Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 156-165 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/tgg 160 et al., 2020). Long-term use of organic fertilizers plus some inorganic fertilizers can not only increase yields, but also make yields more stable and less likely to fluctuate too much (Han et al., 2020). Conservation tillage measures such as returning straw to the field and no-till farming can also make the soil softer, better at retaining water, and more organic matter, which is very helpful for future farming (Li et al., 2023). 5.3 Economic and practical aspects Water-saving methods such as drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation, if combined with nitrogen fertilizer application, can grow more wheat with less water and fertilizer. This method not only improves yield and input efficiency, but also saves costs and reduces pressure on the environment (Yuan et al., 2022). In many cases, even if a little water and fertilizer are reduced, the yield may drop slightly, but the saved input is enough to make up for these losses, and the farmer's income is still not affected (Qu et al., 2025). A practical suggestion is to arrange irrigation time according to local rainfall and soil conditions, and add some organic amendments, such as farmyard manure, when necessary, to improve yield and soil fertility (Verma et al., 2023). These practices can take into account both making money and protecting the environment, so farmers are naturally willing to adopt them. 6 Case Study: Irrigation Frequency Effects in a Semi-Arid Wheat-Growing Region 6.1 Study region and climatic characteristics Places like the North China Plain, Pakistan's Sindh Province, and southern Egypt are typical semi-arid wheat-growing areas. These places have several characteristics: little and unstable rainfall, hot weather, rapid evaporation, and perennial water shortages. In such an environment, if you want to grow wheat well, you must use water carefully to maintain yields and improve water efficiency. 6.2 Experiment setup and findings Many field trials and model studies have done this kind of test to see how different irrigation methods affect wheat yield and WUE. In a study in Pakistan, some people tried to reduce the amount of irrigation by 40% to 50%. The results showed that although the yield decreased slightly, the water use efficiency was higher. For example, with half the amount of water, wheat yield can still reach 1 925 kg/ha and WUE reached 4.47 kg/m3-4.57 kg/m3 (Figure 2); while full irrigation uses more water but is less efficient (Jabeen et al., 2021). A four-year experiment was also conducted in the North China Plain. Irrigation was carried out in four stages: greening, jointing, flowering and filling, with a total of 240 mm of water. The result was a yield of 7 909 kg/ha and a WUE of 33 kg/ha/mm, the highest. If more water was applied, the yield did not change, but the WUE decreased (You et al., 2022). Research in Sindh Province found that reducing irrigation at different stages had different effects. If water is stopped during the tillering stage, the yield will drop significantly, up to 17%; but if irrigation is reduced during the grain maturity stage, the yield can still be maintained at 98.5%, and WUE will increase. This shows that the tillering stage is most sensitive to water shortage (Memon et al., 2021). In Upper Egypt, drip irrigation was used at 75% of the water requirement, and the WUE of wheat increased by 59% and the grain yield increased by 20%. This shows that in water-scarce areas, controlling the amount of irrigation can also improve water use efficiency and yield (Eissa et al., 2018). 6.3 Implications and recommendations Studies have shown that in some stages that are relatively less afraid of water shortage, such as grain maturity, less water can be used, which can not only maintain yield but also increase WUE. However, in critical stages such as tillering, water cannot be less, otherwise it is easy to reduce yield. We recommend that irrigation be arranged during important growth stages of wheat, such as greening, jointing, flowering and filling. At the same time, attention should be paid to controlling the total water consumption, such as about 240 mm, so that both yield and water saving can be taken into account. In order to better manage water, farmers are also advised to strengthen soil moisture monitoring. In addition, drip irrigation and other water-saving irrigation methods are also worth promoting. These methods are particularly suitable for water-scarce areas and can greatly improve water use efficiency.
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