Cropping effect and variety adaptability of winter-seeded spring wheat in Inner Mongolia Plain irrigation area

Abstract

<p indent=0mm>Growing spring wheat in Inner Mongolia is challenging because of the short growing period, dry-hot winds, and heat-forced maturity. There are also problems with growing winter wheat varieties, such as frost damage, spring droughts, or “late spring cold”. These factors have restricted efforts to increase yields. In order to cope with these challenges, this study adopted a “winter-seeded spring wheat” planting model for growing wheat in Inner Mongolia and investigated wheat varieties with different vernalization requirements through two consecutive field trials. The effects of different varieties on seed germination and seedling emergence, growth, leaf physiological, root traits, and yield formation were analyzed. The results indicated that the spring varieties and some winter varieties of the tested wheat varieties were overwintered as seed and passed the vernalization stage, and matured normally in the following year. Under winter sowing conditions, the spring field germination rate of the tested wheat varieties was lower than that of spring sowing wheat, but the root system developed, and the adaptability to low temperature and drought was stronger. Three wheat varieties suitable for winter-sowing in the Inner Mongolia plain irrigation area were screened out by systematic clustering, including the spring variety Yongliang 4, winter cultivar Ningdong 11 and semi-winter cultivar Henong 7106. Their common characteristics were higher overwintering emergence rate, stronger stress resistance, relatively well-developed root system and higher yield performance, among which, Yongliang 4 could reach the same level as spring-seeded.