Physiological traits contributing to the increased food supply and grain yield: Wheat example

Physiological traits contributing to the increased food supply and grain yield: Wheat example

More than two centuries ago Malthus gave his famous theory (Thomas Robert Malthus’s 1798 writings), according to which world’s population growth was potentially exponential while the food supply growth was linear. Though, the Green Revolution (the set of research technology transfer initiatives occurring between 1950 and late 1960s that increased agricultural production worldwide) put an end to the world-wide concerns about food supply. Norman Ernest Borlaug (1914–2009) was a leading American agronomist and Nobel Peace Prize winner whose efforts led to the major increases in agricultural production and hence fruitfulness of the Green Revolution. In addition to notable increase in the crop harvested area, grain yield of major crop species has also increased until late 20th century and 2010 (Grassini et al., 2013). Data presented in the literature is indicative of 1.5 to 2.5-fold increases in the grain yield of rice, maize, and wheat in less than half a century. In 2020, global wheat production reached 772 million tones, growing by nearly 1% per year compared with the 1990 and 2010. FAO forecasts for 2021’s world cereal grain production and utilization are 2817 and 2810 million tones, respectively (http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/csdb/en/). Even though at least a part of this increase is related to increases in the cultivation area, a major part of this increase is attributed to increases in grain yield. Yet, yield gaps (the difference between actual and potential yields) are estimated to be nearly 50% (Lollato et al., 2019). Herein, we summarize our current understanding of the physiological achievements through which economic yield of the staple crops, including wheat, and hence global agricultural food production has increased so far. Moreover, promises and questions about the future of crop grain yield gains are discussed.

More than two centuries ago Malthus gave his famous theory (Thomas Robert Malthus’s 1798 writings), according to which world’s population growth was potentially exponential while the food supply growth was linear. Though, the Green Revolution (the set of research technology transfer initiatives occurring between 1950 and late 1960s that increased agricultural production worldwide) put an end to the world-wide concerns about food supply. Norman Ernest Borlaug (1914–2009) was a leading American agronomist and Nobel Peace Prize winner whose efforts led to the major increases in agricultural production and hence fruitfulness of the Green Revolution. In addition to notable increase in the crop harvested area, grain yield of major crop species has also increased until late 20th century and 2010 (Grassini et al., 2013). Data presented in the literature is indicative of 1.5 to 2.5-fold increases in the grain yield of rice, maize, and wheat in less than half a century. In 2020, global wheat production reached 772 million tones, growing by nearly 1% per year compared with the 1990 and 2010. FAO forecasts for 2021’s world cereal grain production and utilization are 2817 and 2810 million tones, respectively (http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/csdb/en/). Even though at least a part of this increase is related to increases in the cultivation area, a major part of this increase is attributed to increases in grain yield. Yet, yield gaps (the difference between actual and potential yields) are estimated to be nearly 50% (Lollato et al., 2019). Herein, we summarize our current understanding of the physiological achievements through which economic yield of the staple crops, including wheat, and hence global agricultural food production has increased so far. Moreover, promises and questions about the future of crop grain yield gains are discussed.