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Effects of water shortage on the yield of winter wheat
Author(s) -
GALES K.,
WILSON N. J.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1981.tb04802.x
Subject(s) - loam , agronomy , biology , economic shortage , yield (engineering) , silt , soil water , field experiment , water potential , poaceae , environmental science , ecology , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy , materials science , government (linguistics) , metallurgy
SUMMARY The effects of water shortage on the yield of winter wheat (cv. Maris Huntsman) were investigated in covered field plots on silt‐loam soil. Plants were subjected to drought at different stages of growth, but none of the treatments significantly decreased yield. Some treatments decreased the number of ears per unit area, and number of grains per ear, but these effects were offset by increases in individual grain weight. We estimate that the soil water deficit (151 mm) in the treatment which had the largest effect on yield, albeit non‐significant, would be expected in nature about 15 years in 100 or less. Drought also had little effect on plant water potential and stomatal conductance. The lack of effect of drought on plant water status and yield may be attributable to the large available water content of the silt loam and the deep rooting of winter wheat. On this type of soil, therefore, water shortage appears not to be an important cause of variation in the yield of winter wheat.