Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Historical genetic responses of yield and root traits in winter wheat in the yellow-Huai-Hai River valley region of China due to modern breeding (1948–2012)

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aims

The Yellow and Huai Valleys Winter Wheat Zone (YHVWWZ) is the predominant wheat-producing region in China. This study aimed to identify genetic gains in root characteristics and grain yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars to assist future breeding strategies.

Methods

Field trials were conducted in the wetter-than-average 2014–2015 and drier-than-average 2015–2016 growing seasons. Yield and related traits were measured in 17 wheat cultivars released for irrigated conditions in the YHVWWZ from 1948 to 2012.

Results

Yields have increased in the 60 years of breeding and selection of cultivars in this region. No change in root biomass with year of release was evident in 2014–2015, but it increased significantly in 2015–2016. The density of shallow roots (0–1 m) increased significantly with year of release in both seasons, while the density of deeper roots (1–2 m) decreased significantly in 2014–2015 and increased significantly in 2015–2016. Aboveground biomass increased with year of release in 2014–2015 but did not change in 2015–2016, and total biomass (root plus shoot) increased with year of release in both seasons.

Conclusions

Modern wheat cultivars are better adapted to different watering levels in irrigated areas than older cultivars, with more root biomass at shallow depth, higher plasticity of the root system with depth, and increased yields.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acreche MM, Bricēno-Félix G, Martín Sánchez JA, Slafer GA (2009) Radiation interception and use efficiency as affected by breeding in Mediterranean wheat. Field Crops Res 110:91–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austin RB, Bingham J, Blackwell RD, Evans LT, Ford MA, Morgan CL, Taylor M (1980) Genetic improvements in winter yields since 1900 and associated physiological changes. J Agric Sci 94:675–689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aziz MM, Palta JA, Siddique KHM, Sadras VO (2017) Five decades of selection for yield reduced root length density and increased nitrogen uptake per unit root length in Australian wheat varieties. Plant Soil 413:181–192

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bazzaz FA, Ackerly DD, Reekie EG (2000) Reproductive allocation in plants. In: Fenner M (ed) Seeds: the ecology and regeneration of plant communities, 2nd edn. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 1–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouma TJ, Nielsen KL, Eissenstat DM, Lynch JP (1997) Soil CO2 concentration does not affect growth or root respiration in bean and citrus. Plant Cell Environ 20:1495–1505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw AD (1965) Evolutionary significance of phenotypic plasticity in plants. Adv Genet 13:115–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/S00652660(08)60048-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brancourt-Hulmel M, Doussinault G, Lecomte C, Bérard P, Buanec BL, Trottet M (2003) Genetic improvement of agronomic traits of winter wheat cultivars released in France from 1946 to 1992. Crop Sci 43:37–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cristina P, Salvatore LC (2013) Yield, water use and radiation use efficiencies of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) under reduced water and nitrogen soil availability in a semi-arid Mediterranean area. Eur J Agron 46:53–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donmez E, Sears RG, Shroyer JP, Paulsen GM (2001) Genetic gain in yield attributes of winter wheat in the Great Plains. Crop Sci 41:1412–1419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehdaie B, Layne AP, Waines JG (2012) Root system plasticity to drought influences grain yield in bread wheat. Euphytica 186:219–232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-011-0585-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang Y, Liu L, Xu BC, Li FM (2011) The relationship between competitive ability and yield stability in an old and a modern winter wheat cultivar. Plant Soil 347:7–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-0780-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fang Y, Du Y, Wang J, Wu A, Qiao S, Xu B, Zhang S, Siddique KHM, Chen Y (2017) Moderate drought stress affected root growth and grain yield in old, modern and newly released cultivars of winter wheat. Front Plant Sci 8:672. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00672

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Foley JA, Ramankutty N, Brauman KA, Cassidy ES, Gerber JS, Johnston M, Mueller ND, O’Connell C, Ray DK, West PC, Balzer C, Bennett EM, Carpenter SR, Hill J, Monfreda C, Polasky S, Rockström J, Sheehan J, Siebert S, Tilman D, Zaks DPM (2011) Solutions for a cultivated planet. Nature 478:337–342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foulkes MJ, Slafer GA, Davies WJ, Berry PM, Sylvester-Bradley R, Martre P, Calderini DF, Griffiths S, Reynolds MP (2011) Raising yield potential of wheat. III. Optimizing partitioning to grain while maintaining lodging resistance. J Exp Bot 62:469–486

