Effect of nitrogen application rate on the production of weak-gluten wheat in rice stubble system.

Weak-gluten wheat production prioritizes reduced grain protein content and wet gluten content as quality targets, creating a yield-quality trade-off under nitrogen (N) fertilization. We conducted a two-year field experiment in the rice stubble wheat system of the middle Yangtze River basin to evaluate the effects of six N application rates (0, 45, 90, 135, 180, and 225 kg·hm) on four wheat cultivars (Chuanmai 104, Mianmai 367, Shumai 1671, and Xikemai 8). The results showed that compared to annual variations and cultivar differences, N application exerted stronger influence on spike number per unit area (SA), kernels per spike (KS), SPAD value of penultimate leaf, nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFP), protein content, and wet gluten content.