Three-Line Hybrid Rice in China: Fifty Years of Sustained Improvement in Yield, Quality, and Stress Resistance

doi:10.1016/j.rsci.2026.04.004

Abstract

Abstract:

China pioneered the global commercial application of hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.). Chinese scientists not only proved that heterosis can be realized in self-pollinating crops, a groundbreaking theoretical advance, but also developed commercial hybrid rice breeding into one of China’s most sophisticated agricultural technology models, making outstanding contributions to national food security. This study systematically reviews the 50-year developmental trajectory of officially approved three-line hybrid rice varieties at national and provincial levels in China, through analyzing the approval statistics of individual restorer lines and male sterile lines, the dynamic changes in the popularized planting area of major varieties, and the phenotypic variation in core agronomic traits including grain yield, grain quality, and disease/pest resistance. The paper comprehensively summarizes the remarkable progress, major achievements and practical experience accumulated over half a century of three-line hybrid rice breeding in China, and prospects future research directions for this system.

Key words: rice breeding, three-line hybrid, approved variety, restorer line, cytoplasmic male sterile line

Gong Junyi, Zhang Xiaobo, Zhang Jianfu, Zeng Bo, Zhang Xiaoqing, Xu Xia, Cheng Benyi, Hou Yuxuan, Xia Junhui, Wu Jianli, Yang Shihua, Cheng Shihua, Han Bin, Xie Huaan. Three-Line Hybrid Rice in China: Fifty Years of Sustained Improvement in Yield, Quality, and Stress Resistance[J]. Rice Science, 2026, 33(4): 499-513.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1. Changes in the number of approved rice varieties in southern (A) and northern (B) China.

Fig. 2. Frequency distribution of approved hybrid varieties per restorer line.

Fig. 3. Rice planted area from 1985 to 2022. A, Total planted area of inbred rice, two-line hybrid rice, and three-line hybrid rice. B, Number of rice varieties with planted area > 2 × 105 hm2 per year, including inbred rice, two-line hybrid rice, and three-line hybrid rice.

Table 1. Dominant three hybrid rice in the South China Rice Region per five-year period. × 103 hm2

Variety name	Cumulative planted area
Variety name	1985-1990	1991-1995	1996-2000	2001-2005	2006-2010	2011-2015	2016-2020	2021-2023
Youxiangyoulongsimiao							44	105
Yexiangyoulisi							133	157
Jifengyou 1002							119	127
Zhongzheyou 8						53	218	117
Shenyou 9516						243	163	39
Zhongzheyou 1						208	96	22
Wuyou 308					11	225	83	27
Tianyou 998				37	521	188	23
Bo III you 273				8	215	111
Qiuyou 998				80	244	46
Boyou 998				215	306	79
Jinyou 207			23	303	137
Boyou 253			85	375	209
Boyougui 99			101	265
Boyou 3550		118	263
Boyou 903		435	554
Teyou 63	14	674	1 005	508	221	24
Shanyou 63	1 921	1 563	803	90
Shanyougui 99	73	1 107	379
Boyou 64	447	1 215	374
Shanyou 64	1 195	351	47
Weiyou 64	856	295	64
Shanyougui 34	814	93
Shanyougui 33	1 091	278

Table 2. Dominant three hybrid rice in the Upper Yangtze Rice River region per five-year period. × 103 hm2

Variety name	Cumulative planted area
Variety name	1985-1990	1991-1995	1996-2000	2001-2005	2006-2010	2011-2015	2016-2020	2021-2023
Taiyou 808								95
Chuanzhongyou 3877							29	50
Shennongyou 228							34	31
Deyou 4727						20	139	31
Yixiang 4245						44	165	33
Chuanyou 6203						139	379	143
Yixiangyou 2115						166	501	294
F you 498						121	143
Nei 5 you 39						99	109
Dexiang 4103					39	155	89
Chuanxiang 9838					83	130	18
Q you 6					343	157
Gangyou 188					339	325	83	9
Fuyou 838				22	187	181	30
Yixiang 1577				185	122
Chuanxiangyou 2				199	37
D you 68			36	276	9
II you 7			61	493	95
II you 725			49	293	44
II you 162			54	371	67
D you 527			9	478	104	17
Gangyou 527			49	956	236	39
Gangyou 725			247	1 225	507	207	64	10
Gangyou 151			193	346	13
II you 838		5	1 023	1 071	252	109	59	22
II you 501		37	339	110
Shanyouduoxi 1		533	993
Gangyou 22		597	3 354	877	17
Gangyou 12		687	339	11
II you 63		607	165
D you 63	2 003	1 763	100
Shanyou 63	5 300	5 087	923	157	47
Shanyou 2	1 223

