Improvement of Wheat Water Use Efficiency in Semiarid Area of China

<正> The greatest fear of global climate change is drought since in most areas where wheat is grown water is the most important factor influencing wheat yield. Average wheat yield throughout the world is only 30-60% of the attainable yield potential because water shortage is the major factor preventing the realization of maximum yield. Periods of drought alternating with short periods of available water are common conditions to influence wheat productivity. Such conditions include variable frequency of dry and wet periods, intensity of drought, rate of drought onset and patterns of soil water deficit and/or atmospheric water deficit. It is this deficit and variable water conditions in semiarid environments that influence wheat productivity variously. This paper reviewed the physiological adaptation and benefits associated with deficit and variable water conditions. In addition, it also highlights the compensative effect of limited irrigation and breeding of new varieties for high water use efficiency (WUE) t