Grain yield and water use of winter wheat as affected by water and sulfur supply in the North China Plain

Water shortage has threatened sustainable development of agriculture globally as well as in the North China Plain (NCP). Irrigation, as the most effective way to increase food production in dry land, may not be readily available in the situation of drought. One of the alternatives is to supply plants with enough nutrients so that they can be more sustainable to the water stress. The objective of this study was to explore effects of irrigation and sulphur (S) application on water consumption, dry matter accumulation (DMA), and grain yield of winter wheat in NCP. Three irrigation regimes including no irrigation (rainfed, I0) during the whole growth period, once irrigation only at jointing stage (90 mm, I1), and twice respective irrigation at jointing and anthesis stages (90 mm plus 90 mm, I2), and two levels of S application including 0 (S0) and 60 kg ha−1 (S60) were designed in the field experiment in NCP. Results showed that increasing irrigation times significantly increased mean grain yield of wheat by 12.5-23.7% and nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP) by 21.2-45.0% in two wheat seasons, but markedly decreased crop water use efficiency (YWUE). Furthermore, S supply 60 kg ha−1 significantly increased mean grain yield, YWUE, IWUE and NPFP by 5.6, 6.1, 23.2, and 5.6% (across two wheat seasons), respectively. However, we also found that role of soil moisture prior to S application was one of important greater factors on improving the absorption and utilization of storage water and nutrients of soil. Thus, water supply is still the most important factor to restrict the growth of wheat in the present case of NCP, supplying 60 kg ha−1 S with once irrigation 90 mm at the jointing stage is a relatively appropriate recommended combination to improve grain yield and WUE of wheat when saving water resources is be considered in irrigated wheat farmlands of NCP.