[Effects of irrigation amount on water use characteristics and grain yield of wheat under different nitrogen...

A field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of irrigation amount on the water consumption, flag leaf physiological characteristics, and grain yield of wheat under the nitrogen application rates 180 kg x hm(-2)(N180)) and 240 kg x hm(-2)(N240). Four irrigation regimes were designed, i.e., no irrigation during whole growth period (W0), irrigation with 60 mm water before sowing (W1), irrigation with 60 mm water before sowing and at jointing stage, respectively (W2), and irrigation with 60 mm water before sowing, at jointing stage, and at flowering stage, respectively (W3). In treatment W0, the water consumption amount below 100 cm soil layer was lower than that in other treatments; and in treatments W1 and W2, the water consumption amount in 100-200 cm and 0-200 cm soil layers was higher than that in treatment W3. The soil water consumption amount in 0-80 cm soil layer, the consumption percentage from flowering to maturing stage, and the total water consumption amount were all higher under N240 than under N180. At mid and late grain-filling stages, the relative water content (RWC) and water potential (psi w) of flag leaves were higher in treatments W2 and W3 than in treatments W0 and W1. The RWC and psi w at late grain-filling stage were higher in treatments N240W0 and N240 than in N180W0 and N180 W1, respectively, but had no significant differences between treatments N240W2 and N180W2, and N240W3 and N180W3. In this study, treatment N180W2 had the higher grain yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and nitrogen use efficiency, while over-irrigation increased the water consumption amount, and decreased the WUE, irrigation water use efficiency, and irrigation benefit.