Dynamics of photosynthetic pigments in winter wheat during wintering

Abstract

The paper deals with the dynamics of photosynthetic pigments in winter wheat during wintering season. Field experiments were performed during 2009–2011 period at the Experimental Station of the Aleksandras Stulginskis University (Akademija, Kaunas distr., Lithuania) in carbonate shallow gleyic leached soil (Idg8-k), Calc(ar)i-Epihypogleyic Luvisols (LVg-nw-cc). The objects of investigation: winter wheat cultivars ‘Ada’ and ‘Tauras DS’. During the sowing time complex fertiliser (N32P80K120) was used, and calcium ammonium nitrate (N60) was used at the stage of spring tillering. In addition, foliar fertilizer urea solution (N30, N40) was given during the booting stage and (N15, N30) was given at the milk ripening stage. The experiment revealed that wheat wintering conditions were more favourable in 2009–2010 than in 2010–2011. The highest amount of photosynthetic pigments was established in autumn-winter period. In December the ‘Ada’ leaves accumulated (chlorophyll a – 1.766 mg g-1, chlorophyll b – 0.553 mg g-1) and those of ‘Tauras DS’ – (chlorophyll a – 1.927 mg g-1, chlorophyll b – 0.594 mg g-1). The greatest amount of carotenoids was found also in December. The wheat cultivar ‘Ada’ tends to accumulate larger amounts of photosynthetic pigments during wintering than the cultivar ‘Tauras DS’.