Response of winter-wheat grain yield and water-use efficiency to irrigation with activated water on Guanzhong Plain in China

Irrigation with activated water (magnetized and ionized water) can promote crop growth, increase crop yield, and improve water-use efficiency (WUE), but the mechanism of the impact of activated water in agricultural irrigation and production needs to be further explored. We analyzed the responses of growth parameters of winter wheat in field experiments in the main grain-producing area of China to different types and amounts of activated irrigation water and their influence on WUE. The wheat absorbed about 12.2% more activated water than pure groundwater. Aboveground biomass was about 8.0% higher with activated water than pure groundwater. The yield components performed best with an irrigation amount of 120 mm, with grain yield 28.3 and 3.2% higher than for amounts of 60 and 180 mm, respectively. Grain yield at 120 mm was 10.1 and 13.9% higher for magnetized and ionized water than pure groundwater, respectively. WUE was highest for 120 mm, at 28.0 and 30.3 kg ha−1 mm−1 for magnetized and ionized water, respectively. WUE at 120 mm was 22.3 and 22.1 kg ha−1 mm−1 for irrigation with magnetized and ionized water, 8.8 and 7.9% higher, respectively, than with pure groundwater.