Optimized Water Management Strategies: Evaluating Limited-Irrigation Effects on Spring Wheat Productivity and Grain Nutritional Composition in Arid Agroecosystems

Zhiwei Zhao, Qi Li, Fan Xia, Peng Zhang, Shuiyuan Hao, Shijun Sun, Chao Cui and Yongping Zhang ()
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Zhiwei Zhao: College of Agronomy, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot 010019, China
Qi Li: College of Agronomy, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot 010019, China
Fan Xia: College of Agronomy, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot 010019, China
Peng Zhang: College of Agronomy, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot 010019, China
Shuiyuan Hao: Department of Agriculture, Hetao College, Bayannur 015000, China
Shijun Sun: Department of Agriculture, Hetao College, Bayannur 015000, China
Chao Cui: Department of Agriculture, Hetao College, Bayannur 015000, China
Yongping Zhang: College of Agronomy, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot 010019, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: The Hetao Plain Irrigation District of Inner Mongolia faces critical agricultural sustainability challenges due to its arid climate, exacerbated by tightening Yellow River water allocations and pervasive water inefficiencies in the current wheat cultivation practices. This study addresses water scarcity by evaluating the impact of regulated deficit irrigation strategies on spring wheat production, with the dual objectives of enhancing water conservation and optimizing yield–quality synergies. Through a two-year field experiment (2020~2021), four irrigation regimes were implemented: rain-fed control (W0), single irrigation at the tillering–jointing stage (W1), dual irrigation at the tillering–jointing and heading–flowering stages (W2), and triple irrigation incorporating the grain-filling stage (W3). A comprehensive analysis revealed that an incremental irrigation frequency progressively enhanced plant morphological traits (height, upper three-leaf area), population dynamics (leaf area index, dry matter accumulation), and physiological performance (flag leaf SPAD, net photosynthetic rate), all peaking under the W2 and W3 treatments. While yield components and total water consumption exhibited linear increases with irrigation inputs, grain yield demonstrated a parabolic response, reaching maxima under W2 (29.3% increase over W0) and W3 (29.1%), whereas water use efficiency (WUE) displayed a distinct inverse trend, with W2 achieving the optimal balance (4.6% reduction vs. W0). The grain quality parameters exhibited divergent responses: the starch content increased proportionally with irrigation, while protein-associated indices (wet gluten, sedimentation value) and dough rheological properties (stability time, extensibility) peaked under W2. Notably, protein content and its subcomponents followed a unimodal pattern, with the W0, W1, and W2 treatments surpassing W3 by 3.4, 11.6, and 11.3%, respectively. Strong correlations emerged between protein composition and processing quality, while regression modeling identified an optimal water consumption threshold (3250~3500 m 3 ha −1 ) that concurrently maximized grain yield, protein output, and WUE. The W2 regime achieved the synchronization of water conservation, yield preservation, and quality enhancement through strategic irrigation timing during critical growth phases. These findings establish a scientifically validated framework for sustainable, intensive wheat production in arid irrigation districts, resolving the tripartite challenge of water scarcity mitigation, food security assurance, and processing quality optimization through precision water management.

Keywords: spring wheat; deficit irrigation strategies; yield; grain quality; water use efficiency; Hetao irrigation district (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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