Table 3.
The effect of optimizing N application on ear fruiting traits (average value of 2020 and 2021) and yield of wheat.
| N fertilization |
Ratio of basal to topdressing | Fruiting spikelets per ear | Sterile spikelets at the top | Sterile spikelets at the bottom | Grains per ear | Grain weight per ear (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | T1 | 12.19 ± 0.57 d | 0.60 ± 0.04 a | 1.92 ± 0.06 a | 27.93 ± 1.04 c | 1.03 ± 0.08 e |
| T2 | 13.37 ± 0.45 cd | 0.53 ± 0.04 bc | 1.79 ± 0.08 abc | 28.53 ± 0.77 c | 1.08 ± 0.07 de | |
| T3 | 13.17 ± 0.89 cd | 0.54 ± 0.03 b | 1.83 ± 0.08 ab | 28.07 ± 0.60 c | 1.06 ± 0.05 e | |
| N2 | T1 | 13.86 ± 0.90 bc | 0.50 ± 0.03 bcd | 1.73 ± 0.08 bc | 30.71 ± 1.25 b | 1.19 ± 0.05 cd |
| T2 | 14.48 ± 0.52 bc | 0.46 ± 0.03 def | 1.66 ± 0.09 cde | 31.89 ± 1.24 ab | 1.26 ± 0.05 abc | |
| T3 | 14.10 ± 1.34 bc | 0.48 ± 0.04 cde | 1.69 ± 0.07 bcd | 31.57 ± 2.31 ab | 1.24 ± 0.07 bc | |
| N3 | T1 | 15.24 ± 0.23 ab | 0.43 ± 0.04 efg | 1.58 ± 0.09 def | 32.22 ± 1.43 ab | 1.30 ± 0.05 abc |
| T2 | 16.59 ± 0.90 a | 0.39 ± 0.03 g | 1.51 ± 0.06 f | 33.11 ± 0.76 a | 1.36 ± 0.05 a | |
| T3 | 16.18 ± 0.69 a | 0.40 ± 0.02 fg | 1.53 ± 0.05 ef | 32.75 ± 0.77 ab | 1.34 ± 0.08 ab | |
| Imperfect grains per ear | Fruiting rate per ear (%) | Grain filling rate per ear (mg·d-1) |
Yield in 2020 (kg·ha-1) |
Yield in 2021 (kg·ha-1) |
||
| N1 | T1 | 2.45 ± 0.12 a | 86.41 ± 0.80 e | 36.79 ± 2.14 d | 4300.73 ± 50.86 e | 4386.27 ± 43.52 d |
| T2 | 2.26 ± 0.12 b | 88.38 ± 1.86 cde | 38.57 ± 2.74 d | 4378.07 ± 20.91 e | 4427.80 ± 60.60 d | |
| T3 | 2.28 ± 0.09 ab | 87.72 ± 1.16 de | 37.98 ± 2.58 d | 4322.60 ± 38.07 e | 4404.77 ± 86.37 d | |
| N2 | T1 | 2.03 ± 0.08 c | 89.50 ± 0.96 bcd | 42.38 ± 2.51 c | 5444.83 ± 46.90 d | 5423.60 ± 54.85 c |
| T2 | 1.88 ± 0.09 cd | 90.77 ± 1.40 ab | 44.88 ± 3.77 bc | 5566.50 ± 49.19 c | 5548.87 ± 69.08 b | |
| T3 | 1.92 ± 0.10 c | 90.15 ± 1.40 bc | 44.17 ± 2.78 bc | 5516.57 ± 71.00 cd | 5493.80 ± 78.71 bc | |
| N3 | T1 | 1.74 ± 0.12 de | 91.60 ± 1.30 ab | 46.31 ± 2.03 ab | 5814.80 ± 100.25 b | 5894.17 ± 86.70 a |
| T2 | 1.60 ± 0.08 e | 92.99 ± 1.24 a | 48.69 ± 1.95 a | 5995.53 ± 111.67 a | 5963.50 ± 72.98 a | |
| T3 | 1.64 ± 0.08 e | 92.59 ± 1.42 a | 47.86 ± 2.07 ab | 5917.73 ± 53.19 ab | 5930.30 ± 80.24 a | |
values were means ± SD. Means followed by different letters in the same column indicated significant difference within the same year under the treatments of three N levels and three N topdressing ratios by Duncan test (ANOVA) at the 5% level. Three N fertilization levels: N1, 120 kg ha-1; N2, 180 kg ha-1; and N3, 240 kg ha-1. Three N topdressing ratios: T1, 7:3; T2, 6:4; and T3, 5:5.