Search

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is characterized by a high tillering capacity and disadvantageous spatial structures, which may result in intraspecific competition. This study aimed to determine whether tiller productivity, radiation use efficiency (RUE), and grain yield of winter wheat could be manipulated through irrigation and precision planting patterns in North China. The experiment was conducted during winter seasons of 2011/2012, 2012/2013, and 2013/2014 at Tai'an, Shandong Province, China. The field experiment was based on a two-factor split-plot design with three replications under the same plant density (200 × 104 ha-1). Three irrigation levels (0, 90, and 180 mm) were allocated to main plots, and three planting patterns namely single–single (SS), single–double (SD), and double–double (DD) were kept in subplots. Irrigation amount 0, 30, 60 mm of water were applied at GS34, GS48, and GS70, respectively. Results showed that photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) capture ratio of 0 mm was higher than that of the 90-mm irrigation at 0 to 40 cm, but irrigation increased the total PAR capture ratio, leaf area index (LAI), RUE, and grain yield. The interaction of irrigation × planting pattern indicated that the grain yield of SD was high under 180-mm irrigation and that of DD was high under 0- and 90-mm irrigations. Leaf area index, PAR capture ratio, and RUE of DD were higher than those of SD under 90-mm irrigation. The application of DD planting pattern combined with 90-mm irrigation resulted in positive response to yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world food demand is expected to double by 2050 and the availability and quality of irrigation water is declining because of the needs of the expanding population combined with the effects of climatic change. Therefore, productivity and wateruse efficiency (WUE) are crucial issues in the production of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The objective of this field study was to compare and evaluate the soil water characteristic, evapotranspiration (ET), yield, and yield components to identify possible ways to improve WUE of winter wheat in the North China Plain. The field experiment in a randomized complete block design with four replicates was conducted during 2008 to 2009 and 2009 to 2010. There were three planting patterns: traditional flat seedbed with uniform row spacing of 25 cm, wide-narrow row spacing of 40-cm and 20-cm flat seedbed and furrow-ridge seedbed; three irrigation treatments: 90, 135, and 180 mm. The results showed that planting pattern and irrigation had significant effect on ET, yield components, grain yield, and WUE (P < 0.05); however, interaction between planting pattern and irrigation only had a significant effect on yield (P < 0.01). Compared with the conventional flat uniform planting pattern, the new treatment of furrow-ridge seedbed planting pattern increased WUE by 13.7%, increased grain yield by 9.7%, reduced ET by 3.4%, increased soil water content (SWC) by 7.7%, increased soil water storage (SWS) by 6.8%, and increased yield components (grains per spike 15.0%, thousand-grain weight [TGW] by 3.2%). Irrigation increased upper SWC, SWS, and ET, but decreased WUE. Compared with 90-mm irrigation treatment, 135-mm irrigation treatment increased grain yield by 6.4%. The findings suggest that application of the furrow-ridge seedbed planting pattern combined with 135-mm irrigation may be an effective strategy to improve winter wheat production in water-scarce regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A double-cropping system such as that of winter wheat and summer maize in north China requires irrigation to achieve production goals. The soil during the seeding stage of summer maize is usually dry. For summer maize, soil moisture before sowing (SMBS) is important for seedling growth, yield, and water use. Our objective was to investigate the effects of applying different irrigation schedules to winter wheat on the SMBS, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of summer maize. Field experiments involving winter wheat with 0, 1, 2, and 3 irrigation applications (T0, T1, T2, and T3, respectively) were conducted in a dry year (2002), moderate year (2003), and humid year (2005). Irrigation of winter wheat increased the average SMBS of summer maize in the 1.2 m soil profiles to 17.7, 57.3, and 79.6 mm in T1, T2, and T3, respectively. Differences in the soil moisture content among the treatments were significant in the late growing season of summer maize in the dry and moderate years but not in the humid year. In 2005, maize yields among the treatments were not significantly different as compared to those in T0; the yields increased from 22.1% to 56.0% in 2002 and from 1.9% to 11.4% in 2003. Compared to T0, the WUE of summer maize increased by 15.3%, 23.6%, and 24. 7% in T1, T2, and T3, respectively, in 2002 and by 0.01%, 3.4%, and 5.4% in 2003; however, it decreased by 2.4%, 5.6%, and 12.4%, respectively, in 2005. Considering the combined WUE of winter wheat and summer maize, there was no significant difference between T2 and T3 (LSD, P < 0.05). These results suggest that winter wheat should be irrigated at the jointing and heading stages to achieve reasonable grain yield and WUE for both the crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]