Strategies to improve photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency with no yield penalty: lessons from late-sown winter wheat

Abstract

HighlightOptimal N allocation at several integration levels accounts for improved canopy PNUE while maintaining high grain yield in winter wheatAbstractImproving canopy photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUE) may maintain or even increase yield with reduced N input. In this study, later-sown winter wheat was studied to reveal the mechanism underlying improved canopy PNUE while maintaining high yield. N allocation at several levels was optimised in late-sown wheat plants. N content per plant increased. Increased N was allocated to the flag leaf and second leaf, and to ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) in upper leaves. Constant or reduced N was allocated to leaf 3, leaf 4, and Rubisco in lower leaves. The specific green leaf area nitrogen (SLN) of upper leaves increased, while that of lower leaves remained unchanged or decreased. N allocation to the cell wall decreased in all leaves. As a result, the maximum carboxylation rate of upper leaves increased, and that of lower leaves remained constant or decreased. CO2 diffusion capacity was enhanced in all leaves. Outperformance by light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (Pmax) over SLN led to improved PNUE in upper leaves. Enhanced Pmax coupled with unchanged or decreased SLN resulted in improved PNUE in lower leaves. High yield was maintained because enhanced photosynthetic capacity at the leaf and whole plant levels compensated for reduced canopy leaf area.