Objectives We studied the effects of tillage methods on the nitrogen metabolism, and uptake and utilization of winter wheat, aiming to choose optimum tillage technology for the high yield and high efficiency production of winter wheat.

Methods The investigation was based on the long-term tillage field experiment that started since 2007 and located in Jining City, Shandong Province. The wheat cultivar was Jimai 22, and the experiment was composed of four treatments, including perennial plowing tillage (PT), perennial rotary tillage (RT), perennial strip rotary tillage (ST) and strip rotary tillage with a two-year subsoiling interval (STS). In 2023, wheat plants were sampled at anthesis and maturity stages to determine the nitrogen content of various parts; flag leaves were labelled for measurement of nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamine synthetase (GS) activities, free amino acid and soluble protein contents in frequency of every 7 days from 0 to 28 days after anthesis; and the yield and main yield components were investigated at mature stage. The nitrogen use efficiencies were calculated at last.

Results Compared with PT, RT and ST treatments in the two years, STS increased the NR and GS activates, free amino acids and soluble protein contents, total nitrogen accumulation, the nitrogen translocation amount and rate before flowering, and the absorption and contribution rate of nitrogen to grain after anthesis, resulting in higher nitrogen absorption efficiency, grain nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen harvest index and nitrogen partial factor productivity. Thereby, the grain nitrogen accumulation increased by 8.53%−30.15% and the distribution rate in grain was increased by 4.59%−14.06%, the 1000-kernel weight and yield were enhanced by 4.20%−9.96% and 7.83%−18.39%, and the nitrogen partial factor productivity was increased by 7.85%−18.40%.

Conclusions The combination of strip rotary tillage with every two years of subsoiling has showed satisfactory effect on increasing the nitrogen absorption, metabolism, and assimilation, so is recommended as the tillage technology for achieving high yield and efficiency production of winter wheat.