Contrasting allocation patterns in wheat and weeds: allometric belowground and reproductive investment versus optimal partitioning adaptations

We found that the biomass of wheat and weeds increased with fertilization but decreased with higher planting density, with no interactions between these factors. Wheat allocated more biomass to roots than shoots and more to reproductive than vegetative biomass, regardless of fertilization or planting density, following allometric allocation theory. In contrast, weeds distributed biomass similarly between shoots and roots at planting densities of 4 and 12 under fertilization or allocated more biomass to roots than to shoots at these densities. Additionally, some weeds achieved higher yields at both small and large sizes under planting densities of 12 and 16, respectively, suggesting greater phenotypic plasticity. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of biomass allocation differences between wheat and weeds throughout their life cycles, offering insights into plant adaptation strategies and practical applications for optimizing agricultural management.