Synergistic effects of salinity and photoperiod on grain characteristics and yield stability of speed-bred spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
摘要
Photoperiod may regulate crop response to soil salt stress, a major environmental concern limiting agricultural output. Four spring wheat genotypes (GS-6058, JS-7, Xinchun-31, and Yongliang-15) were tested under different saline stress levels (0, 40, and 80 mM NaCl) and photoperiods (12 h:12 h and 22 h:2 h). Light duration, salinity, and genotype effects significantly affected days to booting (DTB) and harvest (DTH), as well as grain attributes. Over 50% of the phenotypic variance for DTB, DTH, number of grains per panicle, grain length, grain area, grain yield, and grain viability were genotypic. An additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model analysis revealed substantial (p < 0.001) effects of genotype (G), environment (E), and G × E interaction on grain yield, with E alone accounting for 94.72% of the total sum of squares, followed by G (2.86%) and G × E (2.42%). The first and second interaction principal component axes, IPCA1 (73.13%) and IPCA2 (21.04%), accounted for 94.17% of G × E. Yongliang-15 (salt-sensitive), GS-6058 (salt-sensitive), and JS-7 (salt-tolerant) genotypes, exhibited high genotype selection index (GSI) rankings and increased grain yield. Our findings demonstrated that extended photoperiod could change spring wheat salt tolerance status as a 22 h:2 h light:dark cycle reduced salt-screening duration, seed-to-seed cycles and enhanced grain yields beyond 40 mM. Therefore, it is important to advance the understanding of how extended photoperiod could alter the evaluation of plant responses to environmental stress.