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Plant Spacing, Density, and Yield of Wheat Subjected to Postanthesis Water Deficits

CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, Private Bag, P.O., Wembley (Perth), W.A. 6014, Australia
Suphan Buri Field Crops Res. Centre, U-Thong, Suphan Buri 72160, Thailand
Dep. of Plant Physiology IRRI, P.O. Box 933, 1099 Manila, The Philippines

^* Corresponding author.

The optimum planting density for Gutha what (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Thell.) grown in mediterranean-type environments varies with site and season. This study investigated the influence of postanthesis water deficits on the water relations and ield of wheat sown at different plant densities with even and uneven lant densities alon the row. Unevenness of machine planting resulted in a yield reduction of 20% compared with evely spaced plants in plants subjected to postanthesis water deficits, but no yield reduction was observed in irrigated wheat. Wheat at high densities (100 and 200 plants m^-2) developed lower leaf and ear water potentials than plants at low densities (25 and 50 plants m^-2) during postanthesis water deficits. The greater deficits, however, did not reduce yields. Grain yields were generallylower at densities of 25 and 50 plants per square meter than at 200 plants er square meter when pstanthesis waer deicits developed, but not when irrigated. The later-formed tillers (Tillers 2, 3 and 4), which were only produced at low densities, had smaller thousand-grain weights compared to those of the mainstem and the first tiller when water deficits were induced during the postanthesis period. The delay in anthesis in the later-formed tillers was up to 20 d and this resulted in grain fill occurring at low leaf and ear water potenials. We conclude that reducing the density of palnts to reduce water use may decrease rather than increase wheat yield under water limited conditions.

Received for publication February 16, 1993.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. C. Turner Agronomic options for improving rainfall-use efficiency of crops in dryland farming systems J. Exp. Bot., November 1, 2004; 55(407): 2413 - 2425. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]