Can additional N fertiliser ameliorate the elevated CO2‐induced depression in grain and tissue N concentrations of wheat on a high soil N background?

Elevated CO₂ stimulates crop yields but leads to lower tissue and grain nitrogen concentrations [N], raising concerns about grain quality in cereals. To test whether N fertiliser application above optimum growth requirements can alleviate the decline in tissue [N], wheat was grown in a Free Air CO₂ Enrichment facility in a low‐rainfall cropping system on high soil N. Crops were grown with and without addition of 50–60 kg N/ha in 12 growing environments created by supplemental irrigation and two sowing dates over 3 years. Elevated CO₂ increased yield and biomass (on average by 25%) and decreased biomass [N] (3%–9%) and grain [N] (5%). Nitrogen uptake was greater (20%) in crops grown under elevated CO₂. Additional N supply had no effect on yield and biomass, confirming high soil N. Small increases in [N] with N addition were insufficient to offset declines in grain [N] under elevated CO₂. Instead, N application increased the [N] in straw and decreased N harvest index. The results suggest that conventional addition of N does not mitigate grain [N] depression under elevated CO₂, and lend support to hypotheses that link decreases in crop [N] with biochemical limitations rather than N supply.     

Aerial canopy temperature differences between fast‐ and slow‐wilting soya bean genotypes

Drought stress limits crop growth and yield in soya bean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), but there are relatively few tools available to assess the ability of different genotypes to tolerate drought. Aerial infrared image analysis was evaluated as a potential tool for identifying drought tolerance in soya bean. Drought effects were evaluated from late vegetative to mid‐reproductive stages of soya bean development in an experiment with ten genotypes including five slow‐ and five fast‐wilting genotypes that were from a population derived from Benning×PI416937. There were two deficit irrigation levels for 2 years and one deficit irrigation level for the third year along with a fully irrigated control level. When the canopy was completely closed, relative canopy temperature was determined using an infrared camera taken from an aerial platform 50–75 m above the experiment. As water availability decreased, the relative canopy temperature generally increased. Moreover, slow‐wilting soya bean genotypes generally had lower canopy temperature compared to fast‐wilting genotypes, and grain yield was generally positively associated with cool canopy temperatures. The results indicate that the determination of canopy temperature is a promising tool for rapid characterization of drought‐related traits in soya bean.     

Altitude,temperature, and N Management effects on yield and yield components of contrasting lowland rice cultivars

Nitrogen (N) is one of the main nutrients that drive rice grain yield and is intensely managed especially in lowlands under irrigated conditions. A set of experiments was conducted in mid- and high-altitude sites in Rwanda to investigate the response of five genotypes under different sowing dates and different N management. Genotype grain yields were higher and more stable at mid-altitude across sowing dates. N rates strongly affected grain yield at mid-altitude (p < .0001), but not at high altitude. Postponing basal N had positive effects on yield and yield components in both sites, with more pronounced effects at high altitude. Increasing N rate beyond 120 kg/ha led to a decrease in percentage of panicles per tiller and spikelet fertility and a decrease in grain yield due to excessive tillers at both high altitude and mid-altitude. Thus, basal N application should be recommended at high altitude and the increase in N rate up to 120 kg/ha at mid-altitude. A strict observation of recommended planting date should be followed at high altitude, and the use of cold-tolerant genotypes is encouraged.     

Studies on Sowing Depth for Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), Faba Bean(Vicia faba L.) and Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) in a Mediterranean-type Environment of South-western Australia

Pulses such as chickpea, faba bean and lentil have hypogeal emergence and their cotyledons remain where the seed is sown, while only the shoot emerges from the soil surface. The effect of three sowing depths (2.5, 5 and 10 cm) on the growth and yield of these pulses was studied at three locations across three seasons in the cropping regions of south-western Australia, with a Mediterranean-type environment. There was no effect of sowing depth on crop phenology, nodulation or dry matter production for any species. Mean seed yields across sites ranged from 810 to 2073 kg ha⁻¹ for chickpea, 817–3381 kg ha⁻¹ for faba bean, and 1173–2024 kg ha⁻¹ for lentil. In general, deep sowing did not reduce seed yields, and in some instances, seed yield was greater at the deeper sowings for chickpea and faba bean. We conclude that the optimum sowing depth for chickpea and faba bean is 5–8 cm, and for lentil 4–6 cm. Sowing at depth may also improve crop establishment where moisture from summer and autumn rainfall is stored in the subsoil below 5 cm, by reducing damage from herbicides applied immediately before or after sowing, and by improving the survival of Rhizobium inoculated on the seed due to more favourable soil conditions at depth.     

