The researchers studied different winter wheat varieties to understand how they accumulate and transfer dry matter, which affects their yield. They found that high-yielding wheat varieties had higher biomass and better nutrient sensitivity compared to low-yielding ones. The leaves of high-yielding varieties maintained higher chlorophyll levels and photosynthetic rates, leading to more dry matter production after flowering. This suggests that selecting high-quality wheat varieties and managing nutrients effectively can help increase winter wheat yields in dryland areas.