Abstract: In 2007-2009, a field warming experiment was performed in Nanjing of Jiangsu Province, China to investigate the effects of asymmetric warming (all-day
 warming, AW; daytime warming from 6:00 to 18:00, DW; and nighttime warming from 18:00 to 6:00, NW) on the growth and development of winter wheat under free air temperature increase (FATI). Asymmetric warming increased the effective tillers and decreased the ineffective tillers. In CK plot, the ineffective tillers were 2.6, 1.7 and 3.5 times of those in AW, DW and NW plots, while the effective tillers were decreased by 13.7%, 3.2%, and 0.5%, respectively. Asymmetric warming also increased the plant height, flag leaf area, and the total green leaf area and green leaf ratio at flowing stage. In treatments AW, DW, and NW, the plant height was increased by 5.6%, 4.5%, and 1.3%, flag leaf area increased by 45.7%, 39.4% and 26.1%, total green leaf area increased by 25.1%, 29.8%, and 17.3%, and green leaf ratio increased by 37.7%, 43.3%, and 38.7%, respectively, compared with CK. As for the yield components, the spikelet number per panicle and the filled grain number per panicle in treatments AW, DW and NW were increased by 4.1%, 5.7%, and 1.7%, and by 2.2%, 5.3%, and 2.6 %, respectively. Though the grain/leaf ratio in treatments AW, DW, and NW was decreased by 15.3%, 8.5%, and 11.3%, the thousand-grain mass  in the treatments was increased by 6.9%, 6.2% and 11.8%, and thus, the yield per unit was increased by 27.0%, 40.1%, and 18.3%, respectively, compared to the CK. Our results suggested that under anticipated warming, the winter wheat productivity in eastern China would be further enhanced.

Key words: climate warming, asymmetric warming, free air temperature increase (FATI), winter wheat, growth characteristic, yield component