Optimizing Sulfur Fertilization for Enhanced Physiological Performance, Grain Filling Characteristics, and Grain Yield of High-Yielding Winter Wheat Under Drip Irrigation

Hongxiao Duan, Wenlu Li, Yulei Jiang, Yihang Du, Ludi Zhao, Jing Jia, Shanzhang Liu and Changxing Zhao ()
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Hongxiao Duan: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Farming Technology, Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Wenlu Li: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Farming Technology, Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Yulei Jiang: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Farming Technology, Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Yihang Du: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Farming Technology, Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Ludi Zhao: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Farming Technology, Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Jing Jia: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Farming Technology, Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Shanzhang Liu: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Farming Technology, Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
Changxing Zhao: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dryland Farming Technology, Agronomy College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-24

Abstract: The North China Plain is one of the major wheat cultivation regions. As a cornerstone of global food security, wheat makes the enhancement of its yield critically important. Sulfur critically regulates photosynthesis, antioxidant defense, and grain filling dynamics. To elucidate the physiological mechanisms of S in wheat grain filling and guide field practices, a two-year field experiment (2022–2023 and 2023–2024) was conducted in the North China Plain using two dominant cultivars, Jimai 20 (JM20) and Yannong 999 (YN999). Four sulfur (ammonium sulfate) gradients (S1: 15 kg ha −1 ; S2: 30 kg ha −1 ; S3: 45 kg ha −1 ; S4: 60 kg ha −1 ) and a control (S0) were applied at the jointing stage via a drip fertigation system. The key findings reveal that optimal S application (YN999: 45 kg ha −1 ; JM20: 30–45 kg ha −1 ) enhanced post-anthesis photosynthetic capacity by increasing flag leaf SPAD values and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, thereby delaying leaf senescence. These improvements translated into optimized grain filling parameters: YN999 and JM20 exhibited 2.27–5.62% and 13.20–13.86% increases in mean grain filling rate, 3.92–4.73% and 2.11–4.36% extensions in grain filling duration, and 7.62–7.83% and 9.55–10.23% boosts in thousand grain weight, respectively. Consequently, yield increased by 0.58–1.54 t ha −1 for YN999 and 1.36–1.49 t ha −1 for JM20. Under drip fertigation conditions in the North China Plain, sulfur application at 30–45 kg ha −1 effectively enhances wheat yield. These findings provide fertilization guidance for the development of precision agriculture and can help alleviate the local soil sulfur deficiency trend.

Keywords: winter wheat; sulfur fertilizer; photosynthetic characteristics; grain filling characteristics; grain weight; yield (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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