The greatest fear of global climate change is drought since in most areas where wheat is grown water is the most important factor influencing wheat yield. Average wheat yield throughout the world is only 30-60% of the...The greatest fear of global climate change is drought since in most areas where wheat is grown water is the most important factor influencing wheat yield. Average wheat yield throughout the world is only 30-60% of the attainable yield potential because water shortage is the major factor preventing the realization of maximum yield. Periods of drought alternating with short periods of available water are common conditions to influence wheat productivity. Such conditions include variable frequency of dry and wet periods, intensity of drought, rate of drought onset and patterns of soil water deficit and/or atmospheric water deficit. It is this deficit and variable water conditions in semiarid environments that influence wheat productivity variously. This paper reviewed the physiological adaptation and benefits associated with deficit and variable water conditions. In addition, it also highlights the compensative effect of limited irrigation and breeding of new varieties for high water use efficiency (WUE) that could improve wheat productivity under water-limited environments in the semiarid regions. Considerable potential for further improvement in wheat WUE and productivity in semiarid environments seems to depend on effective conservation of moisture and efficient use of this limited water such as soil fertility improvement, conservation tillage, residues and film mulch, rain water harvesting for limited irrigation, and breeding for water saving varieties. Different crop, soil and water management strategies should be adjusted according to the conditions that prevail in various semiarid areas. By combining soil and water conservation approaches and adjusting the cropping system by growing drought-tolerant and water-saving cultivars, increase in wheat WUE and productivity could be achieved.展开更多
基金T his paper was supported by the Major State Basic Research Development Program of People's Republic of China(G1999011708)the Key Laboratory Visiting Scholar Foundation of Chinese Education Ministry.
文摘The greatest fear of global climate change is drought since in most areas where wheat is grown water is the most important factor influencing wheat yield. Average wheat yield throughout the world is only 30-60% of the attainable yield potential because water shortage is the major factor preventing the realization of maximum yield. Periods of drought alternating with short periods of available water are common conditions to influence wheat productivity. Such conditions include variable frequency of dry and wet periods, intensity of drought, rate of drought onset and patterns of soil water deficit and/or atmospheric water deficit. It is this deficit and variable water conditions in semiarid environments that influence wheat productivity variously. This paper reviewed the physiological adaptation and benefits associated with deficit and variable water conditions. In addition, it also highlights the compensative effect of limited irrigation and breeding of new varieties for high water use efficiency (WUE) that could improve wheat productivity under water-limited environments in the semiarid regions. Considerable potential for further improvement in wheat WUE and productivity in semiarid environments seems to depend on effective conservation of moisture and efficient use of this limited water such as soil fertility improvement, conservation tillage, residues and film mulch, rain water harvesting for limited irrigation, and breeding for water saving varieties. Different crop, soil and water management strategies should be adjusted according to the conditions that prevail in various semiarid areas. By combining soil and water conservation approaches and adjusting the cropping system by growing drought-tolerant and water-saving cultivars, increase in wheat WUE and productivity could be achieved.
