Abstract:

Appropriate cultivation management avails high yield and good quality of crops, of which irrigation plays very important role. The effects of water to the grain yield and quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were not identical upon different experiments corresponding to soil and fertilizer condition, rainfall, the frequency, quantity, and period of irrigation, and cultivar type. To study the effects of irrigation treatment on grain yield, protein components, and sedimentation, therefore, put forward water saving cultivation management in wheat production, we conducted a split plot design with 3 replicates under the fertilization level of 225 kg N ha^-1 (50% basal and 50% top dressing), 172.5 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 (basal), and 90 kg K₂O ha^-1 (basal) in the Renqiu (Hebei province) experiment site of the Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 2005–2006 growth season. Four irrigation treatments (supplied 40 m³ water per irrigation) with frequency of 1 (A1), 2 (A2), 3 (A3), and 4 (A4) times and seven bread wheat cultivars (8901-11, Yumai 34, Yannong 19, Jimai 20, Wanmai 38, Shaan 253, and Linyou 145) with high gluten content were set as main and subsidiary factors, respectively. Only 47.9 mm rainfall was received during the whole growth period. The grain yield and thousand-grain weight of A3 treatment (irrigated at the 2nd and 5th leaves emergence and anthesis, respectively) were the highest, and significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of A1 treatment (irrigated at the 5th leaf emergence). Yannong 19 had the highest grain yield with significant difference (P<0.05) to other cultivars. The gliadin content was affected significantly (P<0.05) by irrigation, and gained the highest value in A3 treatment with significant difference (P<0.05) to A1 and A2 (irrigated at the 5th leaf emergence and anthesis, respectively) treatments. The average contents of the protein components and total protein were significantly different (P<0.05) and always showed glutenin > gliadin > albumin > globulin (ratio of 3.6:2.7:1.7:1) in different cultivars and irrigation treatments. The coefficients of variance (CV) of albumin, globulin, gliadin, and glutenin were 5.64%, 8.15%, 5.50%, and 11.14%, respectively, indicating glutenin content had the largest variance in the four protein components. The effects on sedimentation were significantly different (P<0.01) in cultivars, but not (P>0.05) in irrigation treatments. Considering yield and protein components, we suggest to irrigate 3 times at double ridge stage, pistil and stamen differentiation and anthesis for strong gluten wheat in dry growth conditions.

Key words: Irrigation, Strong gluten wheat, Grain yield, Protein component