Planting Pattern and Irrigation Effects on Water-Use Efficiency of Winter Wheat

The world food demand is expected to double by 2050 and the availability and quality of irrigation water is declining because of the needs of the expanding population combined with the effects of climatic change. Therefore, productivity and water-use efficiency (WUE) are crucial issues in the production of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The objective of this field study was to compare and evaluate the soil water characteristic, evapotranspiration (ET), yield, and yield components to identify possible ways to improve WUE of winter wheat in the North China Plain. The field experiment in a randomized complete block design with four replicates was conducted during 2008 to 2009 and 2009 to 2010. There were three planting patterns: traditional flat seedbed with uniform row spacing of 25 cm, wide-narrow row spacing of 40-cm and 20-cm flat seedbed and furrow-ridge seedbed; three irrigation treatments: 90, 135, and 180 mm. The results showed that planting pattern and irrigation had significant effect on ET, yield components, grain yield, and WUE (P < 0.05); however, interaction between planting pattern and irrigation only had a significant effect on yield (P < 0.01). Compared with the conventional flat uniform planting pattern, the new treatment of furrow-ridge seedbed planting pattern increased WUE by 13.7%, increased grain yield by 9.7%, reduced ET by 3.4%, increased soil water content (SWC) by 7.7%, increased soil water storage (SWS) by 6.8%, and increased yield components (grains per spike 15.0%, thousand-grain weight [TGW] by 3.2%). Irrigation increased upper SWC, SWS, and ET, but decreased WUE. Compared with 90-mm irrigation treatment, 135-mm irrigation treatment increased grain yield by 6.4%. The findings suggest that application of the furrow-ridge seedbed planting pattern combined with 135-mm irrigation may be an effective strategy to improve winter wheat production in water-scarce regions.