Analysis of Water Non-limiting and Water Limiting Yields and Yield Gaps of Groundnut in India Using CROPGRO-Peanut Model

To assess the scope for enhancing productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in India, well‐calibrated and validated CROPGRO‐Peanut model was used to assess potential yields (water non‐limiting and water limiting) and yield gaps of groundnut for 18 locations representing major groundnut growing regions of India. The average simulated water non‐limiting pod yield of groundnut for the locations was 5440 kg ha^?1, whereas the water limiting yield was 2750 kg ha^?1 indicating a 49 % reduction in yield because of deficit soil moisture conditions. As against this, the actual pod yields of the locations averaged 1020 kg ha^?1, which was 4420 and 1730 kg ha^?1 less than the simulated water non‐limiting and water limiting yields, respectively. Across locations, the simulated water non‐limiting yields were less variable than water limited and actual yields, and strongly correlated with solar radiation during the crop season (R² = 0.62, P ≤ 0.01). Simulated water limiting yield showed a significant positive, but curvilinear relationship (R² = 0.73, P ≤ 0.01) with mean crop season rainfall across locations. The relationship between actual yield and the mean crop season rainfall across locations was not significant, whereas across seasons for some of the locations, the association was found to be significant. Total yield gap (water non‐limiting minus actual yields) ranged from 3100 to 5570 kg ha^?1, and remained more or less unaffected by the quantity of rainfall received across locations. The gap between simulated water non‐limiting and water limiting yields, which ranged from 710 to 5430 kg ha^?1, was large at locations with low crop season rainfall, and narrowed down at locations with increasing quantum of crop season rainfall. On the other hand, the gap between simulated water limiting yield and actual farmers yield ranged from 0 to 3150 kg ha^?1. It was narrow at locations with low crop season rainfall and increased considerably at locations with increasing amounts of rainfall indicating that type of interventions to abridge the yield gap will vary with the rainfall regimes. It is suggested that improved agronomic management (such as high yielding cultivars, balance crop nutrition and control of pest and diseases) in high rainfall regimes and rainfall conservation and supplemental irrigations in low rainfall regimes will be essential components of the improved technologies aimed at abridging the yield gaps of groundnut.     

Yield Stability of Winter Oil-Seed Rape (Brassica napus L.) as Affected by Stand Establishment and Nitrogen Fertilization

The effects of stand establishment and nitrogen fertilizer on yield and yield stability of winter oil-seed rape ( Brassica napus L.) were investigated in two field experiments in north eastern Germany (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). During six years of testing from 1984/85 to 1989/90 three sowing dates (10 Aug, 20 Aug, 5 Sept) as combined with three plant densities (60, 100, 140 plants/m² in autumn) were compared. Although seed yield did not respond to the main effects of these treatments, the two-way classification resulted in significant differences from the average yield. August sowing combined with lower plant densities caused comparably high yields, while delayed sowing was somewhat effective only with higher plant density. Highest yield stability was achieved at early sowing when combined with lower plant densities. From 1986/87 to 1988/89 nitrogen top-dressings were applied during early March, at start of stem extension and shortly before start of flowering at five locations. 200 kg N/ha in one dose resulted in lowest yield performance and enhanced instability. Contrastingly, the 240 kg N/ha treatment advanced yield stability regardless of split regimes. Nevertheless, split application to 100 kg N/ha + 50 kg N/ha + 50 kg N/ha also guaranteed that high yield performance and optimum yield stability were reached simultaneously and, that the total nitrogen input could be limited to 200 kg N/ha.     