Table 3. Dominant three hybrid rice in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Rice Region per 5-year period. × 103 hm2

Variety name	Cumulative planted area
Variety name	1985-1990	1991-1995	1996-2000	2001-2005	2006-2010	2011-2015	2016-2020	2021-2023
Quanyou 1606								117
Yexiangyoulisi							69	171
Yexiangyouhang 1573							87	53
Quanyou 822							159	293
Quanyousimiao							177	238
Hanyou 73							161	137
Taoyouxiangzhan							189	162
Yongyou 1540							198	149
Taiyou 390						83	457	242
Xinrongyouhuazhan						98	243	47
Wuyouhuazhan						123	151	35
Rongyouhuazhan						141	190	59
H you 518						141	153	28
Zhongzheyou 8						133	161	77
Wuyou 308					36	613	311	47
Tianyouhuazhan					79	537	471	156
Yongyou 9					72	230	150	29
Wufengyou T025					93	291	37
Ganxin 203					208	195	38
Fengyuanyou 299				16	251	259	73
Yueyou 9113				31	605	521	134	34
T you 207				77	395	142	41
II youming 86				224	304	73	6
Jinyou 463				350	505	166	48
Jinyou 207			92	1 635	887	196	15
Jinyou 974			131	702	451	25
Jinyou 402			332	1 319	835	153
II you 501			746	374	30
Jinyougui 99			265	658	87
Shanyou 46		383	942	525	31
Weiyou 77		633	690	121	5
Weiyou 46	15	979	1 002	495	294
Xieyou 46	33	635	922	255	11
Xieyou 63	35	479	1 066	579	150	5
Shanyou 63	7 571	9 683	5 829	1 227	173
Shanyou 64	2 434	2 775	1 017	167
Weiyou 64	3 453	2 125	607
Weiyou 6	2 631	113
Shanyou 6	2 852	30
Shanyou 2	1 152

Fig. 4. Yield, quality, and blast resistance performance of 1 493 three-line hybrid rice varieties over four decades. A, Yield performance of three-line hybrid varieties of rice over four decades. B, Percentage of premium-quality hybrid rice varieties over four decades. C, Percentage of three-line hybrid rice varieties over four decades with different blast resistances. HR, Highly resistant; R, Resistant; MR, Moderately resistant; MS, Moderately susceptible; S, Susceptible; HS, Highly susceptible Data are from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

Fig. 5. Approved rice varieties underwent significant changes in major agronomic traits, such as morphological trains (A), yield component traits (B), and grain quality indicators (C). A1-A3, Early-season indica rice (South China) before 2003 (A1), 2004-2013 (A2), and 2014-2023 (A3); B1-B3, Late-season indica rice (South China) before 2003 (B1), 2004-2013 (B2), and 2014-2023 (B3); C1-C3, Mid-season indica rice (Upper Yangtze Basin) before 2003 (C1), 2004-2013 (C2), and 2014-2023 (C3); D1-D3, Early-season indica rice (Middle-Lower Yangtze Basin) before 2003 (D1), 2004-2013 (D2), and 2014-2023 (D3); E1-E3, Mid-season indica rice (Middle-Lower Yangtze Basin) before 2003 (E1), 2004-2013 (E2), and 2014-2023 (E3); F1-F3, Late-season indica rice (Middle-Lower Yangtze Basin) before 2003 (F1), 2004-2013 (F2), and 2014-2023 (F3); G1-G3, Single-crop late-season japonica rice (Middle-Lower Yangtze Basin) before 2003 (G1), 2004-2013 (G2), and 2014-2023 (G3). The data values are normalized to the range [0,1] using min-max normalization. The size of the colored solid circles represents the magnitude of the corresponding values.

Fig. 6. Evolution of blast resistance in the 2 470 representative varieties. A, Percentage of rice blast resistance across three decades. B-H, Percentage of rice blast resistance varieties in different ecotypes: early-season indica rice (South China) (B), late-season indica rice (South China) (C), mid-season indica rice (Upper Yangtze Basin) (D), early-season indica rice (Middle-Lower Yangtze Basin) (E), mid-season indica rice (Middle-Lower Yangtze Basin) (F), late-season indica rice (Middle-Lower Yangtze Basin) (G), and single-crop late-season japonica rice (Middle-Lower Yangtze Basin) (H). Grades 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, Highly resistant, resistant, moderately resistant, moderately susceptible, susceptible, and highly susceptible.

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