Abstract
Aims
Winter oilseed-rape production is characterized by a low N efficiency, due to low N uptake and insufficient N remobilisation to the seeds. In particular, a reduction of leaf N losses might be one way to improve N efficiency of this crop. It was tested if variations in leaf N losses and in stem residual N amounts at maturity exist between cultivars differing in N efficiency.
Methods
In a 3-year field experiment, four oilseed rape cultivars were cultivated at limiting, medium, and high N supply.
Results
N harvest indices in this study were comparatively high (around 0.79) and leaf N losses amounted to at most 13 kg N ha−1. 86 % of the leaf N present at the beginning of flowering was remobilised, irrespective of N rate or cultivar. Nevertheless, genotypic variation in leaf N loss existed. They were mainly due to differences in leaf N accumulation until flowering. Residual N in stems (up to 33 kg N ha−1) was higher than leaf N losses and varied more between treatments but was not related to genotypic variation in yield.
Conclusions
N uptake after flowering was more important than N remobilisation from vegetative biomass for genotypic variation in seed yield both at low and high N supply.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the staff of the Institute of Plant Breeding, University of Göttingen (Prof. Dr. H. Becker) for their support in carrying out the field experiments. The study was financially supported by the German Research Foundation (HO 931/12, WI 1627/1, FOR 948).
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Ulas, A., Behrens, T., Wiesler, F. et al. Does genotypic variation in nitrogen remobilisation efficiency contribute to nitrogen efficiency of winter oilseed-rape cultivars (Brassica napus L.)?. Plant Soil 371, 463–471 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1688-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1688-y