Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-45l2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-29T19:34:13.370Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of defoliation on grain yield and water use of winter wheat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 December 2009

L. SHAO ,
X. ZHANG ,
A. HIDEKI ,
W. TSUJI  and
S. CHEN
L. SHAO
Affiliation:
Key laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Centre for Agricultural Resource Research, Institute of Genetic and Biological Development, The Chinese Academy of Science, Shijiazhuang050021, P.R. China
X. ZHANG*
Affiliation:
Key laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Centre for Agricultural Resource Research, Institute of Genetic and Biological Development, The Chinese Academy of Science, Shijiazhuang050021, P.R. China
A. HIDEKI
Affiliation:
Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi753-8515, Japan
W. TSUJI
Affiliation:
Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori, 680-0001, Japan
S. CHEN
Affiliation:
Key laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Centre for Agricultural Resource Research, Institute of Genetic and Biological Development, The Chinese Academy of Science, Shijiazhuang050021, P.R. China
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: xyzhang@sjziam.ac.cn
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Field and pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of defoliation on crop performance and the possibility of using defoliation as a method for conserving soil moisture. The study was conducted during 2006–2008, over two growing seasons of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the North China Plain. Three levels of defoliation (mild, moderate and severe) were imposed on winter wheat in the field during the following crop phases and conditions: at heading, at anthesis under water deficit conditions and at anthesis under two or three levels of irrigation. Additional pot experiments with three levels of defoliation under two water regimes were arranged. The results showed that both the intensity of defoliation and the timing of defoliation significantly reduced grain production. Under wet conditions the reduction was over 20%, while under dry conditions the reduction was c. 12%. Yield reduction was greater for defoliation at heading than at anthesis and it was mainly caused by a reduction in kernel weight. Mild defoliation (top three leaves retained) did not affect grain yield. Moderate defoliation (top two leaves retained) slightly reduced grain production. Root length density in the topsoil profile was significantly reduced by severe defoliation at anthesis under wet conditions, but it increased under dry conditions. Dry matter remobilization to grains under moderate and mild defoliation was increased and resulted in a relatively higher harvest index (HI). The photosynthetic rate of the leaves remaining after defoliation was enhanced under all soil moisture conditions. Although defoliation reduced the seasonal water use (ET), the yield reduction was much greater than the reduction in ET under severe defoliation, resulting in lower water use efficiency (WUE). The results show that conserving soil moisture by removing leaves might not be an economic choice. Under the conditions of the present study, the WUE of winter wheat was not improved by defoliation; however, in very dry conditions the reduction in ET by defoliation might help the crop survive.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 148 , Issue 2 , April 2010 , pp. 191 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Aggarwal, P. K., Fischer, R. A. & Liboon, S. P. (1990). Source sink relations and effects of post-anthesis canopy defoliation in wheat at low latitudes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 114, 93–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ahmadi, A. & Joudi, M. (2007). Effects of timing and defoliation intensity on growth, yield and gas exchange rate of wheat grown under well-watered and drought conditions. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 10, 3794–3800.Google ScholarPubMed
Asghar, M. & Ingram, B. F. (1993). Effects of defoliation on dry land wheat production in central Queensland. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 33, 349–351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Austin, R. B., Morgan, C. L., Ford, M. A. & Blackwell, R. D. (1980). Contributions to grain yield from pre-anthesis assimilation in tall and dwarf barley phenotypes in two contrasting seasons. Annals of Botany 45, 309–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bidinger, F., Musgrave, R. B. & Fischer, R. A. (1977). Contribution of stored pre-anthesis assimilate to grain yield in wheat and barley. Nature 270, 431–433.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blum, A., Sinmena, B., Mayer, J., Golan, G. & Shpiler, L. (1994). Stem reserve mobilization supports wheat-grain filling under heat stress. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 21, 771–781.Google Scholar
