In order to understand the changes of production patterns in Chinas wheat dominant areas and the research status of wheat fertilization, scientifically guiding wheat production management, based on the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, the China Rural Statistical Yearbook, and the 2022 National Scientific Fertilization Guidelines, the relevant data on wheat production and fertilizer application in China were integrated and analyzed. The results showed that from 2011 to 2021, the wheat planting area in China remained stable at 24 million hm2, and except for fluctuations in total yield and yield per unit area from 2016 to 2018, the rest of the years showed a steady increase in production. Based on literature research and the proportion of wheat production in different regions, the main wheat-producing regions in China were divided into four major areas: Northwest China, North China, Southwest China, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. From 2018 to 2021, the winter wheat area in North China had the highest average planting area, total production, and yield per unit area, which were 12.1 million hectares, 78.06 million tons, and 6 104 kg·hm-2, respectively. Among them, Henan Province consistently ranked first in all indicators. The co-occurrence of keywords in the literature showed that in recent years, wheat production, fertilizer utilization rate, and cultivation techniques were still the focus of fertilizer application research in China. From 2012 to 2022, the number of published research papers on wheat fertilization exceeded 230 each year, with 383 papers published in 2021. The trend of publications showed a gradual increase from 2012 to 2014, followed by fluctuations of varying degrees from 2015 to 2022. Among them, research institutions in North China were widely distributed, accounting for 49.4% of the total national publications, followed by Southwest China. In addition, statistical data showed that the types of research papers on wheat fertilization mainly focused on fundamental and applied fundamental research, with an emphasis on technology promotion and application. In comparison with the actual recommended fertilization amount from 2012 to 2022, the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer