Abstract: In order to elucidate the effects of horizontal distribution of individuals in a population on regulation of uptake of water and nutrients of the plants as well as the light interception property of the canopy in wheat cultivated under water-saving condition, two planting patterns including row distance of 15 cm (control) and a narrowed row distance (7.5 cm of row distance) were set up; plant growth traits and those at population level under different planting treatments were measured based on regular approaches for analyzing plant growth traits; nutrient uptake and accumulation properties were assessed by using conventional nutrient assay methods; leaf photosynthetic parameters were determined using the photosynthesis assay system; yield traits of winter wheat cultivated under the water-saving conditions were analyzed based on regular yield determination methods. Under same planting density, the narrowed row treatment significantly increased population tiller amounts, leaf area index, and spike amounts, elevated the dry mass amounts at various growth stages, and enhanced the uptake capacity and accumulative amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Meantime, the plants under narrowed row treatment also displayed the chlorophyll contents and photosynthetic functions of the upper leaves in tested wheat cultivars during various growth stages. These processes led to the enhanced yields compared with control. Together, our investigation indicated that suitably reduced row distance could improve the yield formation capacity of winter wheat cultivated under water-saving conditions, which was largely ascribed to the effects in increasing the nutrient taken up capacity, photosynthetic function efficiency, and the formation of population spike amounts.

Key words: Winter wheat, Narrowed row pattern, Plant growth traits, Nutrient accumulation, Yield traits

CLC Number: 

• S512.01