Regulatory Effects of Source–Sink Manipulations on Photosynthesis in Wheat with Different Source–Sink Relationships

Understanding the contributions of source–sink relationships to photosynthesis will help achieve high wheat grain yields. A single-factor field experiment was conducted to quantify the regulatory effects of different sink–source ratios on wheat photosynthetic characteristics, including two wheat cul...

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Main Authors: Siqi Zhang, Huimin Chai, Jiawei Sun, Yafang Zhang, Yanhua Lu, Dong Jiang, Tingbo Dai, Zhongwei Tian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/10/1456
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author Siqi Zhang
Huimin Chai
Jiawei Sun
Yafang Zhang
Yanhua Lu
Dong Jiang
Tingbo Dai
Zhongwei Tian
author_facet Siqi Zhang
Huimin Chai
Jiawei Sun
Yafang Zhang
Yanhua Lu
Dong Jiang
Tingbo Dai
Zhongwei Tian
author_sort Siqi Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Understanding the contributions of source–sink relationships to photosynthesis will help achieve high wheat grain yields. A single-factor field experiment was conducted to quantify the regulatory effects of different sink–source ratios on wheat photosynthetic characteristics, including two wheat cultivars with different source–sink relationships as materials for detailed source–sink manipulations through flag leaf removal (LR) and removal of spikelets on one side of each spike (SR). Compared with a control (CK), LR increased the sink–source ratio (23.84%) and significantly reduced the yield (16.17%), 1000-kernel weight (11.73%), and kernels per spike (7.33%). LR increased the leaves’ net photosynthetic rate (Pn) (4.27–15.82%), the electron transfer rate (3.97–14.93%), and the Rubisco activity (2.16–12.25%) in the short term, and LR increased sucrose synthesis-related enzyme activities (3.96–19.95%) and gene expressions <i>(SPS1</i>, <i>SUS1</i>, <i>CIN1</i>, and <i>SUT1</i>). Compared with CK, SR reduced the sink–source ratio (44.12%) and significantly increased the 1000-kernel weight (10.02%) but reduced the yield (43.93%) and kernels per spike (49.31%). SR reduced the leaves’ Pn (8.54–21.41%), the electron transfer rate (3.51–16.71%), and the Rubisco activity (5.96–21.51%), and the photosynthetic process was limited. SR decreased sucrose synthesis-related enzyme activities (5.12–29.09%) and gene expressions <i>(SPS1</i>, <i>SUS1</i>, <i>CIN1</i>, and <i>SUT1</i>). Therefore, a higher sink–source ratio is an important indicator of high photosynthetic efficiency, which can be used as a screening and judgment index in variety selection and cultivation regulation.
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spelling doaj-art-d1648bf53ace4469b7fbab0443cfb2b62025-08-20T01:56:37ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-05-011410145610.3390/plants14101456Regulatory Effects of Source–Sink Manipulations on Photosynthesis in Wheat with Different Source–Sink RelationshipsSiqi Zhang0Huimin Chai1Jiawei Sun2Yafang Zhang3Yanhua Lu4Dong Jiang5Tingbo Dai6Zhongwei Tian7Institute of Agricultural Information Technology, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou 450008, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaUnderstanding the contributions of source–sink relationships to photosynthesis will help achieve high wheat grain yields. A single-factor field experiment was conducted to quantify the regulatory effects of different sink–source ratios on wheat photosynthetic characteristics, including two wheat cultivars with different source–sink relationships as materials for detailed source–sink manipulations through flag leaf removal (LR) and removal of spikelets on one side of each spike (SR). Compared with a control (CK), LR increased the sink–source ratio (23.84%) and significantly reduced the yield (16.17%), 1000-kernel weight (11.73%), and kernels per spike (7.33%). LR increased the leaves’ net photosynthetic rate (Pn) (4.27–15.82%), the electron transfer rate (3.97–14.93%), and the Rubisco activity (2.16–12.25%) in the short term, and LR increased sucrose synthesis-related enzyme activities (3.96–19.95%) and gene expressions <i>(SPS1</i>, <i>SUS1</i>, <i>CIN1</i>, and <i>SUT1</i>). Compared with CK, SR reduced the sink–source ratio (44.12%) and significantly increased the 1000-kernel weight (10.02%) but reduced the yield (43.93%) and kernels per spike (49.31%). SR reduced the leaves’ Pn (8.54–21.41%), the electron transfer rate (3.51–16.71%), and the Rubisco activity (5.96–21.51%), and the photosynthetic process was limited. SR decreased sucrose synthesis-related enzyme activities (5.12–29.09%) and gene expressions <i>(SPS1</i>, <i>SUS1</i>, <i>CIN1</i>, and <i>SUT1</i>). Therefore, a higher sink–source ratio is an important indicator of high photosynthetic efficiency, which can be used as a screening and judgment index in variety selection and cultivation regulation.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/10/1456photosynthesissource–sink manipulationsource–sink relationshipssink–source ratiowheat
spellingShingle Siqi Zhang
Huimin Chai
Jiawei Sun
Yafang Zhang
Yanhua Lu
Dong Jiang
Tingbo Dai
Zhongwei Tian
Regulatory Effects of Source–Sink Manipulations on Photosynthesis in Wheat with Different Source–Sink Relationships
Plants
photosynthesis
source–sink manipulation
source–sink relationships
sink–source ratio
wheat
title Regulatory Effects of Source–Sink Manipulations on Photosynthesis in Wheat with Different Source–Sink Relationships
title_full Regulatory Effects of Source–Sink Manipulations on Photosynthesis in Wheat with Different Source–Sink Relationships
title_fullStr Regulatory Effects of Source–Sink Manipulations on Photosynthesis in Wheat with Different Source–Sink Relationships
title_full_unstemmed Regulatory Effects of Source–Sink Manipulations on Photosynthesis in Wheat with Different Source–Sink Relationships
title_short Regulatory Effects of Source–Sink Manipulations on Photosynthesis in Wheat with Different Source–Sink Relationships
title_sort regulatory effects of source sink manipulations on photosynthesis in wheat with different source sink relationships
topic photosynthesis
source–sink manipulation
source–sink relationships
sink–source ratio
wheat
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/10/1456
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AT yafangzhang regulatoryeffectsofsourcesinkmanipulationsonphotosynthesisinwheatwithdifferentsourcesinkrelationships
AT yanhualu regulatoryeffectsofsourcesinkmanipulationsonphotosynthesisinwheatwithdifferentsourcesinkrelationships
AT dongjiang regulatoryeffectsofsourcesinkmanipulationsonphotosynthesisinwheatwithdifferentsourcesinkrelationships
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