A method for regulating the growth of wheat

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of wheat growth regulation, and particularly relates to a wheat growth regulation method. In view of the technical problem of negative correlation between the growth cycle and yield of wheat, a new method for cultivating wheat is provided. The present application sprays putrescine on the wheat ear, which can effectively shorten the growth cycle of wheat while ensuring the stability of effective tiller number, thousand-grain weight and ear grain number, and avoiding yield loss. The mechanism of action of putrescine may match the endogenous putrescine metabolism characteristics of wheat, realize the synergy of growth regulation and yield maintenance, and effectively improve the protein content.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of wheat regulation, specifically relating to a method for regulating wheat growth. Background Technology

[0002] Against the backdrop of global climate change, wheat production faces multiple challenges. On the one hand, frequent extreme weather events such as torrential rains and high temperatures before wheat harvest can easily lead to problems such as sprouting of ears and insufficient grain filling, resulting in a sharp reduction in yield and deterioration in quality. On the other hand, as an important rotation crop, wheat needs to be efficiently linked with crops such as rice and corn, and its growth period needs to be flexibly adjusted to make room for subsequent crops and increase the total annual yield of cultivated land.

[0003] Current technologies often regulate yield by breeding early-maturing varieties or by applying water and fertilizer treatments. However, the early-maturing varieties currently being developed are highly dependent on specific varieties, and their adaptability to different regions and robustness to extreme climates are relatively low. While water and fertilizer treatments, such as reducing water and fertilizer use or delaying sowing, can be independent of crop variety, they generally lead to problems such as a reduction in the number of effective tillers, a decrease in the number of grains per ear, and a significant reduction in total yield. For example, if sown 45 days later, the yield is only 26%-36% of that in the field.

[0004] As an endogenous polyamine, putrescine has been almost entirely absent from research on its application in crop growth regulation. Its directional regulatory role in regulating wheat growth cycle and maintaining yield and quality is currently unclear, and there is a lack of clear application concentration, timing, and scenario adaptation schemes, which cannot meet the needs of large-scale production under different cultivation scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for regulating wheat growth.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows: with the "first spray after flowering" as the core operation, and in special scenarios such as tight rotation time or extreme climate stress, an additional spray of the same specification of putrescine can be applied to form a control mode of "1 basic spray + 1 emergency supplementary spray", which not only ensures the control effect in conventional scenarios, but also adapts to special cultivation needs.

[0007] This invention offers the following advantages: For the first time, this invention discovers that spraying putrescine on the wheat spike and flag leaf can effectively shorten the wheat growth cycle while maintaining stable effective tiller number, thousand-grain weight, and number of grains per spike, thus avoiding yield loss. The mechanism of action of putrescine may match the metabolic characteristics of endogenous putrescine in wheat, achieving synergistic effects between growth regulation and yield maintenance, and effectively increasing protein content. The method provided by this invention overcomes two major challenges in wheat growth regulation: the negative correlation between shortened wheat growth time, especially the shortened grain-filling period, and yield, and the negative correlation between yield traits and protein content.

[0008] This invention offers precise growth regulation: the regulation effect is stable and consistent across multiple indoor and outdoor scenarios and different varieties; it has a wide range of applications: suitable for various scenarios such as field cultivation, plant factories, and facility cultivation; it is easy to operate, has low cost, is compatible with multiple varieties, requires no complex equipment investment, and is easy to scale up. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This image shows wheat plants and grains 27 days after flowering, treated with water and putrescine as described in the present invention, using Zhongke Nuomai 258.

[0010] Figure 2 The image shows spikelets and grains of Zhongkemai 181 31 days after flowering, after being sprayed with water and putrescine in the field according to the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the protein, free putrescine, bound putrescine, and restricted putrescine content of mature wheat seeds after spraying with water and putrescine in the field according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0012] This invention provides a method that can effectively shorten the entire growth period of wheat and improve wheat yield (including thousand-grain weight, tiller number, and number of grains per spike) and quality (including grain protein content). The method includes: spraying a putrescine aqueous solution (from top to bottom) onto the wheat spike and flag leaf after flowering. The concentration of putrescine applied is 1.5–2.5 mM, and the application rate is 200–350 mL / m². 2 There are approximately 100 wheat plants per square meter, and each plant is sprayed with an average of 2 to 3.5 mL of solution. The spraying is mainly done by using a sprayer to spray from top to bottom, targeting the ears and flag leaves, i.e., the upper layer of the wheat.

[0013] When crop rotation is urgent or extreme weather occurs, a supplementary spray of the same concentration and dosage of putrescine solution can be applied. Urgent crop rotation refers to situations where the natural maturity of wheat is less than 10 days before the suitable sowing time of the next crop (such as rice or corn), and the wheat is still in the grain-filling stage (not yet mature). In such cases, supplementary spraying of putrescine can further shorten the growth period and ensure timely crop clearance. Extreme weather specifically refers to disastrous weather that directly threatens wheat grain development and harvest, including high-temperature stress, pre-harvest rainstorms, and low-temperature damage. In these situations, supplementary spraying of putrescine can be applied in advance to shorten the growth period and harvest before the extreme weather arrives. Supplementary spraying must be limited to the period from flowering to the end of grain filling; it should not be applied before flowering or after the waxy ripening stage. This is because: before flowering, the wheat ears are not fully developed, and the target of putrescine regulation is unclear; after the waxy ripening stage, the grains are basically formed, and supplementary spraying cannot achieve the effect of shortening the cycle or ensuring quality, and may also lead to resource waste. The interval requirement for supplementary spraying is: at least 7 days should pass between the first spray and the next spray, and no more than one supplementary spray should be applied during the entire growth period. Because putrescine has a metabolic cycle of about 5 to 7 days in wheat, a 7-day interval can avoid excessively high local concentrations caused by two applications, while ensuring that the effects of the two treatments are connected and do not affect the normal development of the grains.

