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Variations in weather conditions can affect winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield. This study aimed to determine the ways in which the yield formation processes of winter wheat respond to variations in weather conditions at a large range. Five sowing dates (SDs) were set at 15‐d intervals from early October to early December during the period 2015–2017 in the North China Plain (NCP). Sowing in mid‐October (SD2) produced the highest yield, which was similar to that of conventional sowing (early October, SD1). Sowing in early December (SD5) increased wheat yields by 6.1 and 14.0% averaged two year compared to sowing in early (SD3) or late (SD4) November, respectively. The increased yield for SD5 was attributed to increased dry matter accumulation (DMA) pre‐anthesis, and greater numbers of spikes and kernels. The DMA, spike number, and kernel number were mainly influenced by the pre‐anthesis plant growth rate (PGR), which was affected by temperature from sowing to anthesis. Low temperatures (maximum temperature <18.9°C, minimum temperature <7.6°C, daily mean temperature <12.8°C) from sowing to anthesis occurred following SD3 and SD4 sowings, which decreased pre‐anthesis PGR, and in turn decreased the pre‐anthesis DMA and spike and kernel number. These eventually reducing the total biomass and grain yield. We conclude that sowing wheat extremely late (early December) has the potential to increase grain yield, which may offset the negative effects of climatic factors in the NCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable use of water is required for the sustainable development of maize production in the North China Plain (NCP). In this study, straw mulching (SM) was evaluated in a 2‐yr field experiment to determine whether its effect on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and water use efficiency (WUE) differed under different irrigation systems. Compared with no mulching (NM) treatment, SM increased maize yield by 10.6 and 12.5% under a drip irrigation system in 2016 and 2017, respectively, which was mainly attributed to an 11.7 and 13.5% increase in total dry matter (DM). The increased soil water content in the 0‐ to 40‐cm layer at the six‐leaf (V6), silking (R1), and maturity (R6) stages for SM improved the soil mineral N content (Nmin) in that layer and then increased the N accumulation from V6 to R1 and post‐silking by 7.6 and 21.1% averaged over 2 yr compared with NM, respectively. The enhanced N accumulation for SM increased the leaf area index and DM accumulation rate, which increased the DM accumulation from V12 to R1 and post‐silking by 16.2 and 16.4% averaged over 2 yr compared with NM, respectively, and then the grain number and grain weight. Straw mulching also improved the WUE under the drip irrigation system due to the greater grain yield and 6.1% lower water consumption. This demonstrated that SM combined with the drip irrigation system effectively improved the yield and WUE of maize due to improved DM and N accumulation promoted by the increased water content and Nmin in the upper soil layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]