Yield potential and salt tolerance of quinoa on salt‐degraded soils of Pakistan

Quinoa is recently introduced to Pakistan as a salt‐tolerant crop of high nutritional value. Open field trials were conducted to evaluate its performance on normal and salinity/sodicity‐degraded lands at two locations of different salinity/sodicity levels, S₁ (UAF Farm, Normal Soil), S₂ (Paroka Farm UAF, saline sodic), S₃ (SSRI Farm, normal) and S₄ (SSRI Farm, saline sodic) during 2013–2014. Two genotypes (Q‐2 and Q‐7) were grown in lines and were allowed to grow till maturity under RCBD split‐plot arrangement. Maximum seed yield (3,062 kg/ha) was achieved by Q‐7 at normal field (S₁) soil which was statistically similar with yield of same genotype obtained from salt‐affected field S₂ (2,870 kg/ha). Furthermore, low yield was seen from both genotypes from both S₃ and S₄ as compared to S₁ and S₂. Q‐7 was best under all four conditions. Minimum yield was recorded from Q‐2 (1,587 kg/ha) at S₄. Q‐7 had higher SOD, proline, phenolic and K⁺ contents, and lower Na⁺ content in leaves as compared to Q‐2. High levels of antioxidants and K⁺/Na⁺ of Q‐7 helped to withstand salt stress and might be the cause of higher yields under both normal and salt‐affected soils. Seed quality (mineral and protein) did not decrease considerably under salt‐affected soils even improved seed K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺.     

Yield–Density Relation of Glyphosate-Resistant Soya beans and their Responses to Light Enrichment in North-eastern USA

Optimum plant population densities are a key means of achieving higher seed yield in soya bean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Limited information is available on yield‐density relation of glyphosate‐resistant soya beans in north‐eastern USA. The objective of this research was to determine the appropriate populations for glyphosate‐resistant soya beans, and if the yield potential of glyphosate‐resistant soya bean produced in light‐enriched conditions was affected by populations. Eight glyphosate‐resistant soya bean cultivars with three populations (300 000, 500 000 and 800 000 plants ha⁻¹) were grown under both ambient and light‐enriched conditions in 2002 and 2003. Yield of all cultivars responded to density linearly. As density increased, grain yield was increased by up to 92 % among cultivars. Light enrichment increased yield for all cultivars across the 2 years, although some cultivars were more sensitive. Harvest index either remained unchanged or declined slightly at higher density in 2002, and there was no difference among treatments in 2003. Both pod number and seed number per plant were significantly decreased with the increase of density across the 2 years, while seeds per pod declined slightly or remained unchanged. Greater seed size was obtained in higher density with varied degree depending on cultivars across the 2 years except for those cultivars with relatively larger seed. The increase in seed size by light enrichment was cultivar and density dependent, and varied between years. 800 000 plants ha⁻¹ could be a suitable practice in producing higher yield in north‐east USA for glyphosate‐resistant soya bean. Maintaining the mass of an individual seed is an important strategy in achieving high yield at high population. Establishing mechanisms responsible for the greatest yields via high population under light‐enriched conditions, may provide insights for management and phenotypic improvement.     

Mitigating heat and chilling stress by adjusting the sowing date of maize in the North China Plain

The North China Plain (NCP) is one of the major areas of cereal production, and in recent years its maize (Zea mays L.) production has been influenced by both heat and chilling stresses. Adjusting the sowing date is an effective measure for mitigating these stresses. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We performed a 5‐year field experiment to determine how the sowing date mitigated heat and chilling stresses at Wuqiao Experimental Station in the NCP with three treatments: early sowing (ES), middle sowing (MS), and late sowing (LS). In all 5 years, higher grain yields were observed in the MS (averaged 11.7 Mg/ha) and LS (averaged 11.4Mg/ha) treatments compared with the ES (averaged 10.9Mg/ha) treatment. The lower yield in ES treatment mainly resulted from high temperature 5 days pre‐silking and 5 days post‐silking (>31.8°C). In 2015 and 2016, the lower grain yield in LS (11.4Mg/ha in 2015 and 11.2Mg/ha in 2016) treatment compared with MS (12.1Mg/ha in 2015 and 11.9Mg/ha in 2016) was mainly because the minimum temperature was <13.0°C 5 days before maturity or <13.6°C 10 days before maturity. Long‐term weather data further verified middle sowing would be appropriate in a changing climate. Therefore, we can conclude that sowing date manipulation constitutes a useful method for mitigating heat and chilling stresses for maize production.     

