Ecological regionalization of wheat cultivation in Shanxi Province of China

Using 20-year climatic data from 62 weather stations in Shanxi Province, regression equations were established for annual temperature with latitude and elevation as the explaining variables, and then for January average temperature with latitude and elevation as the explaining variables via binary regression and correlation analysis in Data Processing System (DPS). Based on the regression equations, four main ecological regions were obtained for wheat cultivation in Shanxi Province. The eco-regions are: spring wheat (S) region, strong winter wheat (SW) region, winter wheat (W) region and weak winter wheat (WW) region. Then by factoring spatial overlaps of the different wheat regions, eight sub-ecological regions were identified for wheat cultivation. These are: northern areas of S; mixture areas of S and SW; mixture areas of S, SW and W; mixture areas of S, SW, W and WW; areas of SW; mixture areas of SW and W; mixture areas of SW, W and WW; and mixture areas of W and WW. The result of the study is vital for wheat breeding, new variety introduction and cultivation in Shanxi province.