Abstract:

【Objective】 The present study was carried out to analyze the differences in grain yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and stem soluble sugar (SS) content under spike in grain filling period in various genotypes of dryland winter wheat. The correlation between SS and grain yield, WUE under limited irrigation condition were studied. 【Method】 Twelve winter wheat genotypes (from North China ) were used as materials in an experiment conducted in Loess Plateau of East Gansu. 【Result】 The twelve different genotypes had considerable differences in grain yield, WUE and SS. The SS increased with grain filling proceeding, and the difference reached the maximun at mid-late filling stage. The correlation between SS with grain yield and WUE was highly positive, especially after mid-late grain filling stage. 【Conclusion】 The SS should be evaluated and used as a potential selection criterion in breeding for high grain yield and WUE in winter wheat under limited irrigation condition, which equally inhibit crop assimilation at grain filling stage.

Key words: dryland wheat')">dryland wheat, limited irrigation, stem soluble sugar, grain yield, water use efficiency