ISSN:
1573-5060
Keywords:
compensation
;
competition
;
height
;
Triticum aestivum
;
winter wheat
;
yield
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Summary The relationship between plant height, competitive ability and yield performance was examined for six cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.) in southern Alberta. Competition significantly reduced grain yield, heads.m-2 and kernels.m-2. Competition also reduced heads.plant-1 and kernels.head-1 but did not affect plants.m-2 or kernel weight. For yield and other area-based yield components, multiple regression showed that interference by competitors was increased by reducing the height of the neighbouring cultivar and by increasing both competitor height and the ratio of competitor height to cultivar height. Intensities of yield interference in pure stands of the six cultivars were predicted by substituting their height into this multiple regression model. These predictions showed a one-to-one relationship (b=1.01; p〈0.01; R2=0.85) with pure stand grain yields, indicating that reduced inter-plant interference is a yield-positive trait that is inevitably present in high yielding cultivars. For plant-based yield components (heads.plant-1, kernels.head-1 and kernel weight), cultivar-specific compensation between traits maintained a balance between the number and the size of heads and kept kernel weight constant. These responses to optimize the development of viable kernels modified or obscured the effect of competition.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00033761
