Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root-shoot population coordination

The optimization of plant root distribution plays an important role in obtaining deep soil resources, and enhancement of photosynthetic performance has been demonstrated to maintain wheat production, but the ideal water-nitrogen (N) utilization regime for winter wheat root-shoot growth remains uncle...

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Main Authors: Lifang Wang, Shijie Liu, Suhao Lu, Tianyu Lv, Dongyun Ma, Guozhang Kang, Yingxin Xie, Jutao Sun, Chenyang Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Agricultural Water Management
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425003038
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author Lifang Wang
Shijie Liu
Suhao Lu
Tianyu Lv
Dongyun Ma
Guozhang Kang
Yingxin Xie
Jutao Sun
Chenyang Wang
author_facet Lifang Wang
Shijie Liu
Suhao Lu
Tianyu Lv
Dongyun Ma
Guozhang Kang
Yingxin Xie
Jutao Sun
Chenyang Wang
author_sort Lifang Wang
collection DOAJ
description The optimization of plant root distribution plays an important role in obtaining deep soil resources, and enhancement of photosynthetic performance has been demonstrated to maintain wheat production, but the ideal water-nitrogen (N) utilization regime for winter wheat root-shoot growth remains unclear. A 2-year field experiment was conducted during the wheat growing seasons of 2020–2022, with two irrigation levels (W0, no irrigation; W1, irrigation 75 mm at jointing and anthesis stages) and three N rates (N0, 0 kg ha−1; N180, 180 kg ha−1; N300, 300 kg ha−1), N was applied before ploughing (50 %) and jointing stage (50 %). Wheat yield and yield components, leaf area index (LAI), radiative vegetation index, population canopy apparent photosynthesis (CAP), and root system architecture were examined. Irrigation significantly increased the spike number by 13.5 %, and the yield by 15.5 % (P < 0.05) with respect to W0. N fertilization increased the spike number and grains per spike by 34.3 % and 11.2 % with respect to N0. Population quality (LAI, vegetation index, and ratio vegetation index) also increased under irrigation and N treatments; W1N180 increased the canopy photosynthetic rate by 3.5 %–12.8 % with respect to W1N300. Structural equation modeling indicated that root dry weight density (RWD) had a direct positive effect on CAP, whereas CAP and root-shoot ratio had significant effects on yield, and the physiological efficiency of N had direct negative effects on changes in grain yield. Therefore, W1N180 treatment may be considered the optimal management practice for resource use efficiency and environmental benefits of sustainable agricultural development.
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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spelling doaj-art-cd6d8c3e1fb04425bbe057612dfad20e2025-08-20T03:10:18ZengElsevierAgricultural Water Management1873-22832025-07-0131610958910.1016/j.agwat.2025.109589Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root-shoot population coordinationLifang Wang0Shijie Liu1Suhao Lu2Tianyu Lv3Dongyun Ma4Guozhang Kang5Yingxin Xie6Jutao Sun7Chenyang Wang8College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, ChinaCollege of Tobacco Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Correspondence to: College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, 15 Longzihu College District, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, China.College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Correspondence to: College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, 15 Longzihu College District, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, China.The optimization of plant root distribution plays an important role in obtaining deep soil resources, and enhancement of photosynthetic performance has been demonstrated to maintain wheat production, but the ideal water-nitrogen (N) utilization regime for winter wheat root-shoot growth remains unclear. A 2-year field experiment was conducted during the wheat growing seasons of 2020–2022, with two irrigation levels (W0, no irrigation; W1, irrigation 75 mm at jointing and anthesis stages) and three N rates (N0, 0 kg ha−1; N180, 180 kg ha−1; N300, 300 kg ha−1), N was applied before ploughing (50 %) and jointing stage (50 %). Wheat yield and yield components, leaf area index (LAI), radiative vegetation index, population canopy apparent photosynthesis (CAP), and root system architecture were examined. Irrigation significantly increased the spike number by 13.5 %, and the yield by 15.5 % (P < 0.05) with respect to W0. N fertilization increased the spike number and grains per spike by 34.3 % and 11.2 % with respect to N0. Population quality (LAI, vegetation index, and ratio vegetation index) also increased under irrigation and N treatments; W1N180 increased the canopy photosynthetic rate by 3.5 %–12.8 % with respect to W1N300. Structural equation modeling indicated that root dry weight density (RWD) had a direct positive effect on CAP, whereas CAP and root-shoot ratio had significant effects on yield, and the physiological efficiency of N had direct negative effects on changes in grain yield. Therefore, W1N180 treatment may be considered the optimal management practice for resource use efficiency and environmental benefits of sustainable agricultural development.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425003038Water and nitrogen treatmentsYield and efficiencyCanopy architectureRoot systemRoot and canopy balance
spellingShingle Lifang Wang
Shijie Liu
Suhao Lu
Tianyu Lv
Dongyun Ma
Guozhang Kang
Yingxin Xie
Jutao Sun
Chenyang Wang
Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root-shoot population coordination
Agricultural Water Management
Water and nitrogen treatments
Yield and efficiency
Canopy architecture
Root system
Root and canopy balance
title Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root-shoot population coordination
title_full Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root-shoot population coordination
title_fullStr Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root-shoot population coordination
title_full_unstemmed Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root-shoot population coordination
title_short Irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root-shoot population coordination
title_sort irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer increase wheat productivity by improving root shoot population coordination
topic Water and nitrogen treatments
Yield and efficiency
Canopy architecture
Root system
Root and canopy balance
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425003038
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AT shijieliu irrigationandnitrogenfertilizerincreasewheatproductivitybyimprovingrootshootpopulationcoordination
AT suhaolu irrigationandnitrogenfertilizerincreasewheatproductivitybyimprovingrootshootpopulationcoordination
AT tianyulv irrigationandnitrogenfertilizerincreasewheatproductivitybyimprovingrootshootpopulationcoordination
AT dongyunma irrigationandnitrogenfertilizerincreasewheatproductivitybyimprovingrootshootpopulationcoordination
AT guozhangkang irrigationandnitrogenfertilizerincreasewheatproductivitybyimprovingrootshootpopulationcoordination
AT yingxinxie irrigationandnitrogenfertilizerincreasewheatproductivitybyimprovingrootshootpopulationcoordination
AT jutaosun irrigationandnitrogenfertilizerincreasewheatproductivitybyimprovingrootshootpopulationcoordination
AT chenyangwang irrigationandnitrogenfertilizerincreasewheatproductivitybyimprovingrootshootpopulationcoordination