‘Totally unexpected’: China’s trial Taklamakan Desert wheat yield doubles national average

A demonstration wheat plot in China's Taklamakan Desert has achieved a yield nearly double the national average. The wheat variety, Jingmai 189, was developed by the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences to tolerate drought, saline soil, and nutrient-poor conditions. In a trial on a managed, highly saline plot, Jingmai 189 yielded 768kg per mu, significantly exceeding the 2025 national average of 399.2kg per mu. This achievement was announced by the academy's Institute of Hybrid Wheat Research on June 23. The development aims to improve agricultural productivity in challenging environments.