Effects of elevated atmospheric ammonia concentration on photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield in wheat...

To evaluate the effects of nitrogen (N) application rates on the growth, photosynthetic traits and yield of winter wheat under elevated atmospheric ammonia (NH₃) concentrations could provide guidance for N management under high NH₃ environment. We conducted a split-plot experiment for two consecutive years (2020-2021 and 2021-2022) with top-open chambers. The treatments included two NH₃ concentrations [elevated ambient NH₃ concentration at 0.30-0.60 mg·m^-3 (EAM) and air NH₃ concentration at 0.01-0.03 mg·m^-3 (AM)] and two N application rates [recommended N dose (+N) and no N application (-N)]. We analyzed the effects of aforementioned treatments on net photosynthetic rate (P_n), stomatal conductance (g_s), chlorophyll content (SPAD value), plant height, and grain yield. The results showed that averaged across the two years, EAM significantly increased P_n, g_s, and SPAD values at the jointing and booting stages at the -N level by 24.6%, 16.3%, 21.9% and 20.9%, 37.1%, 5.7%, respectively, compared with AM. However, EAM significantly decreased P_n, g_s, and SPAD values at jointing and booting stages at +N level by 10.8%, 5.9%, 3.6% and 6.8%, 18.9%, 9.3%, respectively, over AM treatment. There was a significant effect of NH₃ treatment, N application rates and their interaction on plant height and grain yield. Compared with AM, EAM increased the average plant height and grain yield by 4.5% and 32.1% at -N level and decreased by 1.1% and 8.5% at +N level, respectively. In a nutshell, the eleva-ted ambient NH₃ concentration had positive effect on photosynthetic characteristics, plant height, and grain yield under ambient N condition, but a inhibitory effect under N application.