Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Impoverishing Roots Will Improve Wheat Yield and Profitability Through Increased Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiencies

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2020jg005829· OSTI ID:1845108

We report that more than a 60% increase in crop production is required by the 2050's to feed a growing world population. Understanding how plant functional traits and field management affect crop yields has the potential to improve agricultural productivity, minimize economic and environmental losses, and maximize food security. We explored the influence of winter wheat root characteristics and management on winter wheat growth, yield, and profit using a mechanistic and well-tested ecosystem and crop model, ecosys. We applied and further tested ecosys at an agricultural farm growing winter wheat in Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States. The model accurately predicted observed shoot carbon (R2 = 0.95), soil moisture (R2 = 0.67), soil temperature (R2 = 0.91), and yield (percent error = 17%). Numerical optimization experiments were conducted to explore potential improvements of winter wheat yield and profit by modifying root characteristics, including root radius and root:shoot carbon transfer conductance, and fertilizer inputs. Our results show the potential for simultaneously improving winter wheat yields and profits. The optimum conditions were found to be in the range of root radius between 0.1 and 0.3 mm, carbon transfer conductance between 0.004 and 0.01 h-1, and the currently applied fertilizer rate of 112 kg ha-1. Under these conditions, improvements in yields and profits of up to approximately 25% and 110%, respectively, were modeled compared to those under baseline root traits. These improvements were achieved by impoverishing root structures, thereby increasing nutrient allocation to grains. Our results also demonstrate and motivate model structures that integrate the complex network of plant physiology, soil nutrient biogeochemistry, hydrology, and management.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1845108
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 126; ISSN 2169-8953
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (100)

