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Abstract
Reducing irrigation water use by improving water use efficiency (WUE) in grain production is critical for the development of sustainable agriculture in the North China Plain (NCP). This article summarizes the research progresses in WUE improvement carried out at the Luancheng station located in the Northern part of NCP for the past three decades. Progresses in four aspects of yield and WUE improvement are presented, including yield and WUE improvement associated with cultivar selection, irrigation management for improving yield and WUE under limited water supply, managing root system for efficient soil water use and reducing soil evaporation by straw mulch. The results showed that annual average increase of 0.014 kg$m -3 for winter wheat and 0.02 kg$m -3 in WUE were observed for the past three decades, and this increase was largely associated with the improvement in harvest index related to cultivar renewal and an increase in chemical fertilizer use and soil fertility. The results also indicated that deficit irrigation for winter wheat could significantly reduce the irrigation water use, whereas the seasonal yield showed a smaller reduction rate and WUE was significantly improved. Straw mulching of summer maize using the straw from winter wheat could reduce seasonal soil evaporation by 30-40 mm. With new cultivars and improved management practices it was possible to further increase grain production without much increase in water use. Future strategies to further improve WUE are also discussed.
Highlights
China is facing a water crisis due to water shortages and water pollution
A study lasting six seasons was carried out, comprising four treatments: rain-fed, single irrigation applied at sowing to obtain a good level of soil moisture at the start of crop growth (I1s), single irrigation applied during recovery to jointing (I1r) and full irrigation supplied as three irrigations, to optimize the grain production of winter wheat under limited water supply[21]
The major factors contributing to this improvement included the renewal of cultivars, regulated deficit scheduling, straw mulching, managing root systems for efficient soil water use and the increased soil fertility
Summary
China is facing a water crisis due to water shortages and water pollution. The increasing water scarcity and the competition from other sectors have put irrigation under great pressure[1]. The gap between the current WUE in China with the maximum WUE reported by Zwart and Bastiaanssen[4] was quite large, and offers tremendous opportunities for maintaining or increasing agricultural production using less water, in particular by improving WUE for grain production while reducing irrigation water use. The results showed that with new cultivars, improved soil fertility and management practices, it was possible to increase grain production without much increase in water use. This is very important for mitigating global water scarcity and at the same time meeting the food demands of a growing population. 2.2 Yield and WUE improvement associated with cultivars and soil fertility improvement
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