Increased utilization of lengthening growing season and warming temperatures by adjusting sowing dates and cultivar selection for spring maize in Northeast China

Global warming has lengthened the theoretical growing season of spring maize in Northeast China (NEC), and the temperatures during the growing season have increased. In practise, crop producers adjust sowing dates and alternate crop cultivars to take advantage of the lengthening growing season and increasing temperatures. In this study, we used crop data and daily weather data for 1981–2007 at five locations in NEC to quantify the utilization of the lengthening growing season and increasing temperatures by adjusting sowing dates and cultivar selection for spring maize production. If these two positive factors are not fully utilized, then it is important to know the potential impacts of these climatic trends on spring maize grain yields. The results show that in NEC, both the actual and theoretical growing seasons are lengthening, i.e., the sowing dates have been advanced and the maturity dates have been delayed. The actual sowing dates are 1–8 days later and the actual maturity dates are 6–22 days earlier than the theoretical perspective. Advancing sowing dates and changing cultivars led to 0–5 days and 6–26 days extension of the growing season. For the potential thermal time (TT), adjusting the sowing dates decreased the unutilized TT before sowing, while the cultivar selection increased the utilized TT and decreased the unutilized TT after maturity. On average, the unutilized heating resource before sowing is less than that after the maturity date (0.3–1.9% vs. 2.1–7.8%). During 1981–2007, for per day extension of the growing season, the spring maize grain yield increased by 75.2 kg ha⁻¹. The spring maize grain yields have increased by 7.1–57.2% when both early sowing and changing cultivars during 1981–2007. In particular, adjusting the sowing dates increased the grain yield by 1.1–7.3%, which was far less than the increase effect (6.5–43.7%) from switching to late maturing cultivars. Therefore, selecting late maturing cultivars is an important technique to improve maize grain yields in NEC under the global warming context. Nevertheless, if the currently unutilized TT were fully explored, the local spring maize grain yield would have increased by 12.0–38.4%.     

大豆新品种黔豆8号的适宜播种期研究

为探索大豆新品种黔豆8号的适宜播种期,在代表贵州省西南部大豆主产区的盘县对大豆新品种黔豆8号进行了7个不同播期处理试验.结果表明对各播种期对鲜食英产量和干籽粒产量的影响差异达极显著,对生育性状影响显著,对形成产量的主要农艺性状（英／粒等）影响较大.试验结果确定了黔豆8号在盘县作为900kg/667m以上高产鲜食英生产的播期为4月22日-5月2日,提早上市可于4月2日开始播种,明确了黔豆8号作为杆子粒生产达到220kg/667m2以上的播种时期为4月12日-4月22日.     

Modelling gross margins and potential N exports from cropland in south-eastern Australia

This study simulated the economic and environmental performance of three types of wheat sown into soils with three initial N contents and using ten different fertiliser management strategies. The Agricultural Productions Systems Simulator (APSIM) was used to model crop yields for which gross margins were estimated and a Bayesian Network used to estimate environmental risk. Based on economic and environmental considerations, it would appear that for low N soils more than 10 kg N/ha is needed at sowing. For soils with medium to high N, short and medium season wheat varieties need only 10 kg N/ha, while long season varieties require >10 kg N/ha, at sowing. Additional N fertiliser can be applied after sowing to maximise gross margins, taking into account potential crop yield and seasonal conditions. Interestingly, the study suggests that where farmers increase their gross margins they are improving their environmental performance. This is counter intuitive as it implies N fertiliser applications can lessen N exports. This results from the enhanced water uptake by the crop outweighing the adverse effects of increased N availability. It would appear that flexible cropping systems that maximise crop potential with minimum sowing N, maximise both economic and environmental performance.     

An approach to understanding persistent yield variation—A case study in North China Plain

Large gaps between maize yields on average farmers’ fields and the highest yields achieved by either experiment or farmers are typical throughout the developing world, including in the North China Plain (NCP). Understanding the underlying causes to this yield gap is important for prioritizing strategies for shrinking this gap and improving food security. Quzhou county in Hebei province is typical of the winter-wheat summer-maize system in NCP where the average plot size is only 0.25 ha. To analyze this cropping system amidst the challenge of substantial heterogeneity, we identified fields that were either persistently higher or lower yielding according to remote sensing yield estimates, and then conducted detailed field surveys. We found irrigation facility to be a major constraint to yield both in terms of irrigation water quality and farmers’ access to wells. In total, improving the access to unsalty water would be associated with a 0.32 t/ha (4.2%) increase in multi-year average yield. In addition, farmers’ method of choosing cultivar, which likely relates to their overall knowledge level, significantly explained yield variation. In particular, those choosing cultivars according to technician advice, personal experiences and high yielding neighbors’ advice had on average higher yield than farmers that either followed seed sellers’ advice or collectively purchased seeds.     

