Effects of Optimising Sowing Date and Rate on the Wheat ( <i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) Yield and Quality in North China Plain: A Meta‐Analysis and Proving Experiments

ABSTRACT Climate change has a detrimental impact on the sustainable development of wheat yield and quality. Delaying sowing dates and adjusting sowing rates represent straightforward and effective strategies for mitigating such effects, albeit with their underlying mechanisms remaining poorly characterised. In this investigation, taking the North China Plain (NCP) as an example, we conducted a meta‐analysis of 59 studies and proving experiments at two locations. The results indicated that the wheat yield and ecological conditions had significant correlations, and reasonable late sowing and optimised sowing rates could significantly improve yield. In general, the relevant analysis showed that there was a positive correlation of 0.488 between soil organic matter and yield, and the negative correlations of yield on temperature and precipitation were 0.245 and 0.466, respectively. Furthermore, late sowing ≤ 10 days could increase yield by 3.05%–11.80% and the yield raised 1.31%–13.16% at a sowing rate of 201–300 kg/hm 2 under the precipitation &gt; 600 mm, temperature ≥ 12°C and &gt; 15 g/kg soil organic matter in the study. Late sowing and increasing sowing rates had a negative impact on wheat quality, which requires other management measures to be taken to balance production. In conclusion, our study elucidates the influence of late sowing and sowing rates on wheat yield and quality, providing a theoretical basis for subsequent research on the relationship between climate factors and crop yields–quality trade‐offs.