Mean age distribution of inorganic soil-nitrogen: INORGANIC NITROGEN AGE journal July 2016
The use of food imports to overcome local limits to growth: USE OF IMPORTS TO OVERCOME LOCAL LIMITS journal April 2017
Understanding the weather signal in national crop-yield variability: WEATHER-SIGNAL IN CROP-YIELD VARIABILITY journal June 2017
Role of Micro-Topographic Variability on the Distribution of Inorganic Soil-Nitrogen Age in Intensively Managed Landscape: MICRO-TOPOGRAPHIC IMPACT ON NITROGEN AGE journal October 2017
Gravitropic response growth angle and vertical distribution of roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) journal June 1994
A biochemical model of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation in leaves of C3 species journal June 1980
Simulation model of soil compaction and root growth: I. Model structure journal January 1993
Simulation model of soil compaction and root growth: II. Model performance and validation journal January 1993
The distribution of water and nitrogen in the soil-crop system: A simulation study with validation from a winter wheat field trial journal March 1991
Determination of the carbon content of biomass—A prerequisite to estimate the complete biodegradation of polymers journal July 1996
Water-yield relations and water-use efficiency of winter wheat in the North China Plain journal November 1999
Five decades of selection for yield reduced root length density and increased nitrogen uptake per unit root length in Australian wheat varieties journal October 2016
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) detects fine roots of agricultural crops in the field journal December 2017
The effects of water stress on yield advantages of intercropping systems journal January 1986
Crop water relations under different CO2 and irrigation: testing of ecosys with the free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment journal May 1999
Simulation in ecosys of root growth response to contrasting soil water and nitrogen journal April 1998
Maximizing yields in rice–groundnut cropping sequence through integrated nutrient management journal March 2002
From rainfed agriculture to stress-avoidance irrigation: II. Sustainability, crop yield, and profitability journal February 2011
Simulation of future climate scenarios with a weather generator journal April 2011
Understanding variability in crop response to fertilizer and amendments in sub-Saharan Africa journal August 2016
Increased root growth and nitrogen accumulation in common wheat following PGPR inoculation: Assessment of plant-microbe interactions by ESEM journal September 2017
Monitoring wheat root development in a rainfed vertisol: Tillage effect journal October 2010
Dry matter partitioning and canopy traits in wheat and barley under varying N supply journal March 2016
Genotypic variation in specific leaf area for genetic improvement of early vigour in wheat journal August 2004
Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers for rice systems: Meta-analysis of yield and nitrogen uptake journal December 2013
Root and shoot traits for rice varieties with higher grain yield and higher nitrogen use efficiency at lower nitrogen rates application journal April 2015
Long-term effects of controlled release urea application on crop yields and soil fertility under rice-oilseed rape rotation system journal December 2015
Canopy temperature for simulation of heat stress in irrigated wheat in a semi-arid environment: A multi-model comparison journal February 2017
More fertilizer and impoverished roots required for improving wheat yields and profits under climate change journal April 2020
Minimising the harm to biodiversity of producing more food globally journal January 2011
Nitrogen and water resources commonly limit crop yield increases, not necessarily plant genetics journal December 2012
Stagnating crop yields: An overlooked risk for the carbon balance of agricultural soils? journal December 2015
The roots of a new green revolution journal November 2010
Accelerated Nutrient Cycling and Increased Light Competition Will Lead to 21st Century Shrub Expansion in North American Arctic Tundra journal May 2018
Impacts of Subsurface Tile Drainage on Age—Concentration Dynamics of Inorganic Nitrogen in Soil journal February 2019
Empirical equations for some soil hydraulic properties journal August 1978
Solutions for a cultivated planet journal October 2011
Closing yield gaps through nutrient and water management journal August 2012
Field Performance of Elite Transgenic Maize Plants Expressing an Insecticidal Protein Derived from Bacillus thuringiensis journal February 1993
Molecular technologies for biodiversity evaluation: Opportunities and challenges journal July 1997
Importance of food-demand management for climate mitigation journal August 2014
How a century of ammonia synthesis changed the world journal September 2008
Integrated crop management practices for maximizing grain yield of double-season rice crop journal January 2017
Is there an optimal root architecture for nitrate capture in leaching environments?: Root architecture and nitrate capture journal May 2003
Capillary Conduction of Liquids Through Porous Mediums journal November 1931
Root and shoot growth by seedlings of annual and perennial medic, and annual and perennial wheat journal January 2011
Genetic variability for root morph-architecture traits and root growth dynamics as related to phosphorus efficiency in soybean journal January 2010
Root hydraulics in salt-stressed wheat journal January 2014
Global food demand and the sustainable intensification of agriculture journal November 2011
Can sub-Saharan Africa feed itself? journal December 2016
Growth, Yield and Yield Components of Lowland rice as Influenced by Ammonium Sulfate and urea Fertilization journal January 2011
Crop improvement in the 21st century journal January 2000
