High nitrogen levels decrease wheat root growth, impacting water use efficiency.
The study looked at how different levels of nitrogen affected the growth of roots and shoots in winter wheat. They found that more nitrogen led to increased shoot weight and leaf function, but too much nitrogen actually decreased growth. Roots grew better with less nitrogen, showing a negative relationship with nitrogen levels. The distribution of root length in different wheat types was similar, with longer roots at deeper levels. Interestingly, having a higher ratio of roots to shoots didn't mean better water use efficiency.