Responses of winter wheat photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll content to water-retaining agent and N fertilizer
冬小麦光合特征及叶绿素含量对保水剂和氮肥的响应

The effects of water-retaining agent (60 kg·hm-2) and nitrogen fertilizer (0, 225, and 450 kg·hm-2) on the leaf photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll content, and water utilization of winter wheat at jointing and grain-filling stages were studied under field conditions. In all treatments, the net photosynthetic rate, stomata conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, water use efficiency, and chlorophyll content were greater at grain-filling stage than at jointing stage. Under nitrogen fertilization but without water-retaining agent application, the water use efficiency (WUE) of single leaf at jointing stage increased with increasing nitrogen fertilization rate, while the net photosynthetic rate, stomata conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, and transpiration rate decreased after an initial increase. The chlorophyll content was the highest under 225 kg·hm-2 nitrogen fertilization. In the treatments of water-retaining agent application, the intercellular CO2 concentration decreased with increasing nitrogen application rate, but the net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and WUE increased. The application of water-retaining agent or its combination with nitrogen fertilization increased the chlorophyll content, but excessive nitrogen fertilization had lesser effects. At grain-filling stage, applying nitrogen fertilizer alone significantly increased the net photosynthetic rate and WUE, but decreased the stomata conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, and transpiration rate. The chlorophyll content increased with increasing nitrogen application rate. After applying water-retaining agent and with the increase of nitrogen fertilization rate, the photosynthetic rate and WUE decreased after an initial increase, while the intercellular CO2 concentration and transpiration rate were in adverse but still lower than those without water-retaining agent application. The stomata conductance increased with increasing nitrogen fertilization rate. The chlorophyll content increased significantly under the application of water-retaining agent, but somewhat decreased under the combined application of water-retaining agent and nitrogen fertilizer. The application of both water-retaining agent and nitrogen fertilizer increased the 1000 grain mass, grain yield, and water production efficiency of winter whe at significantly, with the best effect in the treatment of water-retaining agent with 225 kg·hm-2 nitrogen fertilization.