Three Major Crop Varieties Reveal Their Assets, Development Trends at a Glance

Wheat: Completion of a New Round of Variety Replacement with Companion + Dominant Combinations

In the past 20 years, main promoted wheat varieties have shown changes such as companion varieties being updated faster than dominant varieties, main production areas undergoing variety replacement faster than secondary production areas, and each major wheat-producing region having basically completed a new round of variety replacement, with leading varieties and major variety groups gradually being replaced by new variety groups.

Revealing the “assets”

Huang-Huai Winter Wheat Region. In 2001, with the promotion and expansion of varieties such as Zhengmai 9023, Yannong 19, Han 6172, Jimai 20, and Jimai 19, this wheat region entered its 8th variety replacement; in 2005, the 8th variety replacement was basically completed; in 2008, with the promotion and expansion of varieties such as Jimai 22, Bainong AK58, Xinong 979, Zhengmai 366, Zhoumai 22, and Liangxing 66, the southern part of this wheat region entered its 9th variety replacement; in 2011, the 9th replacement was basically completed.

Middle and Lower Yangtze Winter Wheat Region. Since 2001, with the promotion and expansion of varieties such as Zhengmai 9023 and Yangmai 16, this wheat region completed its 6th variety replacement; the leading variety of the 5th variety replacement, Yangmai 158, still had a relatively large area and was one of the major variety groups in this region; with the approval and promotion of a batch of new varieties with better comprehensive traits, this region will enter its 7th variety replacement.

Southwest Winter Wheat Region. After 2000, due to the epidemic of new stripe rust races “Tiaozhong 31” and “Tiaozhong 32”, the leading varieties and major variety groups of the 5th variety replacement lost disease resistance, and their planted area in production was gradually replaced by new varieties such as Chuanmai 107, Chuanmai 42, Mianyang 31, and Neimai 836, completing the 6th variety replacement and set to enter the 7th variety replacement. However, in recent years, due to the low comparative benefit of wheat cultivation in this wheat region, the wheat planting area has declined considerably, and the promotion speed of new varieties has been slow, making it difficult to see large-scale promoted varieties of over ten million mu like Mianyang 26 again.

Predictions for Approved Varieties and Emerging Varieties

Southern Huang-Huai Winter Wheat Region. In recent years, nationally approved varieties Fengdecunmai 1, Zhoumai 26, Zhoumai 28, Bainong 207, as well as emerging varieties in production trials Huaimai 33 (Huaimai 0882), Luo 6073, and Cunmai 8 are expected to drive the 10th variety replacement in the southern Huang-Huai Winter Wheat Region and become the dominant varieties in the southern Huang-Huai region.

Northern Huang-Huai Winter Wheat Region. Jimai 22 will remain the leading variety in the northern Huang-Huai Winter Wheat Region for a relatively long time, and the promoted area of Liangxing 66 is expected to further expand, but no successor variety has yet been identified. Yangmai 20, Yangmai 22, Yangmai 23, and Zhenmai 9 in the Middle and Lower Yangtze Winter Wheat Region; Chuanmai 104 and Zhongmai 816 in the Southwest Winter Wheat Region; Zhongmai 816 in the Northern Winter Wheat Region may be promoted over a relatively large area, becoming companion varieties to Jimai 22 and enriching the variety layout of the northern Huang-Huai region.

Looking at Trends

Long-growth-season, wide-adaptability, high-yield type: such as Jimai 22, Bainong AK58, Zhoumai 22, Han 6172, etc. Long suitable sowing period, wide sowing rate range, broad adaptability, not very sensitive to soil fertility levels, and suitable for extensive cultivation management.

High-quality, high-yield, stable-yield type: such as Zhengmai 9023, Jimai 20, Zhengmai 366, Xinong 979, Yangmai 15, etc., with yield levels that are not low and high-quality special-purpose characteristics.

Drought-resistant, water-saving type: such as Shijiazhuang 8, Shimai 15, Yannong 21, Luohan 6, etc., adapted to water resource scarcity needs, capable of achieving high yields with one less irrigation or under good rainfall conditions in dryland.

In addition, with the transformation of production methods and people's increasing attention to food safety, the comprehensive resistance of varieties will become a very key factor affecting variety promotion and application. A good variety must have acceptable lodging resistance; at a certain yield level, lodging resistance is more important than yield. Improving varieties' resistance to late spring cold, lodging, and resistance to fusarium head blight and sheath blight will be key directions for variety development in the Huang-Huai Winter Wheat Region in the future.

Rice: Successors Are “Ready” and Becoming Dominant

In the past 20 years, the promotion of major rice varieties has shown conditions such as a significant increase in the number of varieties, a notable decline in the average annual promoted area of individual varieties, a narrow promotion region for conventional rice, a wide promotion region for hybrid rice, a decrease in the number of large-area promoted varieties, and the rapid development of two-line hybrid rice.

Revealing the “assets”

Upper Yangtze River Rice Region. In the past 10 years, varieties with relatively large promoted application areas in this rice region include II You 838——a high-yield, stable-yield, widely adaptable variety, and Gangyou 22——a medium-late maturing, large-panicle hybrid medium indica.

Middle and Lower Yangtze River Rice Region. In the past 10 years, varieties with relatively large promoted application areas in this rice region include Shanyou 63——the hybrid rice variety with the longest promotion time and largest application area, Liangyou Peijiu——a representative variety of the first generation of two-line hybrid rice, Jinyou 207——an early-maturing, high-quality hybrid late indica variety, Fengliangyou 1——a high-quality two-line hybrid rice variety, Xinliangyou 6——an early-maturing, high-quality two-line hybrid rice variety, Y Liangyou 1——a new high-yield, high-quality two-line hybrid rice variety, and Tianyou Huazhan——a new high-yield, high-quality, widely adaptable hybrid rice variety.

South China Rice Region. In the past 10 years, varieties with relatively large promoted application areas in this rice region include Tianyou 998——a high-quality, high-yield hybrid late indica variety, and Wuyou 308——a high-yield, high-quality, widely adaptable hybrid late rice variety.

Northeast Single-Season Rice Region. In the past 10 years, varieties with relatively large promoted application areas in this rice region include Kongyu 131——a cold-resistant, high-quality conventional japonica rice variety, Jijing 88——a high-quality, disease-resistant conventional japonica rice variety, and Longjing 25——a new high-yield, high-quality, disease-resistant conventional japonica rice variety.