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The coupled effects of various irrigation scheduling and split nitrogen fertilization modes on post-anthesis grain weight variation, yield, and grain quality of drip-irrigated winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the North China Plain
Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani1, 2*, Sunusi Amin Abubakar3*, Yuanyuan Fu4, Djifa Fidele Kpalari2, Guangshuai Wang2, Aiwang Duan2, Yang Gao2#, Xiaotang Ju1#

1 College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China

2 Key Laboratory of Crop Water Use and Regulation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Farmland Irrigation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, P.R. China

3 Department of Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi 740272, Nigeria

4 College of Agronomy, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China

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Abstract  Irrigation methods and nitrogen (N) fertilization modes have a complicated impact on wheat physiology, growth, and development, leading to the regulation of wheat grain yield and quality.  However, the optional water-N combination for drip-irrigated winter wheat remains unclear.  A two-year fieldwork was conducted to evaluate the influences of various N-fertigation and water regimes on wheat post-anthesis grain weight variation, yield, grain NPK content, and grain quality.  The two irrigation quotas were I45 (Irrigation when ETa-P reaches 45 mm) and I30 (Irrigation when ETa-P reaches 30 mm) and the six N application rates were N0-100 (100% at jointing/booting), N25-75 (25% at sowing and 75% at jointing/booting), N50-50 (50% at sowing and 50% at jointing/booting), N75-25 (75% at sowing and 25% at jointing/booting), N100-0 (100% at sowing), and SRF100 (100% of slow release fertilizer at sowing).  The experimental findings showed that post-anthesis grain weight variation, grain yield, grain NPK content, and grain quality were markedly influenced by the various irrigation scheduling and N-fertilization modes.  The N50-50 treatment was more beneficial for winter wheat post-anthesis grain weight variation than the N100-0 and N0-100 treatments under the two irrigation quotas and during the two seasons.  The highest grain yield of 9.72 and 9.94 (t ha−1) were obtained with the I45N50-50 treatment in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, respectively.  The grain crude protein was higher in the I45SRF100 treatment during the two seasons.  The I45N100-0 significantly (P<0.05) enhanced the content of grain total starch by 7.30 and 8.23% compared with the I45N0-100 and I30N0-100 treatments, respectively during the 2021-2021 season.  The I45N100-0 significantly (P<0.05) enhanced the content of grain total starch concentration by 7.77%, 7.62 and 7.88% in comparison with the I45N0-100, I30N0-100, and I30N25-75 treatments, respectively in the 2021-2022 season. Considering the principal component analysis (PCL), the N50-50 split N-fertigation mode could be an optional choice for farmers during winter wheat production via drip irrigation.
Keywords:  winter wheat        drip fertigation        split N application        post-anthesis grain weight variation        grain quality  
Online: 19 January 2024  
About author:  #Correspondence Yang Gao, E-mail: gaoyang@caas.cn; Xiaotang Ju, E-mail: juxt@cau.edu.cn *These authors contributed equally to this work and share the first authorship.

Cite this article: 

Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani, Sunusi Amin Abubakar, Yuanyuan Fu, Djifa Fidele Kpalari, Guangshuai Wang, Aiwang Duan, Yang Gao, Xiaotang Ju. 2024. The coupled effects of various irrigation scheduling and split nitrogen fertilization modes on post-anthesis grain weight variation, yield, and grain quality of drip-irrigated winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the North China Plain. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2023.12.037

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