A Water-Saving and High-Yielding Cultivation System for Winter Wheat Production In Northern China Plain: Wuqiao Model.

Water resource is a key factor limiting crop yield in North China Plain (NCP). Wheat is a major food crop in the area and high yield has mainly relied on irrigation combined with other management practices such as cultivar selection and fertilization. However, the irrigation water resources have been decreasing significantly over recent decades in the NCP. To achieve high yield with limited water resources, we conducted a series of field studies in winter wheat over the 10-yr period in Wuqiao county, Hebei province. The overall goal was to develop a water-saving and high-yielding cultivation system under reduced irrigation regime. Treatments in different field studies included irrigation levels, cultivars, seeding rates, seeding dates, and fertilization management. The results showed that high yield can be achieved under reduced irrigation levels. Among the irrigation treatments, irrigation before sowing is a very effective way to increase yield and water use efficiency. For example, one irrigation during growing season plus irrigation before sowing resulted in mean yield of 6870 kg/ha and water use efficiency of 1.71 kg/m3. Among the fertilization treatments, application of phosphorus is important for increasing yield. Other management practices for high yield included selecting drought resistant cultivars, proper late sowing, delaying first irrigation in spring, and reducing soil evaporation. Compared with traditional irrigation system, the Wuqiao Model saved about 75-150 mm of irrigation water and increased soil water storage by 77 mm during raining season.