The effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation and soil drought on water use efficiency of spring wheat

The effect of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation (280–315 nm) and water stress on water consumption, instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEi), season-long water use efficiency (WUEs) and leaf stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of three spring wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) was investigated under field conditions. The relationship between WUEi and WUEs with δ13C was analyzed. Compared with the control, enhanced UV-B or water stress alone or in combination led to lower water use, and soil drought had a stronger influence on water use than supplementary UV-B irradiance. Soil drought increased the instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEi) and UV-B radiation decreased it significantly in comparison to the control. The combination of UV-B and water stress resulted in increased/reduced or no changed WUEi, different with change. Season-long water use efficiency (WUEs) showed the same trend as observed with WUEi under the conditions of UV-B radiation and water stress, except that no significant difference between control and drought in cv. Heshangtou. WUEs under the combined conditions of UV-B and water stress, was clearly increased in every cultivar. Enhanced UV-B radiation and the combination with drought led to negative foliar stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) and drought alone resulted in a positive value for δ13C. The relationship between foliar stable carbon isotope composition and instantaneous water use efficiency was not significant. Nevertheless, a positive correlation with δ13C against season-long water use efficiency was observed. The results indicated that δ13C can be a useable parameter for selecting a crop genotype having higher water use efficiency.