Decorrelating source and sink determinism of nitrogen remobilization during grain filling in wheat

Background and Aims

Nitrogen (N) remobilization is the major source of N for grain filling in wheat, the other being N uptake after anthesis (N_up); however, variations in remobilization efficiency are not fully understood. It is hard to tell whether the source or the sink effects predominate, because N in the culm at anthesis (N_ant) correlates strongly with both N remobilization (N_rem) and grain number (G_n), respectively the main source and the main sink.

Methods

A pot experiment was thus designed to assess the relative contributions of the source and sink to N_rem regulation. Using two cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, ‘Apache’ and ‘Autan’), three pre-anthesis and two post-anthesis N fertilization levels were applied in order to vary the N sources, while ear trimming at anthesis reduced sink size.

Key Results

Unlike results observed at a scale of m², the equation binding N_ant to N_rem exhibited a negative intercept, challenging the concept of nitrogen remobilization efficiency. Before ear trimming, G_n fitted well to N_ant, with a slope dependent on genotype. To obtain a sink variable that was less correlated with N_ant, the difference δG_n was calculated between actual grain number and that which could be predicted from culm N before trimming. A multiple regression then predicted N_rem (r² = 0·95) from N_ant, N_up and δG_n, with fitting unbiased by fertilization treatment, trimming or genotype.

Conclusions

In untrimmed culms, δG_n had a negligible effect, so that N_rem could be fitted to N_ant and N_up only: grain N filling appeared to be determined by sources only (N_ant and N_up), not by sink, and the reduction of N_rem by N_up was quantified. In these ‘normal’ cases, the regulation of N_rem should thus be located within the N sources themselves. In contrast, ear-trimming needs to be considered with caution as it introduced a sink limitation on N_rem; moreover one with an important genotype effect.Key words: Triticum aestivum, winter wheat, source/sink, grain filling, nitrogen uptake, grain number, nitrogen harvest index, nitrogen remobilization efficiency, genotype × environment     

Plastid DNA during grain filling in wheat

During grain filling in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) there is a progressive increase in the number of amyloplasts in the endosperm, as well as in cell number, DNA content and nuclear ploidy as the grain increases in size. The plastid DNA content also rises initially, and then there is a levelling off in the amount, with the percentage plastid DNA finally making up approximately 0.9% of the total endosperm DNA.     

Distribution and remobilization of Zn and Mn during grain development in wheat

Wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Aroona) was grown in siliceoussand with essential nutrients for unlimited growth except forthe following treatments: controls (sufficient Zn and Mn), lowMn (sufficient Zn) and low Zn (sufficient Mn) until anthesis.Replicate plants were harvested at anthesis; the remaining plantswere transferred to a chelate-buffered nutrient solution containingall essential nutrients except Zn and Mn to allow monitoringof the remobilization of existing Zn and Mn reserves withinthe plant. These plants were harvested 14 d post-anthesis andat grain maturity. At each harvest plants were separated intoindividual components. There were no growth differences between any of the treatmentsat the three harvests. Large amounts of Zn and Mn found in theroots and stems at anthesis were rapidly depleted during graindevelopment. The Zn content of the leaves increased from anthesisto 14 d post-anthesis, but then declined. The Mn content ofthe leaves increased throughout grain development in the controlswhilst remaining constant in the plants pre-grown at low Mn.The Zn and Mn content of the glumes, palea and lemma rose inthe controls from anthesis to 14 d post-anthesis; thereafterZn content declined but Mn content continued to increase. TheZn and Mn content of the grain rose sharply toward grain maturity.We conclude that Mn was not remobil-ized from the leaves ofwheat during grain development. Zinc was remobilized from theleaves, especially the flag leaf and from the leaves of thelow Zn plants. The post-anthesis accumulation of Zn and Mn withinthe glumes will be discussed in relation to the transport pathwaythat Zn and Mn use to enter the developing seed. Key words: Zinc, manganese, wheat, distribution, remobilization     

Involvement of abscisic acid and cytokinins in the senescence and remobilization of carbon reserves in wheat subjected to water stress during grain filling

This study investigated the possibility that abscisic acid (ABA) and cytokinins may mediate the effect of water deficit that enhances plant senescence and remobilization of pre‐stored carbon reserves. Two high lodging‐resistant wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars were field grown and treated with either a normal or high amount of nitrogen at heading. Well‐watered (WW) and water‐stressed (WS) treatments were imposed from 9 d post‐anthesis until maturity. Chlorophyll (Chl) and photosynthetic rate (Pr) of the flag leaves declined faster in WS plants than in WW plants, indicating that the water deficit enhanced senescence. Water stress facilitated the reduction of non‐structural carbohydrate in the stems and promoted the re‐allocation of prefixed ¹⁴C from the stems to grains, shortened the grain filling period and increased the grain filling rate. Water stress substantially increased ABA but reduced zeatin (Z) + zeatin riboside (ZR) concentrations in the stems and leaves. ABA correlated significantly and negatively, whereas Z + ZR correlated positively, with Pr and Chl of the flag leaves. ABA but not Z + ZR, was positively and significantly correlated with remobilization of pre‐stored carbon and grain filling rate. Exogenous ABA reduced Chl in the flag leaves, enhanced the remobilization, and increased grain filling rate. Spraying with kinetin had the opposite effect. The results suggest that both ABA and cytokinins are involved in controlling plant senescence, and an enhanced carbon remobilization and accelerated grain filling rate are attributed to an elevated ABA level in wheat plants when subjected to water stress.     

Phosphorus remobilization from rice flag leaves during grain filling: an RNA‐seq study

The physiology and molecular regulation of phosphorus (P) remobilization from vegetative tissues to grains during grain filling is poorly understood, despite the pivotal role it plays in the global P cycle. To test the hypothesis that a subset of genes involved in the P starvation response are involved in remobilization of P from flag leaves to developing grains, we conducted an RNA‐seq analysis of rice flag leaves during the preremobilization phase (6 DAA) and when the leaves were acting as a P source (15 DAA). Several genes that respond to phosphate starvation, including three purple acid phosphatases (OsPAP3, OsPAP9b and OsPAP10a), were significantly up‐regulated at 15 DAA, consistent with a role in remobilization of P from flag leaves during grain filling. A number of genes that have not been implicated in the phosphate starvation response, OsPAP26, SPX‐MFS1 (a putative P transporter) and SPX‐MFS2, also showed expression profiles consistent with involvement in P remobilization from senescing flag leaves. Metabolic pathway analysis using the KEGG system suggested plastid membrane lipid synthesis is a critical process during the P remobilization phase. In particular, the up‐regulation of OsPLDz2 and OsSQD2 at 15 DAA suggested phospholipids were being degraded and replaced by other lipids to enable continued cellular function while liberating P for export to developing grains. Three genes associated with RNA degradation that have not previously been implicated in the P starvation response also showed expression profiles consistent with a role in P mobilization from senescing flag leaves.     

Effect of N source during soybean pod filling on nitrogen and sulfur assimilation and remobilization

During pod filling, a grain legume remobilizes vegetative nitrogen and sulfur to its developing fruit. This study was conducted to determine whether different nitrogen sources affected N and S assimilation and remobilization during pod filling. Well-nodulated plants fed 1.0 mM KNO₃, 0.5 mM urea, or 2.5 mM urea assimilated 0%, 37%, or 114% more N, respectively, and 25%, 46%, or 56% more S, respectively, than did the average non-nodulated control plant fed 5.0 mM KNO₃. Thus, N source during pod filling greatly affected both N and S assimilation. Depending upon N source, plant N concentration during pod filling decreased from 2.96% to between 1.36% and 1.82%. Non-nodulated control plants fed 5.0 mM KNO₃ had the highest residual N at harvest. During the same treatments, plant S concentration decreased from 0.246% to a relatively uniform 0.215%. Thus, during pod filling, vegetative N was seemingly remobilized more efficiently (38–54%) than was S (13%). N source also affected seed yield and seed quality. Non-nodulated control plants fed 5.0 mM KNO₃ produced the lowest yield (21.1 g seeds plant^-1), whereas well nodulated plants fed 1.0 mM KNO₃, 0.5 mM urea, or 2.5 mM urea produced yields of 26.2 g, 31.8 g, and 36.7 g seeds plant^-1, respectively. Non-nodulated plants fed 2.5 mM urea yielded 28.6 g of seeds plant^-1. Seed N concentrations of non-nodulated plants and nodulated plants fed 2.5 mM urea were high, 6.30% and 6.11% N, respectively, whereas their seed S concentrations were low, 0.348% and 0.330% S, respectively. N sources that produced both a relatively high seed yield and seed N concentration (i.e., a relatively high total seed N plant^-1) produced a proportionately smaller increase in total seed sulfur. Consequently, seed quality, as judged solely by seed S concentration, was lowered.     

