A field experiment was carried out from March to July, 2007 in Zhangye oasis irrigation region of Gansu province to investigate the effects of a system of bed planting and furrow irrigation on the yield and water use efficiency of beer barley. Under conditions of a bed planting system, grain yield and soil temperature were increased. Compared with conventional flat planting, soil temperature of the 5 cm soil layer in bed planting treatment was raised by 1.27°C and 1.39°C in April and May, respectively. Beer barley plants grew more vigorously in the system of bed planting and furrow irrigation and consumed more water than in conventional flat planting, but the contribution of water to grain yield was greater, and thus bed planting and furrow irrigation showed a significant yield-improving and water saving effect. With the same irrigation quota, 1000-grain-weight increased by 2.10-5.37 g, grains/spike increased by 0.7-7.2, grain yield increased by 480.5-1 983.6 kg/ha and water use efficiency (WUE) was improved by 0.65-4.52 kg/mm/ha in bed planting and furrow irrigation, compared with conventional flat planting.