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fu G, Charles SP, Yu J, Liu C (2009) Decadal climatic variability, trends and future, scenarios for the North China plain. J Clim 22:2111–2123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao FM, Ma DY, Yin GH, Rasheed A, Dong Y, Xiao YG, Xia XC, Wu XX, He ZH (2017) Genetic progress in grain yield and physiological traits in Chinese wheat cultivars of southern yellow and Huai Valley since 1950. Crop Sci 57:760–773

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giunta F, Motzo R, Pruneddu G (2007) Trends since 1900 in the yield potential of Italian-bred durum wheat cultivars. Eur J Agron 27:12–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glazer AN, Likens GE (2012) The water table: the shifting foundation of life on land. AMBIO 41:657–669

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Graybosch RA, Peterson CJ (2010) Genetic improvement in winter wheat yields in the Great Plains of North America, 1959–2008. Crop Sci 50:1882–1890

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He ZH, Xia XC, Bonjean APA (2010) Wheat improvement in China. In: He ZH, Bonjean APA (eds) Cereals in China. CIMMYT, Mexico, pp 51–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Heřmanská A, Středa T, Chloupek O (2015) Improved wheat grain yield by a new method of root selection. Agron Sustain Dev 35:195–202. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-014-0227-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hucl P, Baker RJ (1987) A study of ancestral and modern Canadian spring wheats. Can J Plant Sci 67:87–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Wen XX, Wan XJ, Liu Y, Han J, Liao YC, Wu W (2016) Towards the highly effective use of precipitation by ridge-furrow with plastic film mulching instead of relying on irrigation resources in a dry semi-humid area. Field Crop Res 188:62–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li CJ, Wang CJ, Wen XX, Qin XL, Liu Y, Han J, Li YJ, Liao YC, Wu W (2017) Ridge–furrow with plastic film mulching practice improves maize productivity and resource use efficiency under the wheat–maize double–cropping system in dry semi–humid areas. Field Crop Res 203:201–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma SC, Xu BC, Li FM (2008) Effects of root pruning on competitive ability and water use efficiency in winter wheat. Field Crops Res 105:56–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma XH, Wang D, Yu ZW, Wang XZ, Xu ZZ (2010) Effect of irrigation regimes on water consumption characteristics and nitrogen distribution in wheat at different nitrogen applications (in Chinese with English abstract). Acta Ecol Sin 30:1955–1965

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgounov A, Zykin V, Belan I, Roseeva L, Zelenskiy Y, Gomez-Becerrad HF, Budakd H, Bekese F (2010) Genetic gains for grain yield in high latitude spring wheat grown in Western Siberia in 1900–2008. Field Crops Res 117:101–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mu J, Khan S (2009) The effect of climate change on the water and food nexus in China. Food Security 1:413–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ortiz-Monasterio I, Sayre KD, Rajaram S, Mcmahon M (1997) Genetic progress in wheat yield and nitrogen use efficiency under four nitrogen rates. Crop Sci 37:898–904

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palta JA, Yang JC (2014) Crop root system behaviour and yield preface. Field Crops Res 165:1–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2014.06.024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry MW, D’Antuono MF (1989) Yield improvement and associated characteristics of some Australian spring wheat cultivars introduced between 1860 and 1982. Aust J Agric Res 40:457–472

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin XL, Weiner J, Qi L, Xiong YC, Li FM (2013) Allometric analysis of the effects of density on reproductive allocation and harvest index in 6 varieties of wheat (Triticum). Field Crops Res 144:162–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qin XL, Zhang FX, Liu C, Yu H, Cao BG, Tian SQ, Liao YC, Siddique KHM (2015) Wheat yield improvements in China: past trends and future directions. Field Crops Res 177:117–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds MP, Foulkes MJ, Slafer GA, Berry PM, Parry MAJ, Snape JW, Angus WJ (2009) Raising yield potential in wheat. J Exp Bot 60:1899–1918

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Royo C, Álvaro F, Martos V, Ramdani A, Isidro J, Villegas D, del Moral LFG (2007) Genetic changes in durum wheat yield components and associated traits in Italian and Spanish varieties during the 20th century. Euphytica 155:259–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadras VO, Lawson C (2011) Genetic gain in yield and associated changes in phenotype: trait plasticity and competitive ability of south Australian wheat varieties released between 1958 and 2007. Crop Pasture Sci 62:533–549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (2003) SAS Version 9.1.2 2002–2003. SAS institute Inc, Cary, NC

