Abstract
Drought during rain filling decreases final kernel mass in maize ( Zea mays L.). Lack of assimilates or an unfavorable water status within the embryo or endosperm could limit kernel development. To test these possibilities, remobilization of reduced C and N as well as kernel and embryo water status were measured in plants exposed to a water deficit during rain fill. Irrigation was withheld from field‐grown plants after final kernel number was established. This treatment resulted in a soil moisture deficit of 224 mm and decreased endosperm and embryo mass by 16%, compared with controls. The water deficit shortened the effective filling period, but did not alter the rate of dry matter accumulation in either the endosperm or embryo. Carbohydrate reserves in leaf and stalk tissues as well as N stored in the leaves were remobilized to support kernel growth. However, grain filling ceased before these reserves were depleted completely. Grain filling continued in both well.watered and water‐deficient plants until the moisture content of the endosperm and embryo decreased to 280 and 430 g kg −1 fresh wt., respectively. Water‐deficient plants reached these values 10 d earlier because water loss from the endosperm began sooner after anthesis and maximum water content of the embryo was lower, compared with the controls. Kernel and embryo osmotic potentials (ψ s ) decreased rapidly late in grain filling and were − 2.2.to − 2.6 MPa when growth ceased. The results indicate that kernel water status is affected directly by drought and may be an important determinant of kernel development. They suggest that a water deficit after anthesis shortens the duration of grain filling by causing premature desiccation of the endosperm and by limiting embryo volume.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
Withholding irrigation decreased maize endosperm and embryo mass by 16% relative to controls.
- Treatment
- This treatmente0
- Outcome
- endosperm and embryo masse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- 16%e0
- Qualifier
- soil moisture deficit of 224 mme0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This treatment resulted in a soil moisture deficit of 224 mm and decreased endosperm and embryo mass by 16%, compared with controls.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Water deficit shortened the effective filling period.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The water deficit shortened the effective filling period, but did not alter the rate of dry matter accumulation in either the endosperm or embryo.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Water deficit did not alter dry matter accumulation rate in maize endosperm or embryo.
- Treatment
- water deficite0
- Outcome
- rate of dry matter accumulation in either the endosperm or embryoe0
- Direction
- did not altere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The water deficit shortened the effective filling period, but did not alter the rate of dry matter accumulation in either the endosperm or embryo.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf and stalk carbohydrate reserves and leaf nitrogen were remobilized to support maize kernel growth.
- Outcome
- Carbohydrate reserves in leaf and stalk tissues as well as N stored in the leaves were remobilized to support kernel growthe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Carbohydrate reserves in leaf and stalk tissues as well as N stored in the leaves were remobilized to support kernel growth.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain filling stopped before those reserves were completely depleted.
- Outcome
- grain filling ceased before these reserves were depleted completelye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“However, grain filling ceased before these reserves were depleted completely.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain filling continued until maize endosperm moisture reached 280 g kg −1 fresh wt.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Grain filling continued in both well.watered and water‐deficient plants until the moisture content of the endosperm and embryo decreased to 280 and 430 g kg −1 fresh wt., respectively.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain filling continued until maize embryo moisture reached 430 g kg −1 fresh wt.
- Outcome
- moisture content of the endosperm and embryoe0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- 280 and 430 g kg −1 fresh wt.e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Grain filling continued in both well.watered and water‐deficient plants until the moisture content of the endosperm and embryo decreased to 280 and 430 g kg −1 fresh wt., respectively.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Water deficit caused plants to reach the moisture thresholds 10 days earlier than controls.
- Treatment
- Water‐deficiente0
- Outcome
- reached these valuese0
- Direction
- earliere0
- Value
- 10 de0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water‐deficient plants reached these values 10 d earlier because water loss from the endosperm began sooner after anthesis and maximum water content of the embryo was lower, compared with the controls.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Endosperm water loss began sooner after anthesis under water deficit.
- Treatment
- Water‐deficiente0
- Outcome
- water loss from the endosperme0
- Direction
- soonere0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water‐deficient plants reached these values 10 d earlier because water loss from the endosperm began sooner after anthesis and maximum water content of the embryo was lower, compared with the controls.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Maximum embryo water content was lower under water deficit than in controls.
- Treatment
- Water‐deficiente0
- Outcome
- maximum water content of the embryoe0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water‐deficient plants reached these values 10 d earlier because water loss from the endosperm began sooner after anthesis and maximum water content of the embryo was lower, compared with the controls.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Kernel and embryo osmotic potentials fell rapidly late in grain filling and were − 2.2.to − 2.6 MPa when growth stopped.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Kernel and embryo osmotic potentials (ψ s ) decreased rapidly late in grain filling and were − 2.2.to − 2.6 MPa when growth ceased.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors infer that drought directly affects kernel water status and that this may determine kernel development.
- Treatment
- droughte0
- Outcome
- kernel developmente0
- Qualifier
- kernel water status is affected directly by droughte0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The results indicate that kernel water status is affected directly by drought and may be an important determinant of kernel development.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest postanthesis deficit shortens grain filling by premature endosperm desiccation and limited embryo volume.
- Treatment
- water deficit after anthesise0
- Outcome
- duration of grain fillinge0
- Qualifier
- premature desiccation of the endosperm and by limiting embryo volumee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“They suggest that a water deficit after anthesis shortens the duration of grain filling by causing premature desiccation of the endosperm and by limiting embryo volume.”
t0“maize ( Zea mays L.)”
The same questions in other papers
drought · yield · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
299 papers in the same direction as this paper · 53 in the opposite direction
- negative
- negative
- negative
349 papers more in this group
See all 353 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.