To select a suitable winter wheat cultivar under extremely-late sown and limited irrigation conditions in the heilonggang region, a 3 year field experiment is conducted using three cultivars varying in spike types:the large spike cultivar Weimai 8, the small spike cultivar Hengshui4399, and the medium spike cultivar Jimai 22. Characteristics of photosynthesis post-anthesis and dynamic of grainfilling are investigated for these extremely-late sown wheat cultivars. Results show that the yield differences among the cultivars are mainly due to the differences in the 1000 grain weight (TGW), with the Jimai 22 having the highest TGW and yield. Comparing with the Weimai 8 and the Hengshui 4399, the higher TGW of the Jimai 22 comes largely from the longer grain-filling period, especially, the active grainfilling period, and the higher grain-filling rate in the late grain-filling stages, closely associated with the higher light interception rate and photosynthetic rate. Thus, the medium spike cultivar Jimia 22 is a suitable cultivar under extremely-late sown and limited irrigation conditions in the heilonggang region.

winter wheat  /  cultivars  /  1000-grain weight  /  photosynthesis  /  grain-filling