[Effects of wide-range planting on the yield and nitrogen use efficiency of winter wheat cultivar Tainong 18.]

The effects of wide-range planting (WR) versus drilling-planting (DP) on grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and nitrogen uptake efficiency (UPE) were investigated using winter wheat cultivar Tainong 18 at experimental fields in Tai'an and Yanzhou during the growing seasons of 2015 and 2016. The results showed that planting pattern, experimental field location, and their interaction significantly affected the grain yield, NUE, and related indices of cultivar Tainong 18. Compared to DP, the WR pattern significantly increased grain yield by 22.5% and 15.4% at Tai'an and Yanzhou, respectively, by raising the number of spikes per unit area at maturity (originating from the greater numbers of tillers per plant and per unit area) and the number of spikes per plant. Compared to DP, the WR pattern significantly increased UPE by 27.7% and 17.5% at Tai'an and Yanzhou, respectively. NUE with the WR pattern at Tai'an and Yanzhou was also increased, respectively, by 22.5% and 15.4% by enhancing nitrogen accumulation and increasing the UPE. A stonger positive effect on yield was observed at Tai'an than at Yanzhou. Thus, the popularization and application of a WR pattern would synergistically improve grain yields and NUE in winter wheat.