Dynamics of light and nitrogen distribution during grain filling within wheat canopy

In monocarpic species, during the reproductive stage the growing grains represent a strong sink for nitrogen (N) and trigger N remobilization from the vegetative organs, which decreases canopy photosynthesis and accelerates leaf senescence. The spatiotemporal distribution of N in a reproductive canopy has not been described in detail. Here, we investigated the role of the local light environment on the spatiotemporal distribution of leaf lamina N mass per unit leaf area (SLN) during grain filling of field-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum). In addition, in order to provide some insight into the coordination of N depletion between the different vegetative organs, N dynamics were studied for individual leaf laminae, leaf sheaths, internodes, and chaff of the top fertile culms. At the canopy scale, SLN distribution paralleled the light gradient below the flag leaf collar until almost the end of grain filling. On the contrary, the significant light gradient along the flag leaf lamina was not associated with a SLN gradient. Within the top fertile culms, the time course of total (alive + necrotic tissues) N concentration of the different laminae and sheaths displayed a similar pattern. Another common pattern was observed for internodes and chaff. During the period of no root N uptake, N depletion of individual laminae and sheaths followed a first-order kinetics independent of leaf age, genotype, or N nutrition. The results presented here show that during grain filling, N dynamics are integrated at the culm scale and strongly depend on the local light conditions determined by the canopy structure.     

A germin-like protein of wheat leaf apoplast inhibits serine proteases

A protein resistant to heat and proteolysis that inhibits serine proteases was isolated from wheat leaf apoplasts. Based on trypsin inhibition, its more active form was a 66-69 kDa oligomer. It was dissociated in an 18-21 kDa monomer having an amino terminal sequence identical to the Box A of germins and germin-like proteins. Like these proteins, it was glycosylated and showed manganese superoxide dismutase activity. The monomer displayed three forms when examined by 2D western blot: two of 19 kDa, pI 5.8 and 6.2; and one of 21 kDa, pI 5.8. It was found that the protein controls serine protease activity in the apoplast of plants challenged with the fungus Septoria tritici.     

Interactions between polyamines and ethylene during grain filling in wheat grown under water deficit conditions

This study was to test the hypothesis that polyamines (PAs) and ethylene may be involved in mediating the effect of water deficit on grain filling. Two wheat cultivars, drought-tolerant Shannong16 (SN16) and drought-sensitive Jimai22 (JM22), were used and subjected to well-watered and severe water deficit (SD) during grain filling. SD reduced the weight of superior and inferior grains, by 7.38 and 23.54 % in JM22, 13.8 and 2.2 % in SN16, respectively. Higher free-spermidine (Spd) and free-spermine (Spm) concentration and lower free-putrescine (Put) concentration, ethylene evolution rate (EER) and 1-aminocylopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) concentration were found in superior grains than those in inferior ones. Opposite to the variations of Spd and Spm concentration, ACC, Put concentration and EER were significantly increased under SD. The percentage variation of PAs and ACC differed with cultivars and grain types. ACC concentration of superior and inferior grains under SD increased significantly at 21 days post-anthesis, by 90 and 164 % in JM22, 65 and 13.2 % in SN16, respectively. The equivalent value of Put concentration was 1.04 and 7.9 % in JM22, 34.4 and 10.3 % in SN16. Spd concentration of superior grains showed a higher decrease than that of inferior ones in both cultivars, while Spm exhibited an opposite trend between both grain types. These percentage variations were highly consistent with the differed responses of weight of both grain types to SD in JM22 and SN16. Grain filling rate was negatively correlated with EER and ACC concentration, while positively correlated with Spd and Spm concentration as well as the ratio of Spd or Spm to ACC. Exogenous Spd or aminoethoxyvinylglycine (an inhibitor of ethylene synthesis by inhibiting ACC synthesis) obviously reduced ACC concentration and EER and increased Spd and Spm concentration, while exogenous ethephon (an ethylene-releasing agent) or methylglyoxal-bis (an inhibitor of Spd and Spm synthesis) showed the opposite effects. The results suggested that it would be good for wheat to have the physiological traits of higher Spd and Spm, as well as a higher Spd/ACC or Spm/ACC, under SD.     

