Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is commonly grown in dryland conditions,
where environmental stress during grain filling can increase the depen
dency on stored assimilate. The objective of this study was to quantif
y the loss of total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) from wheat leave
s and stems and the increase in seed dry mass when severe shading stre
ss occurred after anthesis. Beginning 10 to 11 d after anthesis, sever
e shading was imposed on 'Mit' wheat in the field at Temple, TX, in 19
91 and 1992. During shading, plants with spikes had reductions in stem
dry mass of 290 g kg-1 in 1991 and 140 g kg-1 in 1992. Leaf dry mass
decreased 240 g kg-1 in 1991 and increased 10 g kg-1 in 1992. Fructan
and sucrose comprised the largest proportion of the storage carbohydra
te reduction in stems and leaves. Starch in stems and leaves was not r
emobilized during shading. Estimates of maintenance coefficient were 4
.3 mg carbohydrate g-1 dry mass d-1 in 1991 and 1.8 in 1992. Maintenan
ce respiration consumed 68% of the TNC present at the start of shading
in 1991 and 18% in 1992. There was 0.68 g of grain produced per gram
of assimilate lost from leaves, stems, and the nongrain portions of sp
ikes in 1991 and 0.78 in 1992. When estimated costs of maintenance res
piration were removed, 0.82 and 0.93 g of grain was produced per gram
of assimilate that disappeared. Stored carbohydrate represented an imp
ortant buffer for yield production when stress occurred during grain f
illing.