THE EFFECT OF RESOURCE-SAVING IRRIGATION ON WINTER WHEAT YIELD AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY: A FIELD STUDY

Efficient use of water in agriculture has become increasingly important due to growing water scarcity and the need for sustainable crop production. This study examines the impact of resource-saving irrigation strategies on the yield and water use efficiency of winter wheat based on field experiments. Three different irrigation regimes were tested, including conventional irrigation, moderate deficit irrigation, and regulated deficit irrigation applied at critical growth stages. The findings indicate that optimizing irrigation can maintain or slightly increase grain yield while significantly improving water use efficiency, demonstrating that resource-saving approaches can support both productivity and sustainability in irrigated wheat cultivation.