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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2020, Vol. 19 Issue (9): 2326-2339    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62877-7
Special Issue: 水稻耕作栽培合辑Rice Physiology · Biochemistry · Cultivation · Tillage 农业生态环境-灌溉合辑Agro-ecosystem & Environment—Irrigation
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Effects of water application uniformity using a center pivot on winter wheat yield, water and nitrogen use efficiency in the North China Plain
CAI Dong-yu1, YAN Hai-jun1, LI Lian-hao2
1 College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, P.R.China
2 College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, P.R.China
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Abstract  
In recent years, the use of fertigation technology with center pivot irrigation systems has increased rapidly in the North China Plain (NCP).  The combined effects of water and nitrogen application uniformity on the grain yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) have become a research hotspot.  In this study, a two-year field experiment was conducted during the winter wheat growing season in 2016–2018 to evaluate the water application uniformity of a center pivot with two low pressure sprinklers (the R3000 sprinklers were installed in the first span, the corresponding treatment was RS; the D3000 sprinklers were installed in the second span, the corresponding treatment was DS) and a P85A impact sprinkler as the end gun (the corresponding treatment was EG), and to analyze its effects on grain yield, WUE and NUE.  The results showed that the water application uniformity coefficients of R3000, D3000 and P85A along the radial direction of the pivot (CUH) were 87.5, 79.5 and 65%, respectively.  While the uniformity coefficients along the traveling direction of the pivot (CUC) were all higher than 85%.  The effects of water application uniformity of the R3000 and D3000 sprinklers on grain yield were not significant (P>0.05); however, the average grain yield of EG was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of RS and DS, by 9.4 and 11.1% during two growing seasons, respectively.  The coefficients of variation (CV) of the grain yield had a negative correlation with the uniformity coefficient.  The CV of WUE was more strongly affected by the water application uniformity, compared with the WUE value, among the three treatments.  The NUE of RS was higher than those of DS and EG by about 6.1 and 4.8%, respectively, but there were no significant differences in NUE among the three treatments during the two growing seasons.  Although the CUH of the D3000 sprinklers was lower than that of the R3000, it had only limited effects on the grain yield, WUE and NUE.  However, the cost of D3000 sprinklers is lower than that of R3000 sprinklers.  Therefore, the D3000 sprinklers are recommended for winter wheat irrigation and fertigation in the NCP. 
Keywords:  center pivot        low pressure sprinkler        water application uniformity        winter wheat        water and nitrogen use efficiency  
Received: 27 August 2019   Accepted:
Fund: The research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFD0201502), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51621061 and 51939005) and the Science and Technology Open Cooperation Project of Henan Province, China (172106000015), and the Open Fund of National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, China (NELCOF20190104).
Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence YAN Han-jun, Tel: +86-10-62737196, E-mail: yanhj@cau.edu.cn   
About author:  CAI Dong-yu, Mobile: +86-15010234684, E-mail: cdongyu@126.com;

Cite this article: 

CAI Dong-yu, YAN Hai-jun, LI Lian-hao. 2020. Effects of water application uniformity using a center pivot on winter wheat yield, water and nitrogen use efficiency in the North China Plain. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 19(9): 2326-2339.

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