The interaction of mineral nutrition and water supply in the process of winter wheat production

Abstract

In pot experiments performed in 1972-1976 with winter wheat variety 'Ilyichovka' grown at three levels of increasing mineral nutrition and at different levels of water supply (70% and 40% of maximal water capacity) an interaction was observed between mineral nutrition and water availability on the yield and some physiological characteristics of the plants. Water stress during heading stage reduced nearly by one half the grain yield per plant, mostly by decreasing the number of completely filled grains. The quicker leaf senescence and grain number reduction as well as the total grain yield due to water stress differed between the nutritional levels. The relations between leaf surface area and grain yields were nearly linear in treatments with optimal water supply, but were markedly changed by water stress.