[Objective] The aim was to study on the effects of long-term low radiation on canopy apparent photosynthetic rate （CAP） and photosynthetic properties of top three leaves of winter wheat, especially the flag leaf. [Method] Two winter wheat （Triticum aestivum L） cultivars, Yangmai 158 and Yangmai 11, which differed in low radiation resistance, were used to measure the CAP, photosynthetic rate （Pn） of the top three leaves, chlorophyll content of flag leaf and grain yield. In the test, three treatments were designed from jointing to maturity, as follows： control without shad- ing （So）, S1 and S2 treatments with 22% and 33% sunshine shaded. [Result] CAP of Yangmai 158 and Yangmai 11 declined with shading. Under low radiation, Pn of flag leaf declined significantly, while no obvious effects were found on Pn of the 2nd leaf, and Pn of the 3rn leaf increased significantly, which partially compensated the decrease of Pn of the flag leaf. In addition, the compensation effect differed in shading and cultivars： compensation effect in S1 group was higher than that of S2 and effect of Yangmai 158 was higher than that of Yangmai 11. During the period of high Pn. shading decreased the content of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, b, and a/b. [Conclusion] Under low radiation, the decrease of chlorophyll a and a/b led to substantial declining of Pn. and CAP declined accordingly, finally resulting in drop of grain yield. The research provides important theoretical basis for wheat production in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River.