A maximin–minimax approach for classifying soybean genotypes for drought tolerance based on yield potential and loss

Screening for drought in soybean is often a bottleneck in plant breeding programmes. Sixteen genotypes were evaluated for drought tolerance during 2012, 2013 and 2014. The experiment was conducted in a split‐plot design, and the main plots consisted of irrigated and water stress treatments, and subplots consisted of 16 genotypes. The average seed yield was highest in 2012 (1708 kg/ha), followed by 2014 (1364 kg/ha) while very low yields (958 kg/ha) were observed during 2013. The per cent reduction in average soybean yield under water stress conditions was maximum (43%) during 2014 followed by 2012 (40%) and 2013 (31%), respectively. The average yields of soybean genotypes also differed significantly, which ranged from 892 (NRC 12) to 2008 kg/ha (JS 97‐52). The maximin–minimax approach was used to classify these genotypes, and only, one genotype was identified as drought resistant and high yielding (EC 538828), three as tolerant and high yielding (JS 97‐52, EC 456548 and EC 602288) and none as low yielding and resistant, while the remaining 12 genotypes were found to be low yielding and susceptible to drought.     

Ertragsbildung von getreidereichen Fruchtfolgen und Getreide-monokulturen in einem extensiven und intensiven Anbausystem

Yield formation in cereal-rich crop rotations and monocultures in an extensive and intensive crop-management system
In a long duration trial, conducted from 1979/80 to 1992 at TU-Munich's research station in Roggenstein, the performance of monocultures of winter wheat, winter barley and winter rye, as well as numerous cereal-crop rotations were compared in an extensive and intensive crop-management system. The results obtained can be summarized as follows.
Over the course of 13 years, the influence of the immediately preceding crop on the yield of the main crops was of much greater significance than the rotation as a whole. With winter wheat, no yield differences could be observed between monoculture and cereal crop rotation (if the rotation did not include oats). Oats, rape, field bean, pea, potato and maize as preceding crops, however, in crop management systems, led to, on average, an increase in yield of 13 dt/ha from the following wheat. Winter barley yields were not significantly different in monoculture, cereal crop rotations and crop rotations containing 66% cereals. Furthermore, winter rye yields were the same in monocultures and cereal crop rotations. With all cereals, intensification of fertilizing and chemical plant protection led to a considerable increase in yield, but did not diminish the effects of the preceding crop. Hence, even with the use of modern agronomical techniques it is impossible to compensate for yield losses due to crop rotation.     

Quantifying rice yield gaps and their causes in Eastern and Southern Africa

The demand for rice in Eastern and Southern Africa is rapidly increasing because of changes in consumer preferences and urbanization. However, local rice production lags behind consumption, mainly due to low yield levels. In order to set priorities for research and development aimed at improving rice productivity, there is a need to characterize the rice production environments, to quantify rice yield gaps—that is, the difference between average on-farm yield and the best farmers’ yield—and to identify causes of yield gaps. Such information will help identifying and targeting technologies to alleviate the main constraints, and consequently to reduce existing yield gaps. Yield gap surveys were conducted on 357 rice farms at eight sites (19–50 farmers per site) across five rice-producing countries in Eastern and Southern Africa—that is Ethiopia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda—for one or two years (2012–13) to collect both quantitative and qualitative data at field and farm level. Average farm yields measured at the eight sites ranged from 1.8 to 4.3 t/ha and the average yield gap ranged from 0.8 to 3.4 t/ha. Across rice-growing environments, major causes for yield variability were straw management, weeding frequency, growth duration of the variety, weed cover, fertilizer (mineral and organic) application frequency, levelling and iron toxicity. Land levelling increased the yield by 0.74 t/ha, bird control increased the yield by 1.44 t/ha, and sub-optimal management of weeds reduced the yield by 3.6 to 4.4 t/ha. There is great potential to reduce the current rice yield gap in ESA, by focusing on improvements of those crop management practices that address the main site-specific causes for sub-optimal yields.     

Winter cover crop: the effects of grass–clover mixture proportion and biomass management on maize and the apparent residual N in the soil

The advantages and disadvantages of varying mixture proportion of crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), used as winter cover crops, and cover crop biomass management before maize sowing (Zea mays L.) were studied in a series of field experiments in Eastern Slovenia. Pure stands and mixtures of cover crops on the main plots were split into different cover crop biomass management subplots: whole cover crop biomass ploughed down before maize sowing, aboveground cover crop biomass removed before ploughing and sowing, or aboveground cover crop biomass removed before sowing directly into chemically killed residues.Cover crop and cover crop biomass management affected the N content of the whole aboveground and of grain maize yields, and the differences between actual and critical N concentrations in the whole aboveground maize yield. The whole aboveground and grain maize dry matter yields, and the apparent remaining N in the soil after maize harvesting, showed significant interaction responses to cover crop × management, indicating positive and negative effects. Crimson clover in pure stand provided high, and pure Italian ryegrass provided low maize dry matter yields and N content in the yields in all the observed methods of biomass management. However, within individual management, mixtures containing high proportions of crimson clover sustained maize yields and N contents similar to those produced by pure crimson clover. Considering the expected ecological advantages of the mixtures, the results thereby support their use.     

