Effects of Drip Irrigation and Fertilization Frequency on Yield, Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Medium and Strong Gluten Wheat in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China

Abstract

Drip irrigation can reduce water and fertilizer use; however, the frequency of topdressing required for drip irrigation for wheat in the Huang-Huai-Hai region is still unclear. Through two continuous wheat season field experiments, yield related traits under traditional surface irrigation (border irrigation) and three drip fertilization frequencies (DF2, DF3, DF4, that was, topdressing water and fertilizer twice, three or four times in the same way during the growth period) of three wheat cultivars (Jimai 22, Jimai 20, Shiluan 02-1) were studied. Increasing the frequency of drip irrigation fertilization could prolong the time of high-level photosynthesis, increase the dry matter distribution amount (DMDA) of stems and leaves, and add the weight of 1000 grains; it could increase the DMDA and nitrogen distribution amount (NDA) of the stems, leaves, and grains of Jimai 22, forming higher harvest index (HI) and nitrogen harvest index (NHI), but could reduce the DMDA of the grains of Jimai 20 and Shiluan 02-1, increasing NDA, reducing the harvest index but forming a higher nitrogen harvest index. The increase in drip irrigation fertilization frequency can improve protein content, increase grain number per spike, decrease spike number, improve the yield of medium gluten wheat, and improve nitrogen partial productivity and water use efficiency, while strong gluten wheat has a decrease in yield, nitrogen partial productivity, and water use efficiency. In summary, medium gluten wheat is more suitable for higher fertilization frequency in the Huang-Huai-Hai wheat region, while strong gluten wheat is the opposite.