灌浆期高温和水分逆境对冬小麦籽粒蛋白质和淀粉含量的影响

灌浆期高温和水分逆境是影响小麦籽粒产量和品质的关键气候因子。以扬麦9号、徐州26和豫麦34三个小麦品种为材料,利用人工气候室模拟灌浆期高温和水分胁迫环境,研究了花后高温及温度和水分互作对小麦籽粒蛋白质和淀粉形成的影响。结果表明,高温显著提高了小麦籽粒蛋白质含量及清蛋白、球蛋白和醇溶蛋白含量,但降低了谷蛋白含量,导致麦谷蛋白／醇溶蛋白比值降低。高温显著降低了籽粒总淀粉和支链淀粉含量及支／直比。籽粒蛋白质和淀粉及其组分形成所需的适宜昼夜温差随小麦品质类型而异,但温度水平对籽粒蛋白质和淀粉的影响较温差大。在高温和水分逆境下,温度对籽粒蛋白质和淀粉含量的影响较水分逆境大,且存在显著的互作效应。小麦籽粒蛋白质含量均表现为干旱〉对照〉渍水,以高温干旱最高,适温渍水最低;淀粉含量为对照〉干旱〉渍水,以适温对照最高,而高温渍水最低。高温和水分逆境显著提高了籽粒醇溶蛋白含量而降低了谷蛋白含量及支链淀粉含量,使蛋白质谷／醇比和淀粉支／直比降低,以高温渍水对籽粒蛋白质和淀粉组分的影响最为显著。不同品种之间,高蛋白小麦籽粒蛋白质和组分的形成受高温和水分逆境的影响更大,而低蛋白品种籽粒淀粉形成显著受温度和水分逆境的调节。分析表明,在高温和水分逆境下籽粒蛋白质含量与清蛋白和醇溶蛋白显著正相关,籽粒淀粉含量与谷蛋白、支链淀粉含量及支／直比显著正相关。     

QTLs for enzyme activities and soluble carbohydrates involved in starch accumulation during grain filling in maize

ADPglucose, the essential substrate for starch synthesis, is synthesized in maize by a pathway involving at least invertases, sucrose synthase, and ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase, as shown by the starch-deficient mutants, mn1, sh1, and bt2 or sh2, respectively. To improve understanding of the relationship between early grain-filling traits and carbohydrate composition in mature grain, QTLs linked to soluble invertase, sucrose synthase, and ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase activities and to starch, sucrose, fructose, and glucose concentrations were investigated. In order to take into account the specific time-course of each enzyme activity during grain filling, sampling was carried out at three periods (15, 25, and 35 d after pollination) on 100 lines from a recombinant inbred family, grown in the field. The MQTL method associated with QTL interaction analysis revealed numerous QTLs for all traits, but only one QTL was consistently observed at the three sampling periods. Some chromosome zones were heavily labelled, forming clusters of QTLs. Numerous possible candidate genes of the starch synthetic pathway co-located with QTLs. Four QTLs were found close to the locus Sh1 (bin 9.01) coding for the sucrose synthase. In order to confirm the importance of this locus, the CAPS polymorphism of the Sh1 gene was analysed in 45 genetically unrelated maize lines from various geographical origins. The DNA polymorphism was significantly associated with phenotypic traits related to grain filling (starch and amylose content, grain matter, and ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase activity at 35 DAP). Thus, the Sh1 locus could provide a physiologically pertinent marker for maize selection.     

氮硫配施对冬小麦籽粒灌浆特性及产量的影响

采用二元二次正交旋转组合设计,通过田间试验研究了关中地区氮硫配施条件下冬小麦籽粒灌浆特性及产量效应.结果表明：在氮硫配施条件下,小麦籽粒灌浆进程呈“慢 快 慢”的S型曲线.在N₂（108 kg·hm^-2）和N₄（267 kg·hm^-2）水平下,籽粒灌浆持续期、理论最大粒重和平均灌浆速率等籽粒灌浆参数均随施硫量的增加而下降;在S₂（97.5 kg·hm^-2）和S₄（202.5 kg·hm^-2）水平下,增加氮肥用量可以提高籽粒灌浆参数;而在N₃（187.5 kg·hm^-2）或S₃（150 kg·hm^-2）水平下,各灌浆参数随施硫量或施氮量的增加先升高后降低.花后25 d之前,各处理灌浆速率上升趋势相同;开花25 d后,各处理灌浆速率呈现不同的下降趋势.在N₃或S₃水平下,灌浆速率下降趋势随施硫量或施氮量的增加先减缓后加速.可见,适宜的氮硫配施水平能提高穗密度、延长有效灌浆时间、提高灌浆速率,从而增加籽粒产量.从肥料效应函数可得,在高施氮量（178.31～256.36 kg·hm^-2）和中等施硫量（131.95～167.65 kg·hm^-2）条件下,冬小麦产量可超过平均产量（3753 kg·hm^-2）.     

