Effects of No-Tillage on Field Microclimate and Yield of Winter Wheat

Field studies were conducted in the North China Plain (NCP) during the 2023&ndash:2024 season to investigate the vertical microclimate, yield, and yield-related characteristics of winter wheat during the grain-filling stage under no-till direct seeding and conventional tillage. The aim was to compare the differences in microclimate between the two tillage methods in wheat fields and the impact of microclimate on yield. The results indicated that, compared to conventional tillage, no-till direct seeding reduced the air temperature and increased the relative humidity of the air at 20 cm and 100 cm above the ground during the wheat grain-filling period. The soil moisture content at 20 cm below the ground under no-till direct seeding was higher than under conventional tillage during the early grain-filling stage. Seven days before the wheat harvest, the dry weight per plant and the dry weight per spike were significantly greater under no-till direct seeding than under conventional tillage. Consequently, the thousand-grain weight of no-till direct seeding was significantly higher than that of conventional tillage, with an increase of 7.9%. The number of wheat sterile spikelets under no-till direct seeding was significantly lower than that under conventional tillage. Furthermore, the number of grains per spike was higher than that of conventional tillage. Although the number of harvested spikes under no-till direct seeding was 10.8% lower than under conventional tillage, the increase in thousand-grain weight and the number of grains per spike compensated for the reduced number of harvested spikes. As a result, the grain yield of winter wheat under no-till direct seeding was higher than that of conventional tillage, increasing by 2.7%. Therefore, adopting no-till direct seeding in the NCP is conducive to increasing winter wheat production and efficiency, as well as supporting sustainable agricultural development.