[0014] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the technical means used in the embodiments are conventional means well known to those skilled in the art, and the data obtained are all average values ​​obtained after at least three repetitions, and each repetition yields valid data.

[0015] Example 1: Effects of putrescine treatment on Zhongke Nuomai 258

[0016] Zhongke Nuomai 258 was selected as the experimental material. The experimental method was as follows: On November 15, 2023, wheat was planted in the field at the Shuangliu Experimental Base of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Chengdu (103°52′E, 30°34′N). Field experimental groups and field control groups were set up. Each group had three replicates, with two rows planted in each replicate. Each row was 1.2m long and 0.25m wide, with 12–15 seeds sown per row. Management methods included applying basal fertilizer before planting (N: 25%). 10%; The application rate of 10% was 450 kg / ha. For the experimental group, on April 11, 2024, during the wheat flowering period, a 2 mM putrescine solution was sprayed onto the wheat ears at a rate of 300 mL / ha. 2For the control group, an equal amount of water was sprayed at the same time and location. On November 15, 2023, a greenhouse experimental group and a greenhouse control group were set up simultaneously, with 3 replicates in each group. The greenhouse environmental conditions were: temperature 22±2℃, light duration 22h / d, light intensity 600μmol / m² / s, and relative humidity 60±5%. Except for the growth environment, the other treatments were the same as the field treatments.

[0017] The standard for wheat maturity was defined as 50% of the wheat plants in the population turning yellow and having hard, dry grains. After the wheat grains in each group matured, their appearance was observed. Figure 1 As shown in Table 1. The results showed that the treatments had no significant effect on wheat plant height and ear type; and no negative effect on wheat grain color and plumpness. The maturity time of wheat varied among the groups, as detailed in Table 1.

[0018] Table 1. Effects of different treatments on the growth cycle of wheat variety Zhongke Nuomai 258

[0019]

[0020] The results showed that spraying putrescine on the wheat spike significantly shortened the wheat's maturity cycle and entire growth period, and accelerated grain maturation. For field cultivation, this effect allows for precise matching of wheat-rice rotation stubble windows, avoiding the rainy season during harvest, and promoting rapid grain filling and maturation, reducing the risk of spikelet sprouting and minimizing disaster losses. For greenhouse cultivation, it can increase the number of annual planting cycles and mitigate potential high-temperature stress in greenhouse environments.

[0021] The thousand-grain weight, number of grains per ear, and number of tillers for each group were measured, and the results are shown in Table 2.

[0022] Table 2. Effects of different treatments on core indicators of wheat variety Zhongke Nuomai 258

[0023]

[0024] The results showed that in field planting, there were no significant differences in the thousand-grain weight, effective tiller number, and number of grains per ear between the putrescine-treated experimental group and the control group (P>0.05). This indicates that while shortening the growth cycle, putrescine optimizes the allocation of photosynthetic products, ensuring the stability of yield components and avoiding the sharp yield reduction problem caused by traditional growth period shortening techniques. Surprisingly, in the greenhouse environment, the thousand-grain weight and effective tiller number of the putrescine-treated group were significantly increased compared with the control group, further proving that putrescine not only does not damage yield, but can also enhance yield potential by promoting tillering and grain development in a greenhouse environment.

[0025] In both field and greenhouse environments, the protein content of grains in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). This phenomenon may be due to the regulatory effect of putrescine on wheat carbon and nitrogen metabolism, which accelerates the growth cycle and promotes the conversion and accumulation of nitrogen into protein, thus achieving a synergistic effect of accelerated growth and quality improvement.

[0026] The putrescine content in wheat grains of each group was measured using high performance liquid chromatography, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[0027] Table 3 Effects of different treatments on putrescine content in wheat grains

[0028]

[0029] The results showed that after treatment with putrescine, the contents of free, bound, and restricted putrescine in wheat, as well as the total content, were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). This demonstrates that the application of exogenous putrescine can activate the putrescine metabolic pathway in wheat, promote the synthesis and accumulation of endogenous putrescine, and form a dual regulatory effect of exogenous supplementation and endogenous activation, providing a core physiological basis for shortening the growth cycle and maintaining yield and quality.

[0030] Example 2: Effects of putrescine treatment on other wheat varieties

[0031] Under the conditions and treatments of Example 1, Zhongkemai 181 was simultaneously planted in the field. The grains and appearance of the mature wheat were as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0032] Spraying the ears of Zhongkemai 181 wheat with a 2.0 mM putrescine solution (300 mL / m²) during the flowering stage can effectively shorten the maturity and development period of Zhongkemai 181 and increase the protein and putrescine content in wheat grains. Figure 3 It is applicable to different varieties of wheat.

[0033] Table 4. Effects of different treatments on the growth cycle of wheat variety Zhongkemai 181

[0034]

[0035] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any modifications, alterations, substitutions, or variations made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for planting wheat, characterized in that: During wheat growth, apply putrescine to the wheat ears.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: After wheat flowers, apply putrescine to the wheat ears.

3. The application of the method according to claim 1 or 2 in increasing the protein content of wheat grains.

4. The application of the method of claim 1 in increasing the putrescine content of wheat grains.

5. The application of the method of claim 1 in shortening the wheat growth cycle.

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