Sprinkler Irrigation Improves Winter Wheat Yield and Water Use Efficiency in the North China Plain: A Meta‐Analysis and Management Optimization

ABSTRACT In the North China Plain, surface irrigation (SUI) dominates winter wheat production, but sprinkler systems are increasingly adopted. We conducted a meta‐analysis of 44 published studies comparing sprinkler irrigation (SI) with SUI, extracting 301 paired comparisons for yield and 226 for water use efficiency (WUE). Relative to SUI, SI increased wheat yield by 5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4$–6%) and WUE by 8% (95% CI, 6%–10%). Subgroup and target‐region analyses showed that more favourable joint yield‐WUE responses to SI were observed under an annual mean temperature below 13°C, growing season precipitation above 150 mm and medium‐fertility loam soils. Field management practices associated with more favourable joint yield‐WUE responses included a seeding rate higher than 180 kg ha −1 , a seasonal sprinkler irrigation quota of 90–180 mm split into at least four applications of approximately 20–45 mm each and nitrogen (N) management with total N input not exceeding 200 kg ha −1 applied in no more than three topdressings. These findings indicate that SI can improve winter wheat yield and WUE in the North China Plain when irrigation and N management are tailored to local climate, soil conditions and field practices.