Magnetization and oxidation of irrigation water to improve winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production and water-use efficiency

Achieving optimal grain yield (GY) and water-use efficiency (WUE) is important for the sustainable development of wheat production. We evaluated the effects of different irrigation regimes on root vigor, root distribution, soil water, crop water productivity, GY, and WUE of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on the Guanzhong Plain of the Yellow River Basin. Laboratory experiments on the hydroponic cultivation of winter wheat comprised control (CK-G, CK-B), magnetization (GM, BM) and oxidation (GO, BO) groups of groundwater and brackish water. Field experiments on the growth of winter wheat included control (IG), magnetization (IGM) and oxidation (IGO) groups of groundwater irrigation. Three irrigation levels, 60, 120 and 180 mm, were used for each treatment (IGM60, IGM120 and IGM180, and IGO60, IGO120 and IGO180, respectively). Under GM and GO regimes, the surface tension and viscosity coefficient of magnetized and oxidized water decreased compared with CK-G, for up to10 hours and 8 h, respectively. The root vigor in winter wheat was 526 and 925 µg g−1 h−1 after GM and GO treatment, respectively, which was 101% and 253% higher than CK-G. Under IGM120 and IGO120 regimes, root length density at a soil depth of 0–20 cm increased by 23% and 24%, respectively, compared with IG, while the proportion of root surface area density at a depth of 20–60 cm changed by 105% and 89%. GY (11.68 ×103 kg ha−1 and 10.72 ×103 kg ha−1) and WUE (27.74 kg ha−1 mm−1 and 26.08 kg ha−1 mm−1) increased by 21% and 11%, and 21% and 14%, respectively. Between the greening and maturity growth stages, the available soil water storage in the 100–200 cm soil layer decreased by 68, 82 and 72 mm under the IG, IGM120 and IGO120 regimes, respectively. Fitted relationships between irrigation level and grain yield and the WUE indicated that 96 mm magnetized water irrigation was optimal for conserving water and increasing the efficiency of wheat irrigation on the Guanzhong Plain.