Influence of leaf inclination angle and tillering on population transpiration, soil evaporation, and yield in winter wheat near-isogenic lines
Guirong Huang,
Xinying Zhang,
Zhenzhao Wang,
Xiaoying Liu,
Rui Guo,
Fengxue Gu,
Enke Liu,
Shuying Li,
Xiuli Zhong,
Qiaozhen Li,
Xurong Mei
Affiliations
Guirong Huang
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Xinying Zhang
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Zhenzhao Wang
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Xiaoying Liu
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Rui Guo
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Fengxue Gu
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Enke Liu
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Shuying Li
Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Aohan Banner, Chifeng, The People’s Republic of China
Xiuli Zhong
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Qiaozhen Li
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Xurong Mei
Key Laboratory for Dryland Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, The People’s Republic of China
Leaf inclination angle (LIA) and tillering impact the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) population canopy structure. Understanding their effects on water use (WU) parameters and yield can guide water-saving strategies through population control. In this study, six near-isogenic lines (NILs) and their parents were selected as materials. These special materials were characterized by varying tillering at the current sowing density, a similar genetic background, and, particularly, a gradient in mean flag leaf LIA. The investigation focused on the jointing to early grain-filling stage, the peak water requirement period of wheat crops. Population-scale transpiration (PT) and evaporation from the soil surface (E) were partitioned from total evapotranspiration (ET) by the means of micro-lysimeters. The results showed decreased PT, E, and ET with increased population density (PD) within a narrow density range derived from varying tillering across genotypes. Significant correlations existed between PD and ET, E, and PT, especially in the wettest 2017–2018 growing season. Within such narrow PD range, all the correlations between WU parameters and PD were negative, although some correlations were not statistically significant, thereby suggesting the population structure’s predominant impact. No significant correlation existed between LIA and both ET and PT within the LIA range of 35°–65°. However, significant correlations occurred between LIA and E in two growing seasons. Genotypes with similar LIA but different PD produced varied ET; while with similar PD, the four pairs of genotypes with different LIA each consumed similar ET, thus highlighting PD’s more crucial role in regulating ET. The yield increased with higher LIA, and showed a significant correlation, emphasizing the LIA’s significant effect on yield. However, no correlation was observed with PD, indicating the minor effect of tillering at the current sowing density. Therefore these results might offer valuable insights for breeding water-saving cultivars and optimizing population structures for effective field water conservation.
