D. Villegas et al., Biomass accumulation and main stem elongation of durum wheat grown under Mediterranean conditions, ANN BOTANY, 88(4), 2001, pp. 617-627
Detecting and exploiting genetic variation in biomass accumulation is of gr
eat importance for increasing wheat yield when the harvest index is close t
o its upper limit. This study was undertaken to analyse the pattern of biom
ass accumulation and main stem elongation in 25 durum wheat (Triticum turgi
dum L. 'Durum') genotypes. Field experiments were conducted over 2 years in
two environments contrasting in the amount of available water, in northeas
tern Spain. Plants were sampled at the main stages of Zadoks' scale, and dr
y weight per plant, crop dry weight (CDW) and main stem length were measure
d at each stage. Measurements for growth traits and thermal time from sowin
g fitted better to an asymmetric logistic peak curve than to the Richards l
ogistic model. Four biological variables were computed from the curve. Diff
erences among curves describing changes in biomass were found to be greater
between irrigated and rainfed sites than between years. Drought stress had
less effect on main stem elongation than on biomass accumulation. Average
dry weight per plant and CDW were reduced by drought by 42 and 38%, respect
ively, due mainly to similar reductions in the mean rate of growth of the t
wo variables. In contrast, cycle length from sowing to the maximum values o
f dry weight per plant and CDW was only slightly modified by drought. (C) 2
001 Annals of Botany Company.