Mobilization and distribution of carbon assimilates of wheat under water deficits

Three water treatments, control (CK), moderate stress (MS) and severe stress (SS) during anthesis and filling stage were designed and, photosynthesis was labelled by using 14CO2 at fore-anthesis. The results showed that output rate of 14C-assimilate at fore-anthesis of moderate stress treatments in leaves was 16.56%, slightly higher than that of control and severe stress during grain filling, and amounts of assimilate store was 8.68%, and reach the lowest when harvested. Under severe stress exports rate of 14C-assimilate in shells was highest (8.70%), and was about two times that of control and moderate stress. The rate of assimilate exports in stems was not obviously different in three water treatments. With the stress increasing the rate of assimilate output in flag leaf increased, and transport rate to seeds raised, too. It was concluded that water deficit enhanced remobilization of fore-anthesis assimilate from leaves, sheathes, shells to seeds, and compensated economic yields in late stage