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Tolerant pearlmillet (Pennisetumglaucum(L.) R. Br.) varieties to low soil P have higher transpiration efficiency and lower flowering delay than sensitive ones

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/8995/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2338-8
 
Title Tolerant pearlmillet (Pennisetumglaucum(L.) R. Br.) varieties to low soil P have higher transpiration efficiency and lower flowering delay than sensitive ones
 
Creator Beggi, F
Falalou, H
Buerkert, A
Vadez, V
 
Subject Millets
Soil Science
 
Description Background and aim In the West African Sahel low soil
phosphorus (P) and unpredictable rainfall are major
interacting constraints to growth and grain yield of pearl
millet. Investigating the relationship between transpiration
and final yield under the combined effect of water and P
stress is fundamental to understand the underlying mechanisms of tolerance and improve breeding programs.
Methods We conducted two lysimeter trials using 1 m
long PVC tubes (35 cm diameter) filled with a P poor
Sahelian soil mimicking soil profiles to assess grain and
stover yield, and water use of 15 pearl millet genotypes
grown under different P (no P supply or addition of 1.5 g
P tube−1) and water (well watered or terminal water
stress) regimes. In experiment 2 transpiration was measured
twice a week from tube weight differences, and
transpiration efficiency (TE) was calculated as dry matter
(DM) produced per kg of water transpired.Results Low soil P delayed flowering, and more so in
sensitive genotypes. Later flowering of genotypes sensitive
to low P made them more sensitive to terminal
water stress. Under P limiting soil, genotypes tolerant
and sensitive to low P used similar amounts of water
(19.8 and 21.7 kg water plant−1, respectively). However,
tolerant lines transpired less water prior to anthesis
(8.8 kg water plant−1) leaving more water available for
grain filling (11 kg water plant−1) while sensitive lines
used 14.4 kg water plant−1 pre-anthesis, leaving only
7.2 kg water plant−1 for grain filling. Low soil P decreased
grain yield by affecting seed size at harvest and
its damage during seed filling overrode the effect of seed
size at sowing. Grain yield was positively correlated
with water extracted after anthesis. TE was enhanced
by P supply, especially in sensitive lines, and TE was
higher in tolerant than in sensitive genotypes under low
soil P. Conclusions Pearl millet plants tolerant to low P were more resistant to the delay of flowering caused by low P soil and they presented higher transpiration efficiency.
The pattern of transpiration was important to cope with
terminal water stress under different levels of P availability. Higher transpiration after anthesis, resulting
from conservative water mechanism pre-anthesis
(higher TE) and possibly by a shorter delay in flowering
under low soil P, enhanced grain yield.
 
Publisher Springer International Publishing
 
Date 2015
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Rights —
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/8995/1/PlantSoil_389_1_89%E2%80%93108_2015.pdf
Beggi, F and Falalou, H and Buerkert, A and Vadez, V (2015) Tolerant pearlmillet (Pennisetumglaucum(L.) R. Br.) varieties to low soil P have higher transpiration efficiency and lower flowering delay than sensitive ones. Plant and Soil, 389 (1). pp. 89-108. ISSN 0032-079X