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Carbon Isotope Discrimination, Leaf Ash Content and Grain Yield in Bread and Durum Wheat Grown under Full‐Irrigated Conditions
Author(s) -
Monneveux P.,
Reynolds M. P.,
Trethowan R.,
Peña J.,
Zapata F.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of agronomy and crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.095
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-037X
pISSN - 0931-2250
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-037x.2004.00115.x
Subject(s) - anthesis , agronomy , triticum turgidum , irrigation , yield (engineering) , arid , biology , poaceae , maturity (psychological) , photosynthesis , cultivar , botany , psychology , paleontology , developmental psychology , materials science , metallurgy
Integrative physiological criteria, such as carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) and (mineral) ash content (m a ) have been found to be very useful, under drought conditions, to elucidate the association between yield gains and variation of photosynthesis‐related traits and orientate future breeding efforts. Information on this association is scarce under irrigated conditions. The relationships between Δ, m a and yield were studied in bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and durum wheat ( Triticum turgidum L. var. durum ) under optimal (drip) irrigation in the arid conditions of north‐west Mexico. Carbon isotope discrimination was analysed on leaves at booting stage and anthesis and on grain at maturity, whereas ash content was measured on the flag leaf at anthesis and maturity. At anthesis, there were differences between bread and durum wheat during grain filling for Δ, but not for m a . No relationship was found between grain yield and Δ. Leaf ash content at anthesis and maturity showed a broad variability within each species and were associated with grain yield. These results suggest that ash content in leaves could be also used as predictive criteria for yield not only under drought, but also under irrigated conditions, particularly when evaporative demand is high.