Dataset of grain yield, its components and the nitrogen and phosphorus economies of bread wheat in two contrasting plant arrangements growing in a high yield potential environment

Dataset of GY and its components, as well as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) economies, under highly contrasting plant densities. This dataset comes from a field experiment in which two wheat cultivars - Bacanora (higher grain number and medium grain weight) and Kambara (lower grain number and higher grain weight) - were sown at two seeding rates, a low seeding rate of 44 plants m-2 with a square planting pattern (LSR) and a farmer's seeding rate of 350 plants m-2 (CON), over two growing seasons in Valdivia, Chile. Grain yield (GY) and its numerical components and grain and straw dry weight were measured, and plant height and internode height/weight were recorded. N and P concentrations in grain and straw were determined, and nutrient use efficiencies (NUE and PUE, respectively) for N and P and their components were calculated. Climatological information is also available.
Our study aimed at assessing: (i) the response of GY, biomass and harvest index of wheat under two contrasting seed rates; (ii) trade-offs among yield components in response to seed rate; and (iii) the sensitivity of grain and crop N and P content and nutrient use efficiency under conventional and low seed rates in the highyielding environment of southern Chile.
Bacanora showed fully compensated GY components, achieving the same GY under both LSR and CON treatments. On the other hand, Kambara yielded 12% more in the LSR treatment than in the CON treatment. The LSR treatment resulted in a reduction in plant height of 0.14 m (19% and 15% in Bacanora and Kambara, respectively), leading to an improved harvest index. While Bacanora showed a slight reduction in grain number under the LSR treatment, Kambara showed no significant effect. However, both varieties showed an increase in average grain weight under the LSR treatment. In addition, Bacanora showed an increase in grain N concentration and both cultivars showed an improvement in grain P concentration under the LSR treatment. In addition, both Bacanora and Kambara showed an 18% increase in P uptake and P uptake efficiency under the LSR treatment.
This dataset supports the information presented in the research article [1] “Low seed rate in square planting arrangement has neutral or positive effect on grain yield and improves grain nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in wheat” (Field Crops Research 288, 2022, 108699, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2022.108699).