Higher stomatal density and smaller stomatal size associate with higher grain yield in winter wheat

In field-grown winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), higher flag-leaf stomatal density and smaller stomatal size are linked to higher grain yield.

• Why it matters: Stomata regulate CO2 uptake and water loss, but most stomatal–yield evidence comes from controlled settings rather than multi-year field data for winter wheat.
• What they did: Across three years, 25 winter wheat varieties were grown in field trials, with measurements of stomatal density and size plus stomatal conductance on adaxial and abaxial flag-leaf surfaces.
• The result: Grain yield was positively associated with stomatal density and negatively associated with stomatal size, and flag leaf removal reduced grain weight per spike without changing grain numbers per spike.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.