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Low red/far-red ratio inhibits spike development by impeding photosynthesis and carbohydrate allocation from leaves to stems in wheat

Chengfeng Zhao*, Shuke Yang*, Mengjie Chang, Tongxi Bao, Yuhui Duan, Zhongwei Tian, Tingbo Dai#

Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management of Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China

 Highlights 

l Low ratio of red to far-red light (R/FR) reduces wheat spike number and grain number per spike by inhibiting spike development.

l Low R/FR restricts the assimilate supply by inhibiting leaf photosynthesis.

l Low R/FR suppresses the export of soluble sugar from leaves to stems.

l Altered assimilate allocation and failed spike development are associated with an elevated abscisic acid (ABA)/cytokinin (CTK) ratio.

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摘要  

增加单位面积穗数是小麦密植高产的关键。然而,密植会降低冠层内的红光/远红光(R/FR)比值,从而抑制有效分蘖的形成和穗的发育。充足的同化物供应对穗分化和结实至关重要,但低R/FR比值影响穗发育的机制尚不清楚。本研究通过盆栽试验,在小麦起身期至抽穗期补充远红光模拟低R/FR环境,分析其对幼穗分化和茎叶生理的影响。结果表明,低R/FR比值显著降低了小麦产量,这主要是由于穗数和穗粒数减少。高位分蘖(III)的发育失败占总产量损失的65%以上。在低R/FR比值下,蘖III的茎伸长和穗分化被同步抑制,大多数分蘖在雌雄蕊原基分化期败育。低R/FR处理显著降低了主茎和分蘖顶展叶的净光合速率(Pn),从而减少了同化物的总供应量。此外,低R/FR比值抑制了碳水化合物从叶片向茎的输出,导致叶片可溶性糖含量显著增加,而茎中的可溶性糖含量则显著下降。有限的同化物供应加剧了分蘖间的养分竞争,使更多的碳水化合物分配给低位分蘖,最终导致III穗发育失败。激素分析表明,R/FR比值通过抑制细胞分裂素(CTK)合成并促进其降解,显著降低了蘖III幼穗中的CTK水平,同时诱导了脱落酸(ABA)的合成,从而直接抑制了幼穗的发育进程。总之,低R/FR信号改变高位分蘖幼穗中CTKABA的激素平衡,协同调控碳水化合物的输出与分配,最终导致高位分蘖穗发育终止。



Abstract  

Increasing spike number is essential for achieving high wheat yield under dense planting conditions. However, dense planting reduces the ratio of red to far-red light (R/FR) in the canopy, which inhibits productive tiller formation and spike development. Sufficient assimilate supply is essential for spike differentiation and seed setting, but the mechanism of low R/FR affects spike development remains unclear. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted with supplemental FR light from wheat stem elongation to heading to simulate a low R/FR environment and to analyze its impact on young spike differentiation and the physiology of leaves and stems. The results showed that low R/FR significantly reduced wheat yield, primarily due to a decrease in both spike number and grains per spike. The developmental failure of high-position tillers (tiller III) contributed to over 65% of the total yield loss. Under low R/FR, stem elongation and spike differentiation of tiller III were synchronously arrested, with most tillers aborting during the stamen and pistil primordium stage. Low R/FR treatment significantly reduced the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of the fully expanded top leaves of the main stem and tillers, thereby decreasing the overall supply of assimilates. Furthermore, low R/FR inhibited the export of carbohydrates from leaves to stems, leading to a significant increase in soluble sugar content in leaves and a marked decline in stems. The limited assimilate supply intensifies nutrient competition among tillers, causing more carbohydrates to be allocated to low-position tillers and ultimately leading to the developmental failure of tiller III spikes. Hormonal analysis revealed that low R/FR significantly reduced cytokinin (CTK) levels in young spikes of tiller III by inhibiting its synthesis and promoting degradation, while simultaneously inducing abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis, thereby directly inhibiting the developmental progression of young spikes. In summary, low R/FR signaling alters the hormonal balance of CTK and ABA in the young spikes of high-position tillers, coordinately regulating the export and allocation of carbohydrates, ultimately leading to the termination of spike development in high-position tillers.

Keywords:  wheat       low R/FR              spike development              carbohydrate allocation              hormone balance  
Online: 01 May 2026  
Fund: 

This study financially supported from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32472230), the National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFD2300205), Jiangsu Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Found (CX(24)2008), and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University.

Cite this article: 

Chengfeng Zhao, Shuke Yang, Mengjie Chang, Tongxi Bao, Yuhui Duan, Zhongwei Tian, Tingbo Dai. 2026. Low red/far-red ratio inhibits spike development by impeding photosynthesis and carbohydrate allocation from leaves to stems in wheat. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2026.05.004

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