Optimizing Sowing Time and Density Can Synergistically Improve the Productivity and Quality of Strong-Gluten Wheat in Different Ecological Regions of Shandong Province
Timely sowing is a crucial cultivation practice for enhancing crop productivity. In Shandong Province, inadequate supporting cultivation techniques are the primary factors limiting the yield and quality improvement of high-quality strong-gluten wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.). A prom...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/3/372 |
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| Summary: | Timely sowing is a crucial cultivation practice for enhancing crop productivity. In Shandong Province, inadequate supporting cultivation techniques are the primary factors limiting the yield and quality improvement of high-quality strong-gluten wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.). A promising strategy for achieving synergistic improvements in both yield and quality involves matching the sowing date and density to the specific ecological conditions of each region. To explore this approach, we conducted continuous field experiments at three testing stations—Jining, Dezhou, and Yantai—across the major wheat-growing regions of Shandong Province from 2019 to 2021. Four sowing dates (T1: October 5; T2: October 15; T3: October 25; and T4: November 5) and seven planting densities (ranging from 135 × 10<sup>4</sup> plants ha<sup>−1</sup> to 405 × 10<sup>4</sup> plants ha<sup>−1</sup>, denoted as D1–D7) were tested at each location. The results revealed that the wheat yield in each ecological zone initially increased, then decreased as the sowing dates were delayed. In Jining and Dezhou, high grain yields were typically observed at all densities under T3, while Yantai showed optimal yields under T2. Specifically, Jining achieved the highest grain yield of 9326.6 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> with 315 × 10<sup>4</sup> plants ha<sup>−1</sup> on October 25 (T3D5), while Dezhou and Yantai reached their maximum yields under 225 × 10<sup>4</sup> plants ha<sup>−1</sup> on October 15 (T2D3), with yields of 8784.0 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> and 9366.3 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. Except in Dezhou, the wheat quality compliance rate at all sites followed an increasing trend initially, which then declined with later sowing dates. In Jining and Yantai, high-quality compliance rates were most frequently achieved under T2, while Dezhou showed optimal quality rates under T1. In conclusion, selecting appropriate sowing dates and densities can lead to synergistic improvements in both grain yield and quality of strong-gluten wheat across Shandong’s wheat-growing regions. |
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| ISSN: | 2223-7747 |