Bǒhm, W. (1979). Methods of Studying Root System. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borrás, L., Slafer, G. A. & Otegui, M. E. (2004). Seed dry weight response to source-sink manipulations in wheat, maize, and soybean: a quantitative reappraisal. Field Crops Research 86, 131–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brouwer, R. (1983). Functional equilibrium: sense or nonsense? Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science 31, 335–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clewer, A. G. & Scarisbrick, D. H. (2001). Practical Statistics and Experimental Design for Plant and Crop Science. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Google Scholar
Collin, P., Epron, D., Alaoui-Sossé, B. & Badot, P. M. (2000). Growth responses of common ash seedlings (Fraxinus excelsior L.) to total and partial defoliation. Annals of Botany 85, 317–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cornic, G. (2000). Drought stress inhibits photosynthesis by decreasing stomatal aperture – not by affecting ATP synthesis. Trends in Plant Science 5, 187–188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crookstoon, R. K. & Hicks, D. R. (1988). Effect of early defoliation on maize growth and yield: an eleven-year perspective. Crop Science 28, 371–373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Roover, J., Van Laere, A. & Van Den Ende, W. (1999). Effects of defoliation on fructan pattern and fructan metabolizing enzymes in young chicory plants (Cichorium intybus). Physiologia Plantarum 106, 158–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ehdaie, B. & Waines, J. G. (1996). Genetic variation for contribution of pre-anthesis assimilates to grain yield in spring wheat. Journal of Genetics and Breeding 50, 47–55.Google Scholar
Foggo, A. (1996). Long- and short-term changes in plant growth following stimulated herbivory: adaptative responses to damage? Ecological Entomology 21, 198–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fukoshima, M. T., Hinata, K. & Tsunoda, S. (1985). Effect of defoliation on the photosynthetic parameters and yield components under flooded and drought conditions in rice varieties. Japanese Journal of Breeding 35, 292–300.Google Scholar
Gallagher, J. N., Biscoe, P. V. & Hunter, B. (1976). Effects of drought on grain growth. Nature 264, 541–542.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gaunt, R. E. & Wright, A. C. (1992). Disease-yield relationship in barley. II. Contribution of stored stem reserves to grain filling. Plant Pathology 41, 688–701.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gebbing, T. & Schnyder, H. (1999). Pre-anthesis reserve utilization for protein and carbohydrate synthesis in grains of wheat. Plant Physiology 121, 871–878.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guan, J. & Nutter, F. W. (2002). Relationships between defoliation, leaf area index, canopy reflectance, and forage yield in the alfalfa-leaf spot pathosystem. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 37, 97–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Islam, T. M. & Sedgley, R. H. (1981). Evidence for a ‘uniculm effect’ in spring wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) in a Mediterranean environment. Euphytica 30, 277–282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kropff, M. J., Teng, P. S. & Rabbinge, R. (1995). The challenge of linking pest and crop models. Agricultural Systems 49, 413–434.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McNaughton, S. J. (1983). Compensatory plant growth as the response to herbivory. Oikos 40, 329–336.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meinzer, F. C. & Grantz, D. A. (1990). Stomatal and hydraulic conductance in growing sugarcane: stomatal adjustment to water transport capacity. Plant, Cell and Environment 13, 383–388.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meyer, G. A. (1998). Pattern of defoliation and its effect on photosynthesis and growth of Goldenrod. Functional Ecology 12, 270–279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Midmore, D. J., Ockerby, S. E., Zhu, G. X., Radford, B. J. & Yule, D. F. (2001). Defoliation of sorghum and wheat leads to control of phenology and enhanced water use efficiency. In Proceedings of the 10th Australian Agronomy Conference, Hobart, Australia. Available online athttp://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/1/b/midmore.htm (verified 30 September 2009).Google Scholar
Najad, K. H. I. (1981). Effects of natural and simulated cereal leaf beetle Oulema melanopus (L.) damage on the yield and quality of winter wheat. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Science 11, 37–52.Google Scholar
