8th INTERNATIONAL WHEAT CONFERENCE

CoNTRIBuTIoN of feRTILIzeR uSe To WheAT PRoduC-
TIoN IN ChINA
Jiyun Jin
China Program, International Plant Nutrition Institute(IPNI) and Institute of Agricultural
resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 South Zhongguancun
Street, Beijing, 100081, China. E-mail Address of presenting author: jyjin@ipni.net
Wheat is an important crop worldwide, and China is the largest wheat producer. In recent
years in China, wheat is planted over 23.721 million ha, producing approximately 109.30
million tons of wheat grain with an average yield of 4607 kg/ha. Wheat is widely cultivated
in almost all parts of China. There are several types of wheat, which can be divided into
two main categories; spring wheat, which is planted in spring, and winter wheat, which is
planted in winter. Results of three nationwide fertilizer efficiency studies in 1960s, 1980s
and after 2000 were reviewed and current fertilizer use efficiency obtained from field
research conducted through the IPNI cooperative network in China was discussed. The
results indicated that fertilizer use efficiency in China following the law of minimum,
the law of diminishing returns, the law of nutrient return, and other principles of plant
nutrition. The results from the three fertilizer use efficiency study on wheat indicated
that, on average, one kg N application increased wheat yield by 10-15kg/kg N in 1960s,
10.0 kg/kg N in 1980s, and 10.8 kg/kg N in 2000s. The total grain production increase due
to N application at the three different stages was 450–900 kg/ha in 1960s, 1170 kg/ha in
1980s, and 1968 kg /ha in 2000s. The contribution of P to wheat yield increase following
the similar tread. One kg P 2 O 5 application increased wheat yield, on average, by 5-10 kg/
kg P 2 O 5 in 1960s, 8.1 kg/kg P 2 O 5 in 1980s, and 8.6 kg/kg P 2 O 5 in 2000s. The total grain
production increase due to P 2 O 5 application at the three different stages was 225–600 kg/
ha in 1960s, 656 kg/ha in 1980s, and 945 kg /ha in 2000s. With time in recent history, the
wheat yield response to K in general is increasing due to the depletion of soil K. There
was no significant yield response to K application in 1960s due to relatively low yield and
sufficient supply of K from soils at that time. The yield response of wheat to K started in
1970s, from the south first and gradually expanded to the north. In 1980s, on average,
one kg K 2 O application increased wheat yield by 2.1 kg/ kg K 2 O, while by 2000s, one kg
application of K 2 O increased wheat yield by 7.3 kg/ kg K 2 O. The total grain production
increase due to K 2 O application at in 1980s and 2000s was 180 kg/ha in 1980s, and 1035
kg /ha in 2000s. Average crop recovery efficiency of N with wheat conducted in 2002-
2006 was about 35%. Further research is needed to improve fertilizer use efficiency in
China. Measures to improve fertilizer use efficiency in China were also discussed in the
paper.
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