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Effects of zinc application rate and zinc distribution relative to root distribution on grain yield and grain Zn concentration in wheat

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Abstract

Background and aims

Zinc (Zn) nutrition affects wheat yield and the health of humans who consume wheat grain. This study determined: 1) how distributions of roots and available Zn (DTPA-Zn) in soil affect the Zn content of wheat plants; and 2) the concentrations of shoot Zn and soil DTPA-Zn needed to obtain high yields and the “target value” of grain Zn biofortification (45 mg kg−1).

Methods

Zn application rates were investigated in a field experiment, and Zn location relative to root location in the soil profile was investigated in a pot experiment.

Results

In the field, wheat yield and tissue Zn levels increased with Zn application rate. High yields required 29.4 mg Zn kg−1 in shoots and 1.98 mg DTPA-Zn kg−1 in soil. The target value of Zn biofortification of grain was obtained with 31.6 mg Zn kg−1 in shoots and 4.09 mg DTPA-Zn kg−1 in soil. In the pot experiment, Zn application at 0–15/0–30 cm soil layers showed the most improvement with tissue Zn levels.

Conclusion

Increasing soil available Zn and matching its distribution with that of roots can increase Zn uptake by wheat, yield, and the Zn concentration in grain.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by grants from the 973 Project (No. 2015CB150402), the National Science Foundation of China (No. 31272252), and the Innovative Group Grant of National Science Foundation of China (No. 31421092).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education; Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People’s Republic of China

    Dun-Yi Liu, Wei Zhang, Li-Li Pang, Yue-Qiang Zhang, Xiao-Zhong Wang, Yu-Min Liu, Xin-Ping Chen, Fu-Suo Zhang & Chun-Qin Zou

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  1. Dun-Yi Liu
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  2. Wei Zhang
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  3. Li-Li Pang
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  4. Yue-Qiang Zhang
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  7. Xin-Ping Chen
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Correspondence to Chun-Qin Zou.

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Liu, DY., Zhang, W., Pang, LL. et al. Effects of zinc application rate and zinc distribution relative to root distribution on grain yield and grain Zn concentration in wheat. Plant Soil 411, 167–178 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2953-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2953-7

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