Effect of Irrigation and Nitrogen Topdressing at Different Leaf Ages on the Length and Growth of Wheat Leaves, Leaf Sheaths, and Internodes

The lengths of leaves, leaf sheaths, and internodes are the main factors affecting individual plant types. An ideotype is a basis for developing a high-yielding population structure. Water and nitrogen (N) fertilizer can directly affect the growth of a plant’s organs. To evaluate the effects of irrigation and nitrogen application on the length and growth of wheat leaves, leaf sheaths, and internodes, we carried out a 5 year field experiment in the high yield wheat fields of the North China Plain. Five treatments (T 2 –T 6 ) were applied, and irrigation was carried out in springtime at the appearance of the second leaf (T 2 ), the third leaf (T 3 ), the fourth leaf (T 4 ), the fifth leaf (T 5 ) and the sixth leaf (T 6 ). The results showed that the irrigation and N topdressing periods had different effects on the leaves, leaf sheaths, and internodes. The lengths of the upper three leaves gradually increased with the progression of the irrigation and N topdressing. The increases in the lengths of the leaf sheath were similar and followed the irrigation and N topdressing pattern at four stages of leaves in the spring: n-1, n-2, n-3 and n-4. The most effective growth of the internodes was achieved by irrigation and N topdressing at the n + 2 and n + 3 stages. The vertical spacing among the upper three leaves increased with irrigation and N topdressing at the appearance of the top second (or flag) leaf. Differences in temperature and precipitation over the years either weakened or enhanced the differences in the plants’ organ lengths with the different treatments. However, the orders of treatments did not alter organ length in different years. Earlier irrigation and N topdressing treatments (T 2 , T 3 , and T 4 ) showed an inhibitory effect on the leaves and leaf sheaths during the early growth stage. The inhibitory effect was more evident in the later-emerged leaves and leaf sheaths than in those that emerged earlier. However, irrigation and N fertilization increased the final length of the organs by improving the growth rate during the rapid incremental phase (RIP) and the slow incremental phase (SIP). Although the most significant extensions of the lengths of leaves, leaf sheaths, and internodes were achieved by irrigation and N topdressing before the organs entered the RIP, the specific growth stages were different among the three organs. These results can provide a reference for directly regulating the development of wheat organs and constructing an ideotype.