Effects of irrigation frequency under limited irrigation on root water uptake, yield and water use efficiency of winter wheat

✍ Scribed by Liwei Shao; Xiying Zhang; Suying Chen; Hongyong Sun; Zhenhua Wang

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 256 KB
• Volume: 58
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1531-0353
• DOI: 10.1002/ird.442

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In the North China Plain, grain yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and root water uptake of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were investigated for five seasons, under different irrigation frequencies associated with limited water supply. Results showed that, with half of the normal irrigation amount, the combination of different irrigation amounts per application and the total number of irrigation applications did not affect grain production and WUE in most of the seasons during 2002–07. Due to the high soil water‐holding capacity and large root system of winter wheat, crop water use during each season was similar for all treatments. Results suggest that deficit irrigation applications given to crops in several small amounts were no better than applying them in relatively large quantities, typically as two or even one application. Good soil moisture conditions at sowing also played an important role in achieving high yields of this crop under limited water supply. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.