Abstract
To propose an appropriate nitrogen application mode and suitable drip irrigation lateral spacing, a field experiment was conducted during 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 growing seasons to quantify the different drip irrigation lateral spacings and nitrogen fertigation strategies effects on winter wheat growth, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) in the North China Plain (NCP). The experiment consisted of three drip irrigation lateral spacing (LS) (40, 60, and 80 cm, referred to as D40, D60, and D80 respectively) and three percentage splits of nitrogen application modes (NAM) (basal and top dressing application ratio as 50:50 (N50:50), 25:75 (N25:75), and 0:100 (N0-100) respectively). The experimental findings depicted that yield and its components, and WUE were markedly affected by LS and NAM. Fertigation of winter wheat at N25:75 NAM notably (P<0.05) increased the grain yield by 4.88%, 1.83% and 8.03%, 4.61%, and WUE by 3.10%, 3.18% and 5.37%, 7.82%, compared with those at NAM N50:50 and N0:100 in 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 growing seasons, respectively. LS D40 appeared very fruitful in terms of soil moisture and nitrogen distribution, WUE, grain yield, and yield components than that of other LS levels. The maximum grain yield (8.73 and 9.40 t ha-1) and WUE (1.70 and 1.95 kg m-3) were obtained under D40N25:75 during both growing seasons, which mainly due to that all main yield components in D40N25:75 treatment, such as spikes per unit area, 1000-grain weight, and grains per spike were significantly higher as compared to other treatments. The outcomes of this research may provide a scientific basis of lateral spacing and nitrogen fertigation management for the production of drip-irrigated winter wheat in NCP.
Highlights
MethodsThe field study was carried out during two consecutive growing seasons (2017–2018 and 2018–2019) of winter wheat at Qiliying Experimental Station (35 ̊08’N, 113 ̊45’E; altitude 81 m), Institute of Farmland Irrigation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS) in Xinxiang, Henan in North China Plain (NCP)
Making availability of energy, food resources, and water to the rising world population is a serious challenge
The temporal variations in soil moisture content as influenced by different lateral spacings and nitrogen application modes (NAM) during the two wheat-growing seasons are given in Figs 2 and 3 respectively
Summary
The field study was carried out during two consecutive growing seasons (2017–2018 and 2018–2019) of winter wheat at Qiliying Experimental Station (35 ̊08’N, 113 ̊45’E; altitude 81 m), Institute of Farmland Irrigation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS) in Xinxiang, Henan in NCP. The meteorological data on daily basis including air temperature (maximum and minimum), relative humidity, solar radiation, wind velocity, precipitation, and air pressure was recorded from the automatic weather station installed at the experimental site. The seasonal rainfall (mid-October to early June) ranged between 60 to 200 mm with average air temperature in-between 10 to 12 ̊C during the winter wheat growing season.
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