Wheat yield improvements in China: Past trends and future directions

Breeding programs for wheat varieties have contributed to food security in China. Yields for north and south winter wheat have steadily increased since the 1920s, following the rule of thumb to increase TKW and kernel number per spike without changing spike number per unit area. For spring wheat, average grain yield has increased annually significantly since the 1920s, and reached its peak in the 1980s but has since decreased. Future increase in yield may be achieved through improvement in kernel size and kernel number per spike. This paper comprehensively evaluates the historical development of wheat varieties in three main agro-ecological regions of China, and will act as a guide for future wheat breeding and production technology.