Root-sourced signal and photosynthetic traits, dry matter accumulation and remobilization, and yield stability in winter wheat as affected by regulated deficit irrigation

•Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) is important water-saving technique based on plants’ adaptive and specific responses to drought.•Appropriate RDI significantly increased drought resistance ability of winter wheat through improving the nHRS sensitivity of plants during progressive soil drying.•Appropriate RDI increased grain yield through increasing both current photosynthesis and the remobilization of pre-anthesis carbon reserves.•Appropriate RDI also increased water use efficiency (WUE) and yield stability of winter wheat.