Late sowing of wheat reduces grain yield, impacting food production.
The study looked at how different types of wheat plants grow in different conditions. They planted five types of wheat at different times and measured how much they grew after flowering. They found that late planting reduced the amount of plant material produced. At first, the plants put more energy into stems and roots, but later on, they focused on making spikes and grains. Two types of wheat, 'PBW 343' and 'NIAW 34', produced the most plant material and grains. The more plant material the wheat made, especially in spikes, the more grains it produced.