Accumulation of biomass and nitrogen during plant growth in highly diverging genotypes of winter wheat

Data are presented on the accumulation of nitrogen and total biomass into wheat plants at different stages in their ontogeny. Five genotypes of highly diverging origin and with widely deviating grain protein contents were cultivated at different nitrogen regimes (ranging between 0 and 150 kg N ha(-1)). Growth curves as polynomials were calculated from representative subsamples of plant material collected from each plot at weekly intervals, commencing early in the vegetative stage and ending at complete maturity. Dry weight and nitrogen contents were determined for above-ground plant parts and for grains, when present, and were expressed per m(2) ground area. During the first 2 years total green areas were estimated as well and leaf area indices (LAIs) calculated and fitted to polynomials. The results from these trials revealed that the two American high-protein genotypes Goertzen 5559 and Frontiersman produced distinctly less biomass (mainly carbohydrates) than the Swedish genotypes Folke, Solid, and Lantvete during the later phases of growth. The lower biomass production of the American types after anthesis appeared to be more due to a decreased photosynthetic activity and less to a decrease in green area. It was also found that the American genotypes had a higher efficiency in remobilizing previously produced and stored assimilates than the modern Swedish cultivars Folke and Solid, which were more dependent on current photosynthesis. With respect to uptake of nitrogen into biomass there was very little variation between the genotypes at the early stages of plant life, but later on clear differences developed between the American and Swedish genotypes. Thus the former accumulated considerably less nitrogen than the latter, but since the differences between the two groups were still more pronounced regarding accumulation of biomass the American types exhibited higher concentrations of nitrogen in total biomass towards the end of the growing season. This higher concentration of N seems to indicate an increased relative ability for the American types to take up nitrogen from the soil during the grain filling phase but it is uncertain whether a causal relationship actually exists with the ability to accumulate protein in the grains. Estimates of the efficiency to redistribute nitrogen to the grain did not show any significant differences between the five genotypes and the most probable explanation for the high grain protein values of the American genotypes therefore seems to be their relatively low production of carbohydrates (and biomass). In a subsequent paper results from a comprehensive field trial concerning grain and straw yields, structural yield components, soil analyses, etc. will be presented which further corroborate these conclusions.