Dataset of grain yield, its components and the nitrogen and phosphorus economies of bread wheat in two contrasting plant arrangements growing in a high yield potential environment

Description

Dataset of GY and its components, as well as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) economies, under highly contrasting plant densities. This dataset comes from a field experiment in which two wheat cultivars - Bacanora (higher grain number and medium grain weight) and Kambara (lower grain number and higher grain weight) - were sown at two seeding rates, a low seeding rate of 44 plants m-2 with a square planting pattern (LSR) and a farmer's seeding rate of 350 plants m-2 (CON), over two growing seasons in Valdivia, Chile. Grain yield (GY) and its numerical components and grain and straw dry weight were measured, and plant height and internode height/weight were recorded. N and P concentrations in grain and straw were determined, and nutrient use efficiencies (NUE and PUE, respectively) for N and P and their components were calculated. Climatological information is also available. Our study aimed at assessing: (i) the response of GY, biomass and harvest index of wheat under two contrasting seed rates; (ii) trade-offs among yield components in response to seed rate; and (iii) the sensitivity of grain and crop N and P content and nutrient use efficiency under conventional and low seed rates in the highyielding environment of southern Chile. Bacanora showed fully compensated GY components, achieving the same GY under both LSR and CON treatments. On the other hand, Kambara yielded 12% more in the LSR treatment than in the CON treatment. The LSR treatment resulted in a reduction in plant height of 0.14 m (19% and 15% in Bacanora and Kambara, respectively), leading to an improved harvest index. While Bacanora showed a slight reduction in grain number under the LSR treatment, Kambara showed no significant effect. However, both varieties showed an increase in average grain weight under the LSR treatment. In addition, Bacanora showed an increase in grain N concentration and both cultivars showed an improvement in grain P concentration under the LSR treatment. In addition, both Bacanora and Kambara showed an 18% increase in P uptake and P uptake efficiency under the LSR treatment. This dataset supports the information presented in the research article [1] “Low seed rate in square planting arrangement has neutral or positive effect on grain yield and improves grain nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in wheat” (Field Crops Research 288, 2022, 108699, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2022.108699).

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A field trial was conducted at the Austral Agricultural Experimental Station in Valdivia, Chile (39°47'S, 73°14'W, 19 m.a.s.l.) for two consecutive growing seasons. The soil at the experimental site was Duric Hapludand. The experiment was sown at the optimum date for spring wheat in Valdivia. The experimental plots received fertiliser at sowing and additional nitrogen at the beginning of tillering. Weeds were removed manually, and insecticides and fungicides were applied as recommended. Plots were irrigated as required. The experiment consisted of two spring wheat varieties and two seeding rates. It was a split-plot design with seed rate as the main plot and variety as the subplot. Seed rate treatments included a conventional seed rate (CON) and a low seed rate (LSR). Two CIMMYT varieties, Bacanora T88 and Kambara, were used. Each experimental unit consisted of 9 rows of 2 m length and 0.15 m spacing. Stem emergence, booting, anthesis and maturity dates were recorded. Plant height, stems, spikes and grain components were measured. Thousand grain weight (TGW), grain number (GN) and harvest index (HI) were calculated. Internodes were measured, oven dried and weighed to determine weight/length ratios. Chemical analysis was performed on the above-ground biomass, divided into grain and remaining above-ground organs. N and P concentrations were determined by acid digestion and calcination, respectively. N and P yield, uptake and harvest index were calculated from grain and straw N and P concentrations. N and P use efficiency, including uptake efficiency, utilisation efficiency and efficiency for biomass production, was determined. ANOVA was used to analyse the effects of treatments on yield, traits and N/P variables. One-way ANOVA was used for inter-individual measurements. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Curvilinear regression analysis was used for data fitting and visualisation using GraphPad Prism software.

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