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A multi-environmental study of recent breeding progress on nitrogen use efficiency in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

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Abstract

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By comparing 195 varieties in eight trials, this study assesses nitrogen use efficiency improvement in high and low nitrogen conditions in European winter wheat over the last 25 years.

Abstract

In a context where European agriculture practices have to deal with environmental concerns and nitrogen (N) fertiliser cost, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has to be improved. This study assessed genetic progress in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) NUE. Two hundred and twenty-five European elite varieties were tested in four environments under two levels of N. Global genetic progress was assessed on additive genetic values and on genotype × N interaction, covering 25 years of European breeding. To avoid sampling bias, quality, precocity and plant height were added as covariates in the analyses when needed. Genotype × environment interactions were highly significant for all the traits studied to such an extent that no additive genetic effect was detected on N uptake. Genotype × N interactions were significant for yield, grain protein content (GPC), N concentration in straw, N utilisation, and NUE. Grain yield improvement (+0.45 % year−1) was independent of the N treatment. GPC was stable, thus grain nitrogen yield was improved (+0.39 % year−1). Genetic progress on N harvest index (+0.12 % year−1) and on N concentration in straw (−0.52 % year−1) possibly revealed improvement in N remobilisation. There has been an improvement of NUE additive genetic value (+0.33 % year−1) linked to better N utilisation (+0.20 % year−1). Improved yield stability was detected as a significant improvement of NUE in low compared to high N conditions. The application of these results to breeding programs is discussed.

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Abbreviations

ADM_S:

Straw dry matter at maturity

BLUE:

Best linear unbiased estimator

BLUP:

Best linear unbiased predictor

E:

Environment

FLO:

Flowering date

G:

Genotype

GNY:

Grain nitrogen yield

GPC:

Grain protein content

GPD:

Grain protein deviation

GY:

Grain dry matter yield

HI:

Harvest index

HN:

High nitrogen input

KS:

Kernel per spike

LN:

Low nitrogen input

LRT:

Likelihood ratio test

LSD:

Fisher’s least significant difference test

N:

Nitrogen

%N_S:

Straw nitrogen content at maturity

NHI:

Nitrogen harvest index

NSA:

Straw nitrogen per area

NTA:

Total nitrogen in plant at maturity

NUE:

Nitrogen use efficiency

NUE_Prot:

Nitrogen use to protein efficiency

NupE:

Nitrogen uptake

NutE:

Nitrogen utilisation efficiency

NutE_Prot:

Nitrogen utilisation to protein efficiency

P:

P value

PH:

Plant height

SA:

Spike per area

TKW:

Thousand kernel weight

YR:

Year of release

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Acknowledgments

Data were obtained thanks to the support of the ANR ProtNBle project (06 GPLA016). The authors would like to thank the staff at Estrées-Mons experimental unit (INRA) and at Villiers-le-Bâcle and Vraux experimental farms (Arvalis) that have phenotyped so many traits. The authors are also grateful to the ANRT (Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie) which support the PhD thesis (129/2012) during which the analyses were made. Sincere thanks to Ian Mackay for his editorial advice.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

The authors declare that the experiments comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biogemma, Centre de recherche de Chappes, Route d’Ennezat CS90126, 63720, Chappes, France

    Fabien Cormier, Sébastien Faure, Pierre Dubreuil, Stéphane Lafarge & Sébastien Praud

  2. INRA UE GCIE, 2 Chaussée Brunehaut Estrées-Mons, BP 50136, 80203, Péronne, France

    Emmanuel Heumez

  3. ARVALIS-Institut du végétal, IBP, Bât. 630, Université Paris Sud, Rue de Noetzlin, 91405, Orsay Cedex, France

    Katia Beauchêne

  4. INRA, UBP UMR 1095, Génétique, Diversité et Ecophysiologie des Céréales, 24 Avenue des Landais, 63177, Aubière Cedex, France

    Jacques Le Gouis

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  1. Fabien Cormier
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  2. Sébastien Faure
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  3. Pierre Dubreuil
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  4. Emmanuel Heumez
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  5. Katia Beauchêne
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  6. Stéphane Lafarge
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  7. Sébastien Praud
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  8. Jacques Le Gouis
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Correspondence to Sébastien Praud.

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Communicated by A. E. Melchinger.

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Cormier, F., Faure, S., Dubreuil, P. et al. A multi-environmental study of recent breeding progress on nitrogen use efficiency in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Theor Appl Genet 126, 3035–3048 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-013-2191-9

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