Affiliation:
1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
2. Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
3. Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada
Abstract
Plants exhibit differential behaviours through changes in biomass development and distribution in response to environmental cues, which may impact crops uniquely. We conducted a mesocosm experiment in pots to determine the root and shoot behavioural responses of wheat, T. aestivum. Plants were grown in homogeneous or heterogeneous and heavily or lightly fertilized soil, and alone or with a neighbour of the same or different genetic identity (cultivars: CDC Titanium, Carberry, Glenn, Go Early, and Lillian). Contrary to predictions, wheat did not alter relative reproductive effort in the presence of neighbours, more nutrients, or homogenous soil. Above and below ground, the plants’ tendency to use potentially shared space exhibited high levels of plasticity. Above ground, they generally avoided shared, central aerial space when grown with neighbours. Unexpectedly, nutrient amount and distribution also impacted shoots; plants that grew in fertile or homogenous environments increased shared space use. Below ground, plants grown with related neighbours indicated no difference in neighbour avoidance. Those in homogenous soil produced relatively even roots, and plants in heterogeneous treatments produced more roots in nutrient patches. Additionally, less fertile soil resulted in pot-level decreases in root foraging precision. Our findings illustrate that explicit coordination between above- and belowground biomass in wheat may not exist.
Funder
NSERC Discovery Grants
Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund, Alberta Wheat Commission, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Western Grains Research Foundation Endowment Fund
Core Program Check-off funds
Alberta Graduate Excellence Award
Subject
Plant Science,Ecology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
2 articles.
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