AimsDual-purpose winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been adopted in various agricultural and crop-livestock systems, but the growth pattern after mowing under cold resistance treatment and soil microenvironment have not been clearly described.MethodsField experiment was conducted in the semiarid northwestern China to determine agronomic traits, grain yield and soil microenvironment of wheat after mowing treatment during the entire growth period. The growth of wheat and cold resistance was studied using potted planting.ResultsThe results indicated that mowing at critical growth stages delayed plant development but accelerated the grain-filling rate, leading to a significant increase of 18.23% in thousand grain weight. The grain yield did not show significant changes. Mowing conferred cold tolerance via enhanced antioxidants, 50% lower spike mortality under frost, and sustained photosynthesis, while preserving yield. There was no significant difference in soil moisture, pH and temperature, and the average reduction in fungal numbers in the root zone was about 50%. Additionally, the mowing treatment enhanced soil nutrient use efficiency. Despite a 9.76% reduction in total soil nitrogen content, the plant uptake per unit soil nitrogen increased, accompanied by strengthened correlations between soil nutrients and crop yield. The elevation in catalase activity likely facilitated nutrient transformation. Collectively, mowing modifies the soil microenvironment and enhances nutrient uptake efficiency while maintaining grain yield.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that mowing enhances cold tolerance and modifies the soil microenvironment of dual-purpose winter wheat without compromising grain yield. Mowing improves the soil microenvironment and nutrient availability, leading to stronger correlations between soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and yield. These findings highlight the value of Xinong 136 for dual-purpose production systems in semiarid regions, where mowing can be effectively integrated to optimize forage and grain production.