Nicolas, M. E., Lambers, H., Simpson, R. J. & Dalling, M. J. (1985). Effect of drought on metabolism and partitioning of carbon in two wheat varieties differing in drought-tolerance. Annals of Botany 55, 727–747.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nugent, S. P. & Wagner, M. R. (1995). Clone and leaf position effects on Populus defoliation by leaf-cutting bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Forest Ecology and Management 77, 191–199.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olesen, J. E. & Grevsen, K. (2000). A simulation model of climate effects on plant productivity and variability in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. botrytis). Scientia Horticulturae 83, 83–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olson, B. E., Senft, R. L. & Richards, J. H. (1989). A test of grazing compensation and optimization of crested wheatgrass using a simulation model. Journal of Range Management 42, 458–467.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ostlie, K. R. & Pedigo, L. P. (1984). Water loss from soybeans after simulated and actual insect defoliation. Environmental Entomology 13, 1675–1680.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ovaska, J., Walls, M. & Vapaavuori, E. (1993). Combined effects of partial defoliation and nurient availability on cloned Betula pendula saplings. I. Changes in growth, partitioning and nitrogen uptake. Journal of Experimental Botany 44, 1385–1393.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palta, J. A., Kobata, T., Turner, N. C. & Fillery, I. R. (1994). Remobilization of carbon and nitrogen in wheat as influenced by post-anthesis water deficits. Crop Science 34, 118–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Papakosta, D. K. & Gagianas, A. A. (1991). Nitrogen and dry matter accumulation, remobilization and losses for Mediterranean wheat during grain filling. Agronomy Journal 83, 864–870.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Przulj, N. & Momcilovic, V. (2001). Genetic variation for dry matter and nitrogen accumulation and translocation in two-rowed spring barley. I. Dry matter translocation. European Journal of Agronomy 15, 241–254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rao, K. V. S., Yang, X. B., Berggren, G. T. & Snow, J. P. (1989). A multiple regression model to estimate the contributions of leaves and the effects of leaf rust on yield of winter wheat. Phytopathology 79, 1233–1238.Google Scholar
Rawson, H. M. & Evans, L. T. (1971). The contribution of stem reserves to grain development in a range of wheat cultivars of different height. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 22, 851–863.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenthal, J. P. & Kotanen, P. M. (1994). Terrestrial plant tolerance to herbivory. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 9, 145–148.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roth, G. W. & Lauer, J. G. (2008). Impact of defoliation on corn forage quality. Agronomy Journal 100, 651–657.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sairam, R. K. & Dube, S. D. (1984). Effect of plant densities and defoliation treatments on yield and yield attributing characters of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Agricultural Science Digest (India) 4, 183–186.Google Scholar
Schnyder, H. (1993). The role of carbohydrate storage and redistribution in the source-sink relations of wheat and barley during grain filling – a review. New Phytologist 123, 233–245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shimada, S., Kokubun, M., Shibata, H. & Matsui, S. (1992). Effect of water supply and defoliation on photosynthesis, transpiration and yield of soybean. Japanese Journal of Crop Science 61, 264–270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tennant, D. (1975). A test of a modified line intersect method of estimating root length. Journal of Ecology 63, 995–1001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Todorovic, C., Robin, C. & Guckert, A. (1999). 14C-assimilate partitioning within white clover plant-soil system: effects of photoperiod/temperature treatments and defoliation. European Journal of Agronomy 11, 13–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trumble, J. T., Kolodny-Hirsch, D. M. & Ting, J. P. (1993). Plant compensation for arthropod herbivory. Annual Review of Entomology 38, 93–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yang, Z. & Midmore, D. J. (2004). Experiment assessment of the impact of defoliation on growth and production of water-stress maize and cotton plants. Experimental Agriculture 40, 189–199.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, X. Y., Chen, S. Y., Sun, H. Y., Wang, Y. M. & Shao, L. W. (2008). Dry matter, harvest index, grain yield and water use efficiency as affected by water supply in winter wheat. Irrigation Science 27, 1–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhu, G. X. (2001). Optimising wheat production through management in the semi-arid tropics of Central Queensland. Ph.D. thesis, Central Queensland University, Australia.Google Scholar
Zhu, G. X., Mideore, D. J., Radford, B. J. & Yule, D. F. (2004). Effect of timing of defoliation on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in central Queensland 1. Crop response and yield. Field Crops Research 88, 211–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar