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Crop adaptation to density to optimise grain yield: breeding implications

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Abstract

Competition between crop plants, due to resource limitation, is at the root of a considerable yield limitation, a major problem that future agriculture is faced with. Due to inter-plant variation, intra-crop competition causes plant-to-plant interference and unbalanced use of input which decreases possible profit. Acquired intra-crop competition is a priori present in farming due to spatial heterogeneity. Genetically imposed intra-crop competition is due to the plant-to-plant genetic differences, i.e. the intra-species genetic competition in multi-genotypic varieties grown alone, and both the intra- and inter-species genetic competition in intercropping multi-genotypic varieties. In general, high densities accelerate the acquired plant-to-plant variation and intensify the intra-crop competition. Considering environmental diversity, an additional yield gap element is density-reliance. Density-reliant varieties are inefficient in resource use at the single-plant level and present poor results at low densities, accompanied by variation in optimum density particularly in rain-fed agroecosystems. The remedy relies on breeding of varieties that comprise the ‘weak competitor’ ideotype(s) of improved plant yield efficiency in order to mitigate the intra-crop variation and optimise the resource use across variable conditions. To focus on both, selection at nil-competition (widely spaced plants to preclude interference for inputs) is necessary. Selection among spaced plants is further supported by the negative relationship between genotype competitive and yielding ability. The derived density-independent varieties would be capable of taking advantage of the abundance of resources in favourable seasons at low densities that are suitable for dry seasons, approaching the attainable yield across locations and seasons.

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Abbreviations

Actual yield:

The actually harvested crop yield depending on the farming conditions

Attainable yield:

The highest possible crop yield depending on the environmental conditions

Yield gap:

The level the actual yield lags behind the attainable yield

Intra-crop inequality:

The lack of equality in the use of resources due to competition among plants within the crop stand

Acquired intra-crop inequality:

Intra-crop inequality due to environmental forces that induce plant-to-plant variation

Intra-species genetic inequality:

Intra-crop inequality due to genotype competitive ability within species

Inter-species genetic inequality:

Intra-crop inequality due to genotype competitive ability across intercropped species

Optimum density:

The plant population density at which the attainable yield can be accomplished

Density-reliant variety:

A variety that has a specific optimum density, which is high at favourable and variable across less favourable environmental conditions

Density-independent variety:

A variety that accomplishes the attainable yield of favourable environmental conditions at a wide range of densities including the low optimum density for dry environmental conditions

Nil-competition:

Conditions involving adequately spaced plants that preclude any plant-to-plant interference for resources

Plant yield efficiency:

Efficiency of the individual plant in use of resources reflected by the yield per plant at the nil-competition regime

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Acknowledgements

Another work dedicated to Prof. Apostolos Fasoulas, inventor of the innovative honeycomb breeding methodology, who through essential contribution to new scientific knowledge set the basis for an alternative breeding strategy targeting agricultural systems that demand lower densities without compromising productivity. I am perfectly sure that soon or later his ideas will be adopted and improved, rendering the conventional breeding more dynamic and supported by the modern biochemical, molecular and physiological tools able to counteract future challenges pertaining to agricultural sustainability and food adequacy. I am deeply grateful for the time the anonymous reviewers spend to make a substantial contribution to the improvement of the paper.

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  1. Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Pantazidou 193, 68200, Orestiada, Greece

    Ioannis S. Tokatlidis

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Plant Breeding: the Art of Bringing Science to Life. Highlights of the 20th EUCARPIA General Congress, Zurich, Switzerland, 29 August–1 September 2016

Edited by Roland Kölliker, Richard G. F. Visser, Achim Walter & Beat Boller

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Tokatlidis, I.S. Crop adaptation to density to optimise grain yield: breeding implications. Euphytica 213, 92 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-1874-8

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