Plain Achieving better use of water resources in the North China Plain is an urgent task. This is China's leading industrial and agricultural area, but it suffers from the systematic problems of population growth and water shortage.
Analysis shows that soil-water makes the largest contribution to the water balance.
A high bearing capacity, according to the authors, indicates that the overall water consumption in an area is low and thus the efficiency of use is high. Since they recognise that yield is also dependent on the crop's genetic characteristics, its adaptability and the nutrient supply received, they have carried out comparative investigations in experimental stations covering the provinces of Shanxi, Shandong, Jiansu and Hebei. Based on the large set of data accumulated, the respective variations in relationship between crop yield and water consumption were identified for four crops. Potential bearing capacities for each crop were calculated for the different stations.