Effect of irrigation method on grain yield of winter wheat

Four irrigation methods: basin irrigation (BI), tube-sprinkler irrigation (SI), drip irrigation (DI) and pillow irrigation (PI) were tested in this study during 2012-2015 winter wheat growing seasons at Luancheng experimental station (37°53′N, 114°40′N; elevation 50 m) in the North China Plain (NCP). For BI irrigation method, no irrigation (B-0), one irrigation application at jointing stage (B-90, total amount of 90 mm) and two irrigations at jointing and anthesis stages (B-160, total amount of 160 mm with 90 mm at jointing and 70 mm at anthesis) were conducted during 2012-2015 seasons. For DI irrigation method, two irrigations at jointing and anthesis stages were conducted during 2012-2015 seasons, each irrigation amount was 45 mm. For SI and PI irrigation method, three irrigations at jointing, heading and grainfill stages were conducted during 2012-2014 seasons, each irrigation amount was 60, 50 and 50 mm, respectively. In addition, In 2014-2015, PI and SI had the same treatments as with the DI to compare the performance of the three irrigation methods.