Low radiation reduces wheat grain yield in tree‐crop intercropping systems in the major wheat planting area of China. Here, two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L) cultivars, Yangmai 158 (shading tolerant) and Yangmai 11 (shading sensitive), were shaded from jointing to maturity to evaluate the impact of low radiation on crop growth, photosynthesis and yield. Grain yield losses and leaf area index (LAI) reduction were less than the reduction in solar radiation under both shading treatment in both cultivars. Compared with the control (S0), grain yield only reduced 6.4 % and 9.9 % under 22 % shading treatment (S1), while 16.2 % and 25.8 % under 33 % shading (S2) in Yangmai 158 and Yangmai 11 respectively. The reduction in LAI was 6.0 % and 9.2 % (S1), and 18.2 % and 22.2 % (S2) in Yangmai 158 and Yangmai 11 respectively. However, decline in canopy apparent photosynthetic rate (CAP) was 15.0–22.9 % (S1) and 29.5–49.6 % (S2), which was consistent with the reduction in radiation. The reduction in LAI was partially compensated by increases in the fraction of the top and bottom leaf area to the total leaf area, which facilitated to intercept more solar radiation by the canopy. The decrease in photosynthetic rate (Pn) of flag leaf was partially compensated by the increase in Pn of the third leaf from the top. In addition, an inconsistency between the low Pn and the high Chl content in flag leaf was observed at 30 DAA. This could be explained that more excitation energy was dispersed via the non‐photochemical approaches in the photosystem II (PSII) of flag leaf after long‐term shading.

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