Worldwide evidence indicates a reduction in the rate of yield growth for many key food crops, but
reasons for this remain unclear. Here, we quantitatively demonstrate the role and significance of different
drivers (climate change, fertilizer use, change in rice cultivation area, and changes in crop varieties and
management) in explaining rice yield development in China, through the use of two temporally and
regionally calibrated crop models – EPIC and DSSAT. China’s rice yield has increased from 4324 kg ha1
in
1981 to 6553 kg ha1
in 2010, with an evidently slowing growth rate over this time period. The observed
flattening growth trend is well captured by both crop models. EPIC simulated a yield increase of
2024 kg ha1
up to 2010, with agricultural intensification together with increased application of chemical
fertilizer and improved crop varieties and management dominating the growth, contributing 64% and
37% respectively, while changes in climate (2%) and cultivation area (3%) contributed only minimally.
The recent slowing rate of rice yield growth is largely interpreted as a decreasing relative contribution of
fertilizer, that is not being compensated by relative benefits from improved varieties and management.
We also find that adaptation to climate change may have contributed to the observed increase of rice
yield by facilitating the relocation of rice growing areas and the adoption of improved rice cultivars. Crop
model simulations demonstrate that additional yield increases could be achieved through the
introduction of rice cultivars and management optimized for climate, suggesting viable options for
reversing the slowing of rice yield growth. Moving towards an agriculture that utilizes climate benefits
more smartly is one of the solutions to enhance future food supply in China.
Worldwide evidence indicates a reduction in the rate of yield growth for many key food crops, but
reasons for this remain unclear. Here, we quantitatively demonstrate the role and significance of different
drivers (climate change, fertilizer use, change in rice cultivation area, and changes in crop varieties and
management) in explaining rice yield development in China, through the use of two temporally and
regionally calibrated crop models – EPIC and DSSAT. China’s rice yield has increased from 4324 kg ha1
in
1981 to 6553 kg ha1
in 2010, with an evidently slowing growth rate over this time period. The observed
flattening growth trend is well captured by both crop models. EPIC simulated a yield increase of
2024 kg ha1
up to 2010, with agricultural intensification together with increased application of chemical
fertilizer and improved crop varieties and management dominating the growth, contributing 64% and
37% respectively, while changes in climate (2%) and cultivation area (3%) contributed only minimally.
The recent slowing rate of rice yield growth is largely interpreted as a decreasing relative contribution of
fertilizer, that is not being compensated by relative benefits from improved varieties and management.
We also find that adaptation to climate change may have contributed to the observed increase of rice
yield by facilitating the relocation of rice growing areas and the adoption of improved rice cultivars. Crop
model simulations demonstrate that additional yield increases could be achieved through the
introduction of rice cultivars and management optimized for climate, suggesting viable options for
reversing the slowing of rice yield growth. Moving towards an agriculture that utilizes climate benefits
more smartly is one of the solutions to enhance future food supply in China.
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