Increasing productivity by matching farming system management and genotype in water-limited environments
Open Access
- 13 August 2010
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Journal of Experimental Botany
- Vol. 61 (15), 4129-4143
- https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erq245
Abstract
Improvements in water productivity and yield arise from interactions between varieties (G) and their management (M). Most G×M interactions considered by breeders and physiologists focus on in-crop management (e.g. sowing time, plant density, N management). However, opportunities exist to capture more water and use it more effectively that involve judicious management of prior crops and fallows (e.g. crop sequence, weed control, residue management). The dry-land wheat production system of southern Australia, augmented by simulation studies, is used to demonstrate the relative impacts and interactions of a range of pre-crop and in-crop management decisions on water productivity. A specific case study reveals how a novel genetic trait, long coleoptiles that enable deeper sowing, can interact with different management options to increase the water-limited yield of wheat from 1.6 t ha−1 to 4.5 t ha−1, reflecting the experience of leading growers. Understanding such interactions will be necessary to capture benefits from new varieties within the farming systems of the future.Keywords
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