crop species differed in their shoot biomass, N uptake, total NO(3)-N leaching, and root growth. The results suggested that there was no strict relationship between the total NO(3)-N leaching of each catch crop species and the N uptake or parameters that indicate static characteristics of the root system. In contrast, the ranking of each catch crop species by parameters that indicate early root growth was inversely related to the ranking of each catch crop species in NO(3)-N leaching. The rapid establishment of the root system is essential for a catch crop following spring wheat to reduce the amount of NO(3)-N leaching after the harvest of spring wheat.

SUBSOIL ROOT GROWTH OF FIELD GROWN SPRING WHEAT GENOTYPES (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) DIFFERING IN NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY PARAMETERS

In a two-year (1999–2000) field experiment four Swiss spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes (cvs. ‘Albis’, ‘Toronit’ and ‘Pizol’ and an experimental line ‘L94491’) were compared for genotypic differences in the root parameters that determine uptake potential and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE):root surface area (RSA) and its components, root length density (RLD) and the diameter of the roots. The genotypes were grown under no (N0) and under ample fertilizer nitrogen (N) [ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3); N1; 250 kg N ha−1] supply. Root samples were taken from all the genotypes at anthesis from the subsoil (30–60 cm). Genotypic effects on RLD and RSA were evident only in 2000 and large amounts of N fertilizer usually diminished root growth. Adequate soil moisture in 1999 may have favored the establishment of the root system of all the genotypes before anthesis. Parameters of NUE for each genotype were also determined at anthesis and at physiological maturity. ‘Albis’ the least efficient cv. in recovering fertilizer N (ranged from 36.5 to 61.1%) with the lowest N uptake efficiency (0.47 to 0.79 kg kg−1) had the lowest RLD and RSA in both seasons. Among genotypes ‘Toronit’, a high-yielding cv., efficient in recovering fertilizer N, exhibited the higher NUE (22.4 to 29.3 kg kg−1) and tended to have the highest values of RLD and RSA. Nitrogen fertilization also led to an increase in the proportion of roots with diameters less than 300 μm and decreased the proportion of roots with diameters of 300 to 700 μm. These trends were more pronounced for cv. ‘Pizol’ in 1999 and for cv. ‘Toronit’ in 1999 and 2000. By anthesis in a humid temperate climate, there are no marked differences in the subsoil root growth of the examined genotypes. Some peculiarities on the root growth characteristics of the cultivars ‘Albis’ and ‘Toronit’ may partially explain their different NUE performance.

Dynamics of Root Development of Spring Wheat Genotypes Varying in Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Three spring wheat genotypes (cv. Albis and Toronit and the experimental line L94491) identified to vary in nitrogen use efficiency characteristics, were studied in lysimeters under two levels of N supply (0 and 250 Kg N ha-1) in 1999 and 2000. No. of roots cm-2 were obtained from regular minirhizotron observations at soil depths of 0.10, 0.25, 0.45, 0.80 and 1.00 m and fitted to a logistic equation. The parameters of the logistic model were influenced by all study factors, indicating a high plasticity of the root system of spring wheat to respond to different soil conditions. A single main genotype effect was observed among all tested factors: the asymptotic no. of roots cm-2 was significantly higher for Toronit than Albis and especially L94491 in the topsoil (0.10 and 0.30 m). Contrastingly, the N supply modified the asymptotic growth in 1999 at 0.10 m and in both years at 0.25 m as well as the root growth pattern at 0.80 in 1999 and at 0.10 m and 0.25 m soil depth in both years

Nitrogen Leaching Of Spring Wheat Genotypes (Triticum Aestivum L.) Varying In Nitrogen-Related Traits

Efficient use of nitrogen (N) by wheat crop and hence prevention of possible contamination of ground and surface waters by nitrates has aroused environmental concerns. The present study was conducted in drainage lysimeters for three years (1998–2000) to identify whether spring wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) that differ in N-related traits differ in N leaching and to relate parameters of N use efficiency (NUE) with parameters of N leaching. For this reason two spring wheat cultivars (‘Albis’ and ‘Toronit’) and an experimental line (‘L94491’) were grown under low (20 kg N ha−1) and ample N supply (270 kg N ha−1). The genotypes varied in parameters of NUE but not in N leaching. Grain yield of the high-protein line (‘L94491’) was, on average, 11% lower than that of ‘Toronit’ but among genotypes had significantly higher N in the grain (%), grain N yield, and N harvest index. Nitrogen lost through leaching was considerably low (0.42–0.52 g m−2) mainly due to low volume of percolating water or the ability of the genotypes to efficiently exploit soil mineral N. There were no clear relationships between N-related genotype traits and N leaching, but across all treatments significantly negative correlations between volume of leachate and the amount of N in the total biomass and grain N yield existed.

Accumulation of Late-Applied Nitrogen and Root Dynamics during Grain Filling in Irrigated Spring Wheat

The objective of this study was to investigate the root growth and nitrogen (N) accumulation of spring wheat during grain filling under split N management. Two spring wheat genotypes were grown in a field with sandy loam soils at three levels of N fertilization (18, 21, and 24 g N m−2). Variations in N availability across soil depth were performed in additional experiments under controlled conditions in a greenhouse. The accumulations of total and late-applied N at maturity were 13% and 41% greater, respectively, for the genotype that had longer root length (+57%) and root-to-shoot ratio (+43%). The accumulation of 15N in the greenhouse study was 53% greater with 15N applied at a depth of 0.15 m than at a depth of 0.35 m. These results indicate that the genotype that accumulated more N was characterized by greater proliferation and maintenance of roots where N availability was greater.

