Rate and duration of grain filling in relation to flag leaf senescence andgrain yield in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) exposed to different concentrations of ozone
J. Gelang et al., Rate and duration of grain filling in relation to flag leaf senescence andgrain yield in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) exposed to different concentrations of ozone, PHYSL PLANT, 110(3), 2000, pp. 366-375
Effects of different concentrations of ozone on grain filling, flag leaf se
nescence and final grain yield in field-grown spring wheat (Triticum aestiv
um L. cv. Dragon) were studied using open-top chambers. The hypothesis test
ed was that an ozone-induced reduction in grain yield is mainly related to
an enhanced senescence and a shortening of the grain-filling period. The pl
ants were exposed to filtered air (F), non-filtered air without extra ozone
(NF) or non-filtered air with 3 different levels of ozone added (NF1 +, NF
2 + and NF3 +). The mean daytime (08.00-20.00 h) ozone concentrations durin
g the exposure period (31 days) were 7, 20, 34, 48 and 62 nmol mol(-1) in F
, NF, NF1 +, NF2 + and NF3 +, respectively. The corresponding ozone doses,
expressed as the accumulated exposure over a concentration threshold of 40
nmol mol(-1) (AOT40), were 0, 12, 1989, 5881 and 10375 nmol mol(-1) h, resp
ectively, and 884, 2594, 4557, 6188 and 7900 pmol m(-2) respectively, expre
ssed as the calculated cumulative flag leaf ozone flux (CFO30). The flag le
aves senesced earlier and the grain-filling duration was significantly shor
ter at higher ozone exposure compared to F (-5, -13 and -18% in NF1 +, NF2
+ and NF3 +, respectively). The relative grain-filling rate did not differ
between the treatments. The 1000-grain weights were 10, 28 and 37% lower, a
nd the grain yields were 15, 29 and 46% lower than F in NF1 +, NF2 + and NF
3 +, respectively. Ozone exposure had no significant effect on the number o
f grains per unit ground area or on straw yield, but significantly reduced
the harvest index: and increased the grain protein concentration in NF2 + a
nd NF3 + compared to F. The grain yield was negatively correlated with the
ozone dose, expressed either as AOT40 or as CFO3 with or without an ozone f
lux threshold. The 1000-grain weight,vas positively correlated with the gra
in-filling duration (R-2 = 0.998), which in turn was positively correlated
with the leaf area duration (R-2 = 0.989).