Research on Water Stress Effects on Growth and Development of Winter Wheat

The greenhouse experiments on effects of treatments of different soil moisture and duration on growth, development and yield of winter wheat were conducted by controlled irragation. The response of growth, development and yield of winter wheat to water stress were studied. The results indicated that, for treatments with soil relative moisture being 55% and 40% , the daily increment of the root, stem, leaf, and shoot dry weight increased remarkably after 7 days of rewatering during the jointing stage and the flowering stage compared to that of the same period of ck. The treatment with a soil relative moisture of 40% during the 3-ieaf stage to the tillering stage had the maximum daily green leaf areas increment. Rewatering during the filling stage could retarded the senescent rate of the plant. For treatments with soil relative moisture being 55% or 40% at its previous growth stage had the maximum yields-increasing effects after rewatered during the jointing stage, and the treatments with soil relative moisture being 55% at its previous growth stage had the maximum water use efficiency after rewatered during the jointing stage. In the light of high yield and high benefit of winter wheat, the soil relative moisture of 55 % is the critical index of water stress to economic irrigation and high yield during the tillering stage of winter wheat.