Morphology and distribution of wheat and maize roots as affected by tillage systems and soil physical parameters in temperate climates: an overview

ABSTRACT Congregated information on maize and wheat root morphology and their distribution as influenced by tillage and soil physical conditions is meager. Root growth under no-tillage (NT) or conventional tillage (CT) is variable: Under NT, higher bulk density slows root elongation and provides shorter roots but simulate root branching; results may be opposite depending on soil texture. Under CT, soil compaction may have negative effects on root growth, with roots exhibiting plasticity. In humid climates, low soil temperatures can reduce root length density (RLD) and increase the diameter of spring cereals under NT. Tillage intensity induces a different distribution of nutrients, a trend which increases with time resulting in higher RLD in the topmost layer of NT. Compared to maize it is difficult to present an overview of the effect on tillage on the RLD of wheat due to inconclusive results. Adequate placements of banded starter fertilizer will effectively build up an early root system of maize, especially at suboptimal growth temperatures. Many studies reported a higher or similar grain yield of maize or wheat under NT compared to CT in temperate climates. However, the limited information or the conflicting results will promote the topic for inclusion in future breeding programs.

Root Growth of Neighboring Maize and Weeds Studied with Minirhizotrons

Abstract Competition between crops and weeds may be stronger at the root than at the shoot level, but belowground competition remains poorly understood, due to the lack of suitable methods for root discrimination. Using a transgenic maize line expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), we nondestructively discriminated maize roots from weed roots. Interactions between GFP-expressing maize, common lambsquarters, and redroot pigweed were studied in two different experiments with plants arranged in rows at a higher plant density (using boxes with a surface area of 0.09 m2) and in single-plant arrangements (using boxes with a surface area of 0.48 m2). Root density was screened using minirhizotrons. Relative to maize that was grown alone, maize root density was reduced from 41 to 87% when it was grown with redroot pigweed and from 27 to 73% when it was grown with common lambsquarters compared to maize grown alone. The calculated root ∶ shoot ratios as well as the results of shoot dry weight and root density showed that both weed species restricted root growth more than they restricted shoot growth of maize. The effect of maize on the root density of the weeds ranged from a reduction of 25% to an increase of 23% for common lambsquarters and a reduction of 42 to 6% for redroot pigweed. This study constitutes the first direct quantification of root growth and distribution of maize growing together with weeds. Here we demonstrate that the innovative use of transgenic GFP-expressing maize combined with the minirhizotron technique offers new insights on the nature of the response of major crops to belowground competition with weeds. Nomenclature: Common lambsquarters, Chenopodium album L.; redroot pigweed, Amaranthus retroflexus L.; maize, Zea mays L.

COURSE OF DRY MATTER AND NITROGEN ACCUMULATION OF SPRING WHEAT GENOTYPES KNOWN TO VARY IN PARAMETERS OF NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY

Field experiments were conducted for two years to compare and identify bread spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes which make the most efficient use of nitrogen (N). Such information is required for breeding strategies to reverse the negative relationship between yield and protein content. Three Swiss spring wheat cultivars (‘Albis’, ‘Toronit’, ‘Pizol’) and an experimental line (‘L94491’) were grown without (N0; 0 kg N ha−1) and with high fertilizer N [(NH4NO3); (N1; 250 kg N ha−1) supply on a clay loam soil with low organic matter content. Biomass and nitrogen accumulation in biomass as well as the leaf growth and senescence patterns (SPAD) were investigated in an attempt to explain the physiology of growth and N translocation of these genotypes. The pre-anthesis accumulation of biomass and N in the biomass depended on genotype only at N1 in 2000. In this year, conditions were less favorable for the pre-anthesis accumulation of biomass and N, which was, on average, 10 and 20% lower, respectively, of the total than in 1999. The contribution of pre-anthesis assimilates to the grain yield (CPAY) was higher in 1999 for all genotypes (36.9%) compared to 2000 (13.5%) except ‘Toronit’. Between anthesis and maturity the climate influenced the genetic variability of some N use efficiency components: N translocation efficiency (NTE) and dry matter translocation efficiency (DMTE). NTE was higher in 1999 (68.1%) compared to 2000 (50.7%); 1999 was a year in which the post-anthesis period was drier and warmer than usual. ‘Toronit’ produced the highest biomass by maturity due mainly to greater and longer lasting green leaf area after anthesis. ‘Albis’ performed relatively well under low input conditions, with considerable amounts of N being re-translocated to the seeds at maturity (NHI), whereas ‘Pizol’ accumulated in grains N as high as for ‘L94491’. In a humid temperate climate breeding for greater N uptake and partitioning efficiency may be a promising way to minimize N losses and produce high phytomass and grain yields. Using high protein lines as selection material and combining them with high biomass genotypes may lead to high protein contents without decreasing yield.