  • Shearman VJ, Sylvester-Bradley R, Foulkes MJ (2005) Physiological processes associated with wheat yield progress in the UK. Crop Sci 45:175–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddique KHM, Belford RK, Perry MW, Tennant D (1989) Growth, development and light interception of old and modern wheat cultivars in a Mediterranean-type environment. Aust J Agric Res 40:73–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddique KHM, Belford RK, Tennant D (1990) Root:shoot ratios of old and modern, tall and semidwarf wheat in a Mediterranean environment. Plant Soil 121:89–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slafer GA, Andrade FH (1989) Genetic improvement in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield in Argentina. Field Crops Res 21:289–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song L, Li FM, Fan XW, Xiong YC, Wang WQ, Wu XB, Turner NC (2009) Soil water availability and plant competition affect the yield of spring wheat. Eur J Agron 31:51–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strand JA, Weisner SEB (2004) Phenotypic plasticity: contrasting species-specific traits induced by identical environmental constraints. New Phytol 163:449–451. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2004.01144.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun Y, Wang X, Wang N, Chen Y, Zhang S (2014) Changes in the yield and associated photosynthetic traits of dryland winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) from the 1940s to the 2010s in Shaanxi Province of China. Field Crops Res 167:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tian Z, Jing Q, Dai T, Jiang D, Cao W (2011) Effects of genetic improvements on grain yield and agronomic traits of winter wheat in the Yangtze River basin of China. Field Crop Res 124:417–425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner NC, Asseng S (2005) Productivity, sustainability and rainfall-use efficiency in Australian rainfed Mediterranean agricultural systems. Aust J Agric Res 56:1123–1136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voss-Fels KP, Robinson H, Mudge SR, Richard C, Newman S, Wittkop B, Stahl A, Friedt W, Frisch M, Gabur I, Miller-Cooper A, Campbell BC, Kelly A, Fox G, Christopher J, Christopher M, Chenu K, Franckowiak J, Mace ES, Borrell AK, Eagles H, Jordan DR, Botella JR, Hammer G, Godwin ID, Trevaskis B, Snowdon RJ, Hickey LT (2018) VERNALIZATION1 modulates root system architecture in wheat and barley. Mol Plant 11(1):226–229

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waines JG, Ehdaie B (2007) Domestication and crop physiology: roots of green-revolution wheat. Ann Bot 100:991–998

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao YG, Qian ZG, Wu K, Liu JJ, Xia XC, Ji WQ, He ZH (2012) Genetic gains in grain yield and physiological traits of winter wheat in Shandong Province, China, from 1969 to 2006. Crop Sci 52(1):44–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu ZZ, Yu ZW, Zhao JY (2013) Theory and application for the promotion of wheat production in China: past, present and future. J Sci Food Agric 93:2339–2350

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang DY, Sun GJ, Jiang XH (1999) Donald’s ideotype and growth redundancy: a game theoretical analysis. Field Crops Res 61:179–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Xu WG, Wang HW, Dong HB, Qi XL, Zhao MZ, Fang YH, Gao C, Hu L (2016) Progress in genetic improvement of grain yield and related physiological traits of Chinese wheat in Henan Province. Field Crops Res 199:117–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng TC, Zhang XK, Yin GH, Wang LN, Han YL, Chen L, Huang F, Tang JW, Xi XC, He ZH (2011) Genetic gains in grain yield, net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance achieved in Henan Province of China between 1981 and 2008. Field Crops Res 122:225–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Y, He ZH, Sui XX, Xia XC, Zhang XK, Zhang GS (2007a) Genetic improvement of grain yield and associated traits in the northern China winter wheat region from 1960 to 2000. Crop Sci 47:245–253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Y, Zhu HZ, Cai CB, He ZH, Zhang XK, Xia XC, Zhang GS (2007b) Genetic improvement of grain yield and associated traits in the southern China winter wheat region: 1949 to 2000. Euphytica 157:465–473

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by the earmarked fund for National Natural Science Foundation of China (31701384, 31571621), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2017 M623258; 2018 T111105).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Xiaoliang Qin and Fan Feng contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agronomy/Key Laboratory of Crop Physi-Ecology and Tillage Science in North-Western Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China

    Xiaoliang Qin, Fan Feng, Xiaoxia Wen & Yuncheng Liao

  2. The UWA Institute of Agriculture and School of Agriculture & Environment, The University of Western Australia, LB 5005, Perth, WA, 6001, Australia

    Kadambot H. M. Siddique

Authors
  1. Xiaoliang Qin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fan Feng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xiaoxia Wen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kadambot H. M. Siddique
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuncheng Liao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuncheng Liao.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Martin Weih.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Qin, X., Feng, F., Wen, X. et al. Historical genetic responses of yield and root traits in winter wheat in the yellow-Huai-Hai River valley region of China due to modern breeding (1948–2012). Plant Soil 439, 7–18 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3832-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3832-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation