Water use characteristics of different wheat varieties and their responses to different irrigation schedulings

In order to study the water use characteristics and the responses of the different winter wheat varieties to different irrigation schedulings, a field experiment was conducted on Luancheng Agri-ecology Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences between 2003 and 2004. Nineteen winter wheat varieties with different drought resistances were selected to study grain yield, water consumption and water use efficiency under three irrigation treatments. The results showed that there were significant differences in yield, water consumption and water use efficiency among the wheat varieties. The WUE and grain yield of Shijiazhuang 8 were increased by 42.18% and 44.86% respectively, compared with those of Xinong 9614. Based on the results of cluster analysis, these different varieties can be divided into four types: high yield and high WUE type, middle-yield and high WUE type, middle-yield and middle WUE type and low yield and low WUE type. Winter wheat varieties' responses to irrigation scheduling were different among different types. Grain yield and water use efficiency of high yield and high WUE type were 7415 kg/hm² and 15.91 kg/(mm·hm²) respectively under 60 mm irrigation. For example, Shijiazhuang 8 could be suitably planted in North China Plain, leading to a 60～120 mm reduction of irrigation without lowering its yield and WUE. So Shijiazhuang 8 had remarkable effects of water-saving and yield improvement.