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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2021, Vol. 20 Issue (2): 527-539    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(20)63554-7
Section 3: Physiological mechanisms for closing yield and efficiency gaps Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
In situ measurements of winter wheat diurnal changes in photosynthesis and environmental factors reveal new insight into photosynthesis improvement by super-high-yield cultivation
MA Ming-yang1, 3*, LIU Yang2*, ZHANG Yao-wen4, QIN Wei-long2, WANG Zhi-min2, ZHANG Ying-hua2, LU Cong-ming3, LU Qing-tao1
1 Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, P.R.China 
2 College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R.China 
3 State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Ministry of Science and Technology/College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China 
4 Hybrid Rapeseed Research Center of Shaanxi Province/Shaanxi Rapeseed Branch of National Oil Crops Genetic Improvement Center, Yangling 712100, P.R.China
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Abstract  In past 30 years, the wheat yield per unit area of China has increased by 79%. The super-high-yield (SH) cultivation played an important role in improving the wheat photosynthesis and yield. In order to find the ecophysiological mechanism underneath the high photosynthesis of SH cultivation, in situ diurnal changes in the photosynthetic gas exchange and chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence of field-grown wheat plants during the grain-filling stage and environmental factors were investigated. During the late grain-filling stage at 24 days after anthesis (DAA), the diurnal changes in net CO2 assimilation rate were higher under SH treatment than under high-yield (H) treatment. From 8 to 24 DAA, the actual quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) electron transport in the light-adapted state (ΦPSII) in the flag leaves at noon under SH treatment were significantly higher than those under H treatment. The leaf temperature, soil temperature and soil moisture were better suited for higher rates of leaf photosynthesis under SH treatment than those under H treatment at noon. Such diurnal changes in environmental factors in wheat fields could be one of the mechanisms for the higher biomass and yield under SH cultivation than those under H cultivation. ΦPSII and CO2 exchange rate in wheat flag leaves under SH and H treatments had a linear correlation which could provide new insight to evaluate the wheat photosynthesis performance under different conditions.
Keywords:  photosynthesis       Chl a fluorescence       super-high-yield cultivation       winter wheat       ecophysiological mechanism  
Received: 29 July 2020   Accepted:
Fund: We thank Dr. Yin Yan and Senior Engineer Wang Li from Plant Science Facility of the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences for their excellent technical assistance on PTM-48A and MONI-PAM. We thank Mr. Song Wenpin and the staff in Wuqiao Experiment Station of China Agricultural University for assistant in field management and sample preparation. This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0300102 and 2016YFD0300105), the Key Research and Development Plan in Shaanxi Province, China (2019NY-054) and the “Western Light” Visiting Scholarship Program, China.
Corresponding Authors:  LU Qing-tao, E-mail: lu_qingtao@ibcas.ac.cn; ZHANG Ying-hua, E-mail: zhangyh1216@126.com   

Cite this article: 

MA Ming-yang, LIU Yang, ZHANG Yao-wen, QIN Wei-long, WANG Zhi-min, ZHANG Ying-hua, LU Cong-ming, LU Qing-tao. 2021. In situ measurements of winter wheat diurnal changes in photosynthesis and environmental factors reveal new insight into photosynthesis improvement by super-high-yield cultivation. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 20(2): 527-539.

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