Abstract
Photosynthetic activity of cereals has traditionally been studied using leaves, thus neglecting the role of other organs such as ears. Here, we studied the effects of water status and genotypes on the photosynthetic activity of the flag leaf blade and the ear of durum wheat. The various parameters related to the photosynthetic activity were analysed in relation to the total above-ground plant biomass and grain yield at maturity. Four local varieties plus two cultivars adapted to the semiarid areas of South Morocco were grown in pots in a greenhouse. Five different water treatments were maintained from the beginning of stem elongation to maturity, when shoot biomass and grain yield were recorded. The net photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (g s ) and transpiration (T) of the ear and the flag leaf were measured at anthesis. In both organs these factors decreased significantly with water deficit, whereas the A/T and A/g s ratios increased. The genotype effect was also significant for all traits studied. Whole-organ photosynthesis was much higher in the ear than in the flag leaf in well-watered conditions. As water stress developed, photosynthesis decreased less in the ear than in the flag leaf. Whole-ear photosynthesis correlated better than flag leaf photosynthesis with biomass and yield. Nevertheless, the relationships of the whole flag leaf with biomass and yield improved as the water stress became more severe, suggesting a progressive shift of yield from sink to source limitation. For all water regimes the ratios A/g s and A/T of the ear also showed a higher (negative) correlation with both biomass and yield than those of the flag leaf. The results indicate that the ear has a greater photosynthetic role than the flag leaf in determining grain yield, not only in drought but also in the absence of stress.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Water deficit significantly decreased photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration in both ears and flag leaves.
- Taxon
- durum wheat
Triticum turgidum subsp. durumt0 - Organ / stage
- ear and the flag leafe0
- Treatment
- water deficite0
- Outcome
- net photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (g s ) and transpiration (T)e0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The net photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (g s ) and transpiration (T) of the ear and the flag leaf were measured at anthesis. In both organs these factors decreased significantly with water deficit”
t0“durum wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Water deficit increased A/T and A/g s ratios in both organs.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durumt0
- Treatment
- water deficite0
- Outcome
- A/T and A/g s ratiose0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In both organs these factors decreased significantly with water deficit, whereas the A/T and A/g s ratios increased”
t0“durum wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Genotype significantly affected all studied photosynthetic traits.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durumt0
- Material
- genotypee0
- Outcome
- all traits studiede0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The genotype effect was also significant for all traits studied”
t0“durum wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Whole-organ photosynthesis was higher in the ear than the flag leaf under well-watered conditions.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durumt0
- Organ / stage
- eare0
- Outcome
- Whole-organ photosynthesise0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- flag leafe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Whole-organ photosynthesis was much higher in the ear than in the flag leaf in well-watered conditions”
t0“durum wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
As water stress developed, photosynthesis decreased less in the ear than in the flag leaf.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durumt0
- Organ / stage
- eare0
- Treatment
- water stresse0
- Outcome
- photosynthesise0
- Direction
- decreased lesse0
- Comparator
- flag leafe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As water stress developed, photosynthesis decreased less in the ear than in the flag leaf”
t0“durum wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Whole-ear photosynthesis correlated better with biomass and yield than flag leaf photosynthesis.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durumt0
- Organ / stage
- Whole-eare0
- Outcome
- biomass and yielde0
- Direction
- correlated bettere0
- Comparator
- flag leaf photosynthesise0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Whole-ear photosynthesis correlated better than flag leaf photosynthesis with biomass and yield”
t0“durum wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Flag leaf relationships with biomass and yield improved as water stress intensified.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durumt0
- Treatment
- water stresse0
- Outcome
- relationships of the whole flag leaf with biomass and yielde0
- Direction
- improvede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the relationships of the whole flag leaf with biomass and yield improved as the water stress became more severe”
t0“durum wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Ear A/g s and A/T ratios had higher negative correlations with biomass and yield than flag leaf ratios at all water regimes.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durumt0
- Organ / stage
- eare0
- Outcome
- correlation with both biomass and yielde0
- Direction
- higher (negative)e0
- Comparator
- flag leafe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“For all water regimes the ratios A/g s and A/T of the ear also showed a higher (negative) correlation with both biomass and yield than those of the flag leaf”
t0“durum wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors infer a greater role for the ear than flag leaf photosynthesis in determining grain yield with and without drought.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durumt0
- Organ / stage
- eare0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Qualifier
- not only in drought but also in the absence of stresse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the ear has a greater photosynthetic role than the flag leaf in determining grain yield, not only in drought but also in the absence of stress”
t0“durum wheat”
The same questions in other papers
drought · physiology: photosynthesis · Triticum turgidum (rivet wheat)Positive and negative results
4 papers in the same direction as this paper · 11 in the opposite direction
- positive
- negative
- negative
12 papers more in this group
See all 16 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.