Selectable traits to increase crop photosynthesis and yield of grain crops journal February 2000
Raising yield potential of wheat. III. Optimizing partitioning to grain while maintaining lodging resistance journal October 2010
Improving crop productivity and resource use efficiency to ensure food security and environmental quality in China journal September 2011
Rightsizing root phenotypes for drought resistance journal February 2018
Root-Shoot Interactions: Functional Equilibria for Nutrient Uptake in Peach (Prunuspersica L. Batsch.) journal September 1978
A Growth Model of Root Mass and Vertical Distribution, Dependent on Carbon Substrate from Photosynthesis and with Non-limiting Soil Conditions journal April 1985
Optimizing nutrient management for farm systems journal July 2007
Increasing Crop Productivity to Meet Global Needs for Feed, Food, and Fuel journal January 2009
GROWTH REGULATING FACTOR5 Stimulates Arabidopsis Chloroplast Division, Photosynthesis, and Leaf Longevity journal January 2015
Root Tip Shape Governs Root Elongation Rate under Increased Soil Strength journal June 2017
Simultaneous improvement in productivity, water use, and albedo through crop structural modification journal April 2014
Decreasing, not increasing, leaf area will raise crop yields under global atmospheric change journal September 2016
Can improvement in photosynthesis increase crop yields? journal March 2006
Comparing the Palmer Drought Index and the Standardized Precipitation Index journal February 1998
Improving crop nutrient efficiency through root architecture modifications: Nutrient efficiency and root architecture journal November 2015
Breeding for increased nitrogen-use efficiency: a review for wheat ( T. aestivum L.) journal May 2016
Prioritizing Climate Change Adaptation Needs for Food Security in 2030 journal February 2008
Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People journal January 2010
Climate Trends and Global Crop Production Since 1980 journal May 2011
World population stabilization unlikely this century journal September 2014
Eutrophication will increase during the 21st century as a result of precipitation changes journal July 2017
Photoinhibition of Photosynthesis in Nature journal June 1994
A Nonparametric Multivariate Multi-Index Drought Monitoring Framework journal February 2014
Fertilizing Nature: A Tragedy of Excess in the Commons journal August 2011
Conserving the Birds of Uganda’s Banana-Coffee Arc: Land Sparing and Land Sharing Compared journal February 2013
Yield Trends Are Insufficient to Double Global Crop Production by 2050 journal June 2013
Global Agricultural Land Resources – A High Resolution Suitability Evaluation and Its Perspectives until 2100 under Climate Change Conditions journal September 2014
Mathematical Modeling of the Dynamics of Shoot-Root Interactions and Resource Partitioning in Plant Growth journal July 2015
Resilience in Agriculture through Crop Diversification: Adaptive Management for Environmental Change journal March 2011
A Workshop Report on Wheat Genome Sequencing: International Genome Research on Wheat Consortium journal October 2004
Nutritive influences on the distribution of dry matter in the plant. journal December 1962
The fate of nitrogen in grain cropping systems: a meta-analysis of 15 N field experiments journal December 2009
Understanding Global and Historical Nutrient Use Efficiencies for Closing Maize Yield Gaps journal November 2014
Carbon Dioxide Effects on Crop Energy Balance: Testing ecosys with a Free‐Air CO 2 Enrichment (FACE) Experiment journal May 1995
Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency for Cereal Production journal January 1999
Controlled Warming Effects on Wheat Growth and Yield: Field Measurements and Modeling journal January 2011
Exploring Nitrogen Limitation for Historical and Modern Soybean Genotypes journal September 2018
Applicability of Models to Predict Phosphorus Losses in Drained Fields: A Review journal January 2015
Interactions between Carbon Dioxide and Water Deficits Affecting Leaf Photosynthesis: Simulation and Testing journal November 1992
Leaf Posture , Grain Yield, Growth, Leaf Structure, and Carbon Isotope Discrimination in Wheat journal November 1993
Inorganic Phosphorus Transformation and Transport in Soils: Mathematical Modeling in ecosys journal May 1997
Soil Water Characteristic Estimates by Texture and Organic Matter for Hydrologic Solutions journal January 2006
Maximizing wheat yield through integrated use of farmyard manure and fertilizers journal September 2016
Acclimation of Biochemical and Diffusive Components of Photosynthesis in Rice, Wheat, and Maize to Heat and Water Deficit: Implications for Modeling Photosynthesis journal November 2016
Optimizing Winter Wheat Resilience to Climate Change in Rain Fed Crop Systems of Turkey and Iran journal May 2018
Modelling changes in nitrogen cycling to sustain increases in forest productivity under elevated atmospheric CO 2 and contrasting site conditions journal January 2013
Global nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer use for agriculture production in the past half century: shifted hot spots and nutrient imbalance journal January 2017
Water and nutrient balances in a large tile-drained agricultural catchment: a distributed modeling study journal January 2010

Similar Records

Airborne hyperspectral imaging of nitrogen deficiency on crop traits and yield of maize by machine learning and radiative transfer modeling
Journal Article · Fri Dec 24 23:00:00 EST 2021 · International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation · OSTI ID:1842343

Whole-plant phenotypic engineering: moving beyond ratios for multi-objective optimization of nutrient use efficiency
Journal Article · Sun Jan 30 23:00:00 EST 2022 · Current Opinion in Biotechnology · OSTI ID:1854477

Related Subjects