Comparative effect of salinity on growth, grain yield, water use efficiency, δ13C and δ15N of landraces and improved durum wheat varieties. (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chamekh, Zoubeir; Ayadi, Sawsen; Karmous, Chahine; Trifa, Youssef; Amara, Hajer; Boudabbous, Khaoula; Yousfi, Salima; Serret, Maria Dolors; Araus, José Luis
• Is Part Of: Plant science. Volume 251(2016:Oct.)
• Page Start: 44
• Page End: 53
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: Durum wheat -- Grain yield -- Salinity -- Water use efficiency -- δ13C -- δ15N; Botany -- Periodicals; Botanique -- Périodiques; 580
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2016.07.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0168-9452

Abstract

Highlights: Genotypic performance of durum wheat to salinity was studied under field conditions. Yield and WUE was higher in modern lines than landraces regardless salinity level. Modern lines exhibited shorter cycle and lower kernel δ 13 C and N than landraces. Kernel δ 13 C was negatively correlated with grain yield and WUE across genotypes. Abstract: Supplemental irrigation with low-quality water will be paramount in Mediterranean agriculture in the future, where durum wheat is a major crop. Breeding for salinity tolerance may contribute towards improving resilience to irrigation with brackish water. However, identification of appropriate phenotyping traits remains a bottleneck in breeding. A set of 25 genotypes, including 19 landraces and 6 improved varieties most cultivated in Tunisia, were grown in the field and irrigated with brackish water (6, 13 and 18 dSm −1 ). Improved genotypes exhibited higher grain yield (GY) and water use efficiency at the crop level (WUEyield or 'water productivity'), shorter days to flowering (DTF), lower N concentration (N) and carbon isotope composition (δ 13 C) in mature kernels and lower nitrogen isotope composition (δ 15 N) in the flag leaf compared with landraces. GY was negatively correlated with DTF and the δ 13 C and N of mature kernels and was positively correlated with the δ 15 N of the flag leaf. Moreover, δ 13 C of mature kernels was negatively correlated with WUEyield . The results highlight the importance of shorter phenology together with photosynthetic resilience to salt-induced water stress (lower δ 13 C) and nitrogen metabolism (higher N and δ 15 N) for assessing genotypic performance to salinity.