Expression of dwarfing genes under nitrogen and moisture stress in wheat (Triticum spp): Dry matter partitioning, root growth and leaf nitrogen

The balance between root and shoot growth is one of the mechanisms used by plants to adapt to a particular environment. This balance is affected by nu trient supply and water availability. The aim of this study was to investig ate the effect of nitrogen (N) levels on root and shoot growth and to deter mine whether there is any correlation between root growth and leaf N in 10 wheat cultivars differing in the presence of the dwarfing genes derived fro m Norin 10. The study was carried out with two levels of N and water availa bility in the pots. Before stem elongation, shoot growth was less sensitive to high soil N levels than loot growth. Root growth was inhibited by highe r soil N concentrations. Leaf N and production of root biomass correlated w ell in non-stressed plants with low N. Tall types produced higher root biom ass and maintained higher leaf N content than dwarf types under different N and water supply levels. The results suggest that shoot and root growth we re affected differently by N availability.