Dynamic Prediction of Cotton Regional Yield Based on the COSIM Model - A Case Study of Akesu City,Xinjiang

[Objective] Dynamic prediction of crop yield using a crop growth simulation model is the focus of increasing research attention. [Method] Based on meteorological, cotton yield, and cotton phenology data recorded at Akesu in Xinjiang from 1991 to 2014, this study aimed to improve the accuracy of crop yield prediction by the COSIM model. The average sowing date for each study year, as well as multiple sowing dates during the suitable sowing period, was imported into the COSIM model, and the two yield prediction methods were compared and analyzed. [Result] The accuracy of both yield prediction methods was higher than 90.0%, indicating that the two methods showed good applicability at Akesu. However, the method using multiple sowing dates during the suitable sowing period showed higher prediction accuracy when cotton yield was dynamically predicted in each month and the actual sowing date was uncertain. [Conclusion] The two prediction methods based on the crop growth simulation model are suitable for prediction of cotton yield at Akesu. In addition, according to the characteristics of different forecast years, the appropriate forecasting method can be used to improve the accuracy of prediction. The results also provide a reference for dynamic prediction of cotton yield in other cotton-producing areas.     

播期和密度对芸豆生长、干物质积累及产量的影响

基于黑龙江省芸豆主栽地区春季频繁发生低温干旱,生产上经常晚播的生产实际,为了寻求适应实际生产条件的播期和密度协调栽培技术,在大田试验条件下探讨了5月15日(I)、5月25日(II)、6月04日(III)3个播期和15万株/hm~2(D1)、20万株/hm~2(D2)、25万株/hm~2(D3)、30万株/hm~2(D4)4个种植密度对芸豆植株性状、干物质积累及产量的影响。结果表明:相比于第I播期,第II和III播期条件下,芸豆的株高、茎粗、主茎节数和分枝数均有所下降,但芸豆的生长率有所增加。同时,随播期的推迟,芸豆花后的单株干物质积累和群体干物质积累逐渐下降趋势,单株荚数和单株粒数呈先增后减趋势。II-D2处理的产量最高,其次为I-D2和III-D3处理,分别比不同播期下D1处理多27.18%~45.31%、17.57%~34.34%、14.92%~31.31%。总体来看,在3种播期下,合理的种植密度能够使芸豆生长率、花后群体干物质积累增加,构建优良群体结构,在晚播(III)时适度密植(D3)的增产稳产优势更明显。     

苏中地区稻茬小麦生产措施采用特征与效益调研分析

为进一步明确江苏苏中地区小麦生产情况,通过发放问卷调查表的形式,获取了代表苏中的兴化和高邮两市2016—2020年度小麦生产调研数据,明确了该区域从事小麦生产的农户以51~60岁中老年劳动者为主,农户受教育程度以初中为主,迫切需要农业新技术,但接受能力偏低。不同农户田间小麦播期、播种量和肥料施用量均有明显差异。在10月26日—11月5日播种,采用211~240 kg/hm²的播种量易获得高产。两地农户平均施氮水平分别为308 kg/hm²和281 kg/hm²,部分农户施氮量高于350 kg/hm²时,产量不增反减。在播期、播量和施氮量作用下,兴化和高邮市小麦平均产量分别为6129.64 kg/hm²和6788.25 kg/hm²,农户间高产水平与低产水平间的产量差值分别为2270.36 kg/hm²、1611.75 kg/hm²。不同种麦规模获得的经济效益不同,种植面积为6.67~20 hm²时大多数农户能获得较高收益,仅极少数农户出现亏损,面积超过33.33 hm²的农户亏损占比较高,有收益农户单位面积种麦效益偏低。综上所述,苏中地区农户种植小麦规模20 hm²左右,采用播期10月26日—11月15日、播种量200~240 kg/hm²、施氮量为250~300 kg/hm²的生产措施可以获得较高产量和收益。建议在苏中地区推广使用。