EFFECTS OF TILLAGE IN FALLOW PERIOD AND SOWING METHODS ON WATER STORAGE AND GRAIN PROTEIN ACCUMULATION OF DRYLAND WHEAT

This study aimed to investigate the effect of deep plowing (DP) and subsoiling (SS) in fallow period combined with film mulch sowing in drill (FM-DS) in growth period on dryland wheat. A field study was conducted at Wenxi experimental site of Shanxi Agricultural University. Soil water storage, grain protein content, and the activity of key enzymes in nitrogen metabolism in flag leaves were determined. Compared with no-tillage (CK), DP and SS significantly increased water storage (P<0.05). Similar result was observed by FM-DS when compared with drill sowing (DS) (P<0.05). DP combined with FM-DS worked the best. Generally, the contents of albumin, gliadin and glutenin in spikelets were also significantly increased in DP and SS, especially in DP, when compared with CK (P<0.05). In addition, the glutamine synthetase (GS) activity was enhanced while the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity was reduced in DP and SS (P<0.05), and DP worked better than SS. The contents of gliadin, glutenin, and total protein in all spikelets as well as glutenin/gliadin (glu/gli) in central spikelets and basal spikelets were higher in FM-DS than in DS (P<0.05). In conclusion, DP combined with FM-DS was the best strategy for water storage and the yield and quality of dryland wheat.