Abstract
The optimized sowing method and appropriate seed rate can improve wheat N use efficiency. However, the interactive effect of the sowing method and seed rate on N use efficiency, particularly N uptake and root length density, are unclear. A field experiment was conducted for two growing seasons in southern Shanxi province, China, using a split-plot design with the sowing method as the main plot (wide-belt sowing, WBS, and conventional narrow-drill sowing, NDS) and seed rate as the sub-plot (100–700 m−2). Our results showed that WBS had a significant and positive effect on N use efficiency (yield per unit of available N from the fertilizer and soil, by 4.7–15.4%), and the relatively higher seed rates (>300 or 400 m−2) enlarged the effects. The N use efficiency increases under WBS were mainly attributed to the increases in N uptake before anthesis, resulting from the promoted nodal roots per plant and per unit area, and root length density in the top layer(s). WBS promoted N translocation and the N harvest index, resulting in equivalent grain protein concentration and processing quality compared to NDS. Thus, adopting higher seed rates (>300 m−2) combined with WBS is recommended for achieving greater N efficiencies while maintaining the grain protein concentration and processing quality of winter wheat.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Wide-belt sowing significantly increased nitrogen use efficiency by 4.7–15.4%.
- Taxon
- Winter Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- WBSe0
- Outcome
- N use efficiencye0
- Direction
- positivee0
- Value
- 4.7–15.4%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“WBS had a significant and positive effect on N use efficiency (yield per unit of available N from the fertilizer and soil, by 4.7–15.4%)”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Higher seed rates enlarged the effect of wide-belt sowing on nitrogen use efficiency.
- Taxon
- Winter Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- relatively higher seed rates (>300 or 400 m−2)e0
- Outcome
- effectse0
- Direction
- enlargede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“the relatively higher seed rates (>300 or 400 m−2) enlarged the effects”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Wide-belt sowing increased nitrogen uptake before anthesis.
- Taxon
- Winter Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Organ / stage
- before anthesise0
- Treatment
- WBSe0
- Outcome
- N uptakee0
- Direction
- increasese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“The N use efficiency increases under WBS were mainly attributed to the increases in N uptake before anthesis”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Wide-belt sowing promoted nodal roots per plant and per unit area.
- Taxon
- Winter Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- WBSe1
- Outcome
- nodal roots per plant and per unit areae0
- Direction
- promotede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“resulting from the promoted nodal roots per plant and per unit area, and root length density in the top layer(s)”
t0“Winter Wheat”
e1“WBS promoted N translocation and the N harvest index”
Claim · model-written summary
Wide-belt sowing promoted root length density in the top layers.
- Taxon
- Winter Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- WBSe1
- Outcome
- root length densitye0
- Direction
- promotede0
- Qualifier
- top layer(s)e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“resulting from the promoted nodal roots per plant and per unit area, and root length density in the top layer(s)”
t0“Winter Wheat”
e1“WBS promoted N translocation and the N harvest index”
Claim · model-written summary
Wide-belt sowing promoted nitrogen translocation and the nitrogen harvest index.
- Taxon
- Winter Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- WBSe0
- Outcome
- N translocation and the N harvest indexe0
- Direction
- promotede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“WBS promoted N translocation and the N harvest index”
t0“Winter Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain protein concentration and processing quality under wide-belt sowing were equivalent to narrow-drill sowing.
- Taxon
- Winter Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- WBSe1
- Outcome
- grain protein concentration and processing qualitye0
- Direction
- equivalente0
- Comparator
- NDSe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“equivalent grain protein concentration and processing quality compared to NDS”
t0“Winter Wheat”
e1“WBS promoted N translocation and the N harvest index”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend wide-belt sowing with seed rates above 300 m−2 for nitrogen efficiency while maintaining quality.
- Taxon
- winter wheat
Triticum aestivume0 - Outcome
- adopting higher seed rates (>300 m−2) combined with WBSe0
- Qualifier
- greater N efficiencies while maintaining the grain protein concentration and processing qualitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“adopting higher seed rates (>300 m−2) combined with WBS is recommended for achieving greater N efficiencies while maintaining the grain protein concentration and processing quality of winter wheat.”