Abscisic acid and ethylene interact in wheat grains in response to soil drying during grain filling

Grain filling is an intensive transportation process regulated by soil drying and plant hormones. This study investigated how the interaction between abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene is involved in mediating the effects of soil drying on grain filling in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Two wheat cultivars, cv. Yangmai 6 and cv. Yangmai 11, were field-grown, and three irrigation treatments, well-watered, moderately soil-dried (MD) and severely soil-dried (SD), were imposed from 9 d post anthesis until maturity. A higher ABA concentration and lower concentrations of ethylene and 1-aminocylopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) were found in superior grains (within a spike, those grains that were filled earlier and reached a greater size) than in inferior grains (within a spike, those grains that were filled later and were smaller), and were associated with a higher filling rate in the superior grains. An increase in ABA concentration and reductions in ethylene and ACC concentrations in grains under MD conditions increased the grain-filling rate, whereas much higher ethylene, ACC and ABA concentrations under SD conditions reduced the grain-filling rate. Application of chemical regulators gave similar results. The results did not differ between the two cultivars. The grain-filling rate in wheat is mediated by the balance between ABA and ethylene in the grains, and an increase in the ratio of ABA to ethylene increases the grain-filling rate.     

Spatial distribution of proteins and metabolites in developing wheat grain and their differential regulatory response during the grain filling process

Grain filling and grain development are essential biological processes in the plant’s life cycle, eventually contributing to the final seed yield and quality in all cereal crops. Studies of how the different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain components contribute to the overall development of the seed are very scarce. We performed a proteomics and metabolomics analysis in four different developing components of the wheat grain (seed coat, embryo, endosperm, and cavity fluid) to characterize molecular processes during early and late grain development. In-gel shotgun proteomics analysis at 12, 15, 20, and 26 days after anthesis (DAA) revealed 15 484 identified and quantified proteins, out of which 410 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the seed coat, 815 in the embryo, 372 in the endosperm, and 492 in the cavity fluid. The abundance of selected protein candidates revealed spatially and temporally resolved protein functions associated with development and grain filling. Multiple wheat protein isoforms involved in starch synthesis such as sucrose synthases, starch phosphorylase, granule-bound and soluble starch synthase, pyruvate phosphate dikinase, 14-3-3 proteins as well as sugar precursors undergo a major tissue-dependent change in abundance during wheat grain development suggesting an intimate interplay of starch biosynthesis control. Different isoforms of the protein disulfide isomerase family as well as glutamine levels, both involved in the glutenin macropolymer pattern, showed distinct spatial and temporal abundance, revealing their specific role as indicators of wheat gluten quality. Proteins binned into the functional category of cell growth/division and protein synthesis/degradation were more abundant in the early stages (12 and 15 DAA). At the metabolome level all tissues and especially the cavity fluid showed highly distinct metabolite profiles. The tissue-specific data are integrated with biochemical networks to generate a comprehensive map of molecular processes during grain filling and developmental processes.     

Planting density effects on assimilation and partitioning of photosynthates during grain filling in the late-sown wheat

Leaf blades of the late-sown winter wheat produced the major portion, i.e., more than 60 %, of the total ¹⁴C-photosynthates at grain filling, but ear (rachis and glumes) only about 15 %, sheaths about 11 %, and stem internodes about 11 %. The change of plant density in this experiment had little influence on the ¹⁴CO2-photoassimilation of the ear (rachis and glumes), flag leaf lamina, sheaths and stem internodes, but markedly affected photosynthesis of the second, the third and lower leaves. The photosynthetic rate [expressed as specific radioactivity, s-¹ kg-¹(d.m.)] and the amount of ¹⁴CO₂ photosynthates decreased significantly in the second, the third and other lower leaves at a high plant density. Upon grain-filling of the late-sown wheat, the grain was the major importer of photosynthates. Yet partitioning to the stem internodes depended on the plant density. Stem was the importer of photosynthates at a low plant density, but the exporter at a high plant density. In plants at a low plant density a fairly large proportion of photosynthates was distributed into the roots. The middle and lower above-ground parts of the late-sown wheat at a high plant density decreased or lost their function early. As a result, the plant senesced earlier. However, the grain setting, filling and yielding were restricted. An appropriately low plant density was suitable for prolonging the function of the middle and lower organs, delaying the senescence of plant, increasing the source supply for grain filling, and improving the grain yield. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Enhanced expression of serine proteases during floral senescence in Gladiolus

Programmed cell death during senescence in plants is associated with proteolysis that helps in remobilization of nitrogen to other growing tissues. In this paper, we provide one of the few reports for the expression of specific serine proteases during senescence associated proteolysis in Gladiolus grandiflorus flowers. Senescence in tepals, stamens and carpels results in an increase in total protease activity and a decrease in total protein content. Of the total protease activity, serine proteases account for about 67-70% while cysteine proteases account for only 23-25%. In-gel assays using gelatin as a substrate and specific protease inhibitors reveal the enhanced activity of two trypsin-type serine proteases of sizes 75 kDa and 125 kDa during the course of senescence. The activity of the 125 kDa protease increases not only during tepal senescence but also during stamen and carpel senescence indicating that it is responsive to general senescence signals.     

Activities of fructan- and sucrose-metabolizing enzymes in wheat stems subjected to water stress during grain filling

This study investigated if a controlled water deficit during grain filling of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) could accelerate grain filling by facilitating the remobilization of carbon reserves in the stem through regulating the enzymes involved in fructan and sucrose metabolism. Two high lodging-resistant wheat cultivars were grown in pots and treated with either a normal (NN) or high amount of nitrogen (HN) at heading time. Plants were either well-watered (WW) or water-stressed (WS) from 9 days post anthesis until maturity. Leaf water potentials markedly decreased at midday as a result of water stress but completely recovered by early morning. Photosynthetic rate and zeatin + zeatin riboside concentrations in the flag leaves declined faster in WS plants than in WW plants, and they decreased more slowly with HN than with NN when soil water potential was the same, indicating that the water deficit enhanced, whereas HN delayed, senescence. Water stress, both at NN and HN, facilitated the reduction in concentration of total nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) and fructans in the stems but increased the sucrose level there, promoted the re-allocation of pre-fixed ¹⁴C from the stems to grains, shortened the grain-filling period, and accelerated the grain-filling rate. Grain weight and grain yield were increased under the controlled water deficit when HN was applied. Fructan exohydrolase (FEH; EC 3.2.1.80) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS; EC 2.4.1.14) activities were substantially enhanced by water stress and positively correlated with the total NSC and fructan remobilization from the stems. Acid invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) activity was also enhanced by the water stress and associated with the change in fructan concentration, but not correlated with the total NSC remobilization and ¹⁴C increase in the grains. Sucrose:sucrose fructosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.99) activity was inhibited by the water stress and negatively correlated with the remobilization of carbon reserves. Sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13) activity in the stems decreased sharply during grain filling and showed no significant difference between WW and WS treatments. Abscisic acid (ABA) concentration in the stem was remarkably enhanced by water stress and significantly correlated with SPS and FEH activities. Application of ABA to WW plants yielded similar results to those for WS plants. The results suggest that the increased remobilization of carbon reserves by water stress is attributable to the enhanced FEH and SPS activities in wheat stems, and that ABA plays a vital role in the regulation of the key enzymes involved in fructan and sucrose metabolism.Abbreviations ABA Abscisic acid - DAS Days after sowing - DPA Days post anthesis - ESC Ethanol-soluble carbohydrate - FEH Fructan exohydrolase - HN High amount of nitrogen - INV Invertase - NN Normal amount of nitrogen - NSC Nonstructural carbohydrate - _leaf Leaf water potential - _soil Soil water potential - Pr Photosynthetic rate - SPS Sucrose phosphate synthase - SS Sucrose synthase - SST Sucrose:sucrose fructosyltransferase - V_limit Limiting substrate - V_max Saturated substrate - WS Water stressed - WSC Water-soluble carbohydrate - WW Well watered - Z Zeatin - ZR Zeatin riboside     

超大穗小麦籽粒灌浆特性研究

超大穗小麦是小麦超高产育种的宝贵资源,通过去穗处理,对不同类型的超大穗小麦灌浆特性进行了方程拟合及参数分析,结果表明：①百粒重的增重进程,在不同处理间无显著差异,不同品系间差异明显;②单株粒重的增重进程,在不同处理间、不同品系间都表现出显著差异,不同处理间更为突出;③对灌浆参数分析,超大穗小麦的最大灌浆速度与对照基本一致,但灌浆期显著的长,８６（３０６）达５０d,90(151)43d,而对照小偃６号、咸农１５１分别为４０d,35d。依次配合相应的栽培技术,可有效的发挥超大穗小麦产量潜力。