Abstract

Major aims were to test and evaluate a new concept for assessment of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of crops by growing six spring wheat varieties in greenhouse and field environments. NUE was calculated with a plant based concept integrating the entire crop life history and separating plant characteristics from environmental factors affecting NUE. Specific hypotheses were tested related to the varieties' drought and nutrient fertilisation responses for NUE components, and coherence of those responses in field and greenhouse.The wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated varieties 'Diskett', 'Granary', 'Quarna', 'Stilett', 'Vinjett', and a Swedish landrace ('Dala') were grown in field and greenhouse environments in Central Sweden. Two fertilisation treatments were included in a field and greenhouse experiment, and in the greenhouse also drought. The NUE components N uptake efficiency (U-N), grain-specific N efficiency (E-N,E-g) and grain N concentration (C-N,C-g) were assessed.Drought reduced yield and NUE through E-N,E-g, and more so when drought occurred prior to anthesis than after anthesis. Effect of fertilisation treatment on NUE components was similar in the two set-ups, but there were fewer variety x fertilisation interactions in the field. U-N was higher in the field and E-N,E-g was higher in the greenhouse, while C-N,C-g and overall NUE were similar in the two environments. Ranking of varieties regarding NUE and U-N was similar in the greenhouse and field, but different regarding E-N,E-g and C-N,C-g.The NUE concept is a useful tool to describe and integrate important NUE components for crops grown in different treatments (nutrient fertilisation, drought) and experimental set-ups, i.e. greenhouse and field. Similar variety ranking in overall NUE across experimental set-ups indicates stable results in different environments.

Keywords

Drought; Field experiment; Genotype x environment interaction; Greenhouse experiment; Nutrient use efficiency; Triticum aestivum L.

Published in

Plant and Soil
2014, volume: 374, number: 1-2, pages: 829-842
Publisher: Springer Verlag (Germany)

Authors' information