Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 156-165 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/tgg 156 Review Article Open Access Effects of Irrigation Frequency on Dry Matter Accumulation and Water Use Efficiency of Wheat Yali Wang, Rugang Xu, Zhonghui He Modern Agricultural Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: zhonghui.he@cuixi.org Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.4 doi: 10.5376/tgg.2025.16.0017 Received: 21 May, 2025 Accepted: 03 Jul., 2025 Published: 21 Jul., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Wang et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wang Y.L., Xu R.G., and He Z.H., 2025, Effects of irrigation frequency on dry matter accumulation and water use efficiency of wheat, Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 16(4): 156-165 (doi: 10.5376/tgg.2025.16.0017) Abstract Wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) is a globally essential cereal crop whose productivity is closely linked to water availability, particularly in water-limited regions. This study explores the effects of different irrigation frequencies on dry matter accumulation and water use efficiency (WUE) in wheat cultivation. We examined the physiological basis of biomass accumulation and analyzed how irrigation intervals influence partitioning among organs and developmental stage-specific responses. Further, we evaluated WUE in relation to irrigation frequency, considering agronomic implications and the interplay of root development, leaf structure, and molecular signaling pathways. A case study from a semi-arid wheat-growing region provided field-based insights into the impacts of irrigation frequency on yield, soil health, and practical outcomes. Our analysis highlights the trade-offs between water input and biomass productivity, emphasizing the importance of optimized irrigation scheduling. We conclude that moderate irrigation intervals can enhance WUE without severely compromising yield, though outcomes depend on local climate and soil conditions. Future research should focus on site-specific strategies using precision agriculture to improve sustainability under climate variability. Keywords Wheat; Irrigation frequency; Dry matter accumulation; Water use efficiency; Semi-arid agriculture 1 Introduction Wheat is one of the most important food crops in the world. It is critical to food security and agricultural development. In recent years, the increase in wheat yields is mainly due to variety improvement and the rational use of resources such as water and nitrogen (Hao et al., 2023; Ma et al., 2024). Among these resources, water plays the greatest role. Water supply directly affects the growth process of wheat, and also affects the accumulation of dry matter and the final yield. Reasonable irrigation can keep wheat photosynthesis strong and prolong the filling time, thereby improving the efficiency of water and nitrogen use (Li et al., 2018; Li et al., 2019; Lyu et al., 2020). The time and frequency of irrigation have a great influence on the distribution of dry matter and also affect the reuse of carbon reserves. These factors are closely related to grain development and final yield (Wang et al., 2011; Huang et al., 2014). In water-scarce areas, how to arrange the irrigation time becomes particularly important. Only in this way can we achieve both increased production and resource conservation (Wang et al., 2023). This study mainly aims to summarize recent research results on the effects of irrigation frequency on wheat dry matter accumulation and water use efficiency. We will pay special attention to several common irrigation methods, such as drip irrigation, micro-spraying and supplementary irrigation. How do these methods affect wheat physiological processes, dry matter distribution and resource utilization efficiency under different wheat varieties and different environments? By integrating research under different ecological conditions, we hope to provide some practical suggestions for future irrigation management to make wheat cultivation more productive, environmentally friendly and sustainable. 2 Dry Matter Accumulation in Wheat under Varying Irrigation Frequencies 2.1 Physiological basis of dry matter accumulation Wheat's dry matter is mainly produced through photosynthesis. The quality of photosynthesis is closely related to the availability of water and nutrients. Irrigation can help wheat maintain a large leaf area and fast photosynthesis,
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