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The effect of adapting cultivars on the water use efficiency of dryland maize (Zea mays L.) in northwestern China

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  • Bu, Lingduo
  • Chen, Xinping
  • Li, Shiqing
  • Liu, Jianliang
  • Zhu, Lin
  • Luo, Shasha
  • Lee Hill, Robert
  • Zhao, Ying

Abstract

Global warming is predicted to have adverse effects on crop productivity and will present an enormous challenge to sustainable development and food security, especially in dryland regions. Prior studies have identified that adapted crop cultivars could effectively act to offset the effects of climate warming; however, the water use of adapted cultivars subject to climate warming is much less understood. We analysed warming trends across the Loess Plateau in north-western China beginning in 1960. There has been significant warming, especially since 1980, with an increase in the growing degree days (GDD, from April to September) of 260–330°C being observed over the past 30 years. If the maize cultivars had remained unchanged, the decreased yield potential would have been 0.39–1.83tha−1 over the last 30 years. Meanwhile, the use of historical maize varieties has resulted in significantly decreased water use efficiency (WUE) across the Loess Plateau. Based on the increase in the GDD in each decade, we suggest planting adapted later-maturing maize cultivars to improve productivity. Compared with historical cultivars, the adapted later-maturing varieties significantly prolonged the maize growing cycle by an average of 27 d, thereby increasing the yield potential by 24.2–64.8% and the WUE by 9.0–38.1% throughout the Loess Plateau. However, the adapted maturing varieties may increase the water consumption (ET), which is the disadvantage for sustainable dryland farming, especially in dry regions. Hence, continuing to develop water-harvesting techniques (e.g., plastic film mulching) will help to offset the decreasing rainfall and guarantee food security and sustainability in dry regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Bu, Lingduo & Chen, Xinping & Li, Shiqing & Liu, Jianliang & Zhu, Lin & Luo, Shasha & Lee Hill, Robert & Zhao, Ying, 2015. "The effect of adapting cultivars on the water use efficiency of dryland maize (Zea mays L.) in northwestern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 1-9.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:148:y:2015:i:c:p:1-9
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2014.09.010
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sepaskhah, Ali Reza & Fahandezh-Saadi, Saghar & Zand-Parsa, Shahrokh, 2011. "Logistic model application for prediction of maize yield under water and nitrogen management," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 51-57.
    2. Shilong Piao & Philippe Ciais & Yao Huang & Zehao Shen & Shushi Peng & Junsheng Li & Liping Zhou & Hongyan Liu & Yuecun Ma & Yihui Ding & Pierre Friedlingstein & Chunzhen Liu & Kun Tan & Yongqiang Yu , 2010. "The impacts of climate change on water resources and agriculture in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 467(7311), pages 43-51, September.
    3. Gian-Reto Walther & Eric Post & Peter Convey & Annette Menzel & Camille Parmesan & Trevor J. C. Beebee & Jean-Marc Fromentin & Ove Hoegh-Guldberg & Franz Bairlein, 2002. "Ecological responses to recent climate change," Nature, Nature, vol. 416(6879), pages 389-395, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zheng, Huifang & Shao, Ruixin & Xue, Yanfang & Ying, Hao & Yin, Yulong & Cui, Zhenling & Yang, QingHua, 2020. "Water productivity of irrigated maize production systems in Northern China: A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    2. Dianyuan Ding & Hao Feng & Ying Zhao & Wenzhao Liu & Haixin Chen & Jianqiang He, 2016. "Impact assessment of climate change and later-maturing cultivars on winter wheat growth and soil water deficit on the Loess Plateau of China," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 138(1), pages 157-171, September.
    3. Wang, Xiaowen & Li, Liang & Ding, Yibo & Xu, Jiatun & Wang, Yunfei & Zhu, Yan & Wang, Xiaoyun & Cai, Huanjie, 2021. "Adaptation of winter wheat varieties and irrigation patterns under future climate change conditions in Northern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).

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