The Equilibrium and Growth Stability of Winter Wheat Root and Shoot Under Different Soil Water Conditions

The equilibrium between root, shoot and growth stability under different soil water conditions were investigated in a tube experiment of winter wheat. The water supplying treatments included: sufficient irrigation at whole growth phase, moderate deficiency irrigation at whole growth phase, serious deficiency irrigation at whole growth phase, sufficient irrigation at jointing stage, tillering stage, flowering stage, and fillering respectively, after moderate and serious water deficit during their previous growth stage. Root and shoot biomass were measured. On the basis of the cooperative root-shoot interactions model, the equilibrium and growth stability were studied on the strength of the kinetics system theory. There was only one varying equilibrium point between the root and shoot over the life time of the winter wheat plant. Water stress prolonged the duration of stable growth, the more serious the water deficit, the longer the period of stable growth. The duration of stable growth was shortened and that of unstable growth was prolonged after water recovery. The growth behavior of the plants exposed to moderate water deficit shiifted from stable to unstable until the end of the growth, after rewatering at flowering. In the life-time of the crop and shoot had been adjusting themselves in structure and function so as to maintain an equilibrium, but could nor acnieve the equilibrium state for long. They were always in an unbalanced state from the beginning to the end of growth. This was the essence of root-shoot equilibrium. Water stress inhibited the function of root and shoot, reduced root shoot interactions, and as a result, the plant growth gradually tended to stabilize. Rewatering enhanced root shoot interactions, prolonged duration of instable growth. Rewatering at flowering could upset the inherent relativity during the long time of stable growth from flowering to filling stage, thus leading to unstable growth and enhanced dry matter accumulating rate in the whole plant.