| In order to provide reasonable winter wheat water management, improve yield, and enhance WUE, we studied the change trends of winter wheat photosynthetic rate and yield under micro-sprinkler irrigation and furrow irrigation, and tried to explore the responses of those to different irrigation treatments in North China. The experiment was employed with two irrigation methods: micro-sprinkler irrigation (90, 120, 150 mm and 180 mm) and furrow irrigation (83, 130, 201 mm and 205 mm) that respectively included four irrigation amounts and stages. Grain yield, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and LAI of winter wheat were analyzed. The results showed that in the same irrigation amount condition, the irrigation amount during wheat growth period was equal to or less than 120 mm. Micro-sprinkler irrigation significantly increased grain yield and WUE of wheat, mainly due to the increase of 1 000 grain weight. When the amount of irrigation was equal to or more than 180 mm, yield from micro-sprinkler irrigation and WUE was lower than that with furrow irrigation. Photosynthetic rates of wheat leaves with micro-sprinkler irrigation at different stages were higher than those with furrow irrigation. The transpiration rates by micro-sprinkler irrigation treatments were higher than those by furrow irrigation treatments, excepted for micro-sprinkler irrigation with an amount of 120 mm and 4 times of irrigation treatment (SI2) at jointing stage. Changing trends for photosynthetic and transpiration rates with micro-sprinkler irrigation and furrow irrigation were basically the same, both of which became increased first and then went decreased. Wheat LAI with micro-sprinkler irrigation and furrow irrigation were gradually increased with the escalation of irrigation amount, and the main stem leaf number became gradually reduced. In the same irrigation amount condition, wheat LAI by micro-sprinkler irrigation was greater than that by furrow irrigation, while green leaf numbers were fewer than those by furrow irrigation. In the 2012—2013 annual rainfall conditions, grain yield and WUE with micro-sprinkler irrigation treatments were higher than those with furrow irrigation with less irrigation amount, while high LAI and population density, and poor ventilation decreased grain yield and WUE under the condition with additional irrigation times and increased irrigation amount. SI2 was the optimal irrigation treatment for micro-sprinkler irrigation. For furrow irrigation, the parameter with an irrigation amount of 205 mm and 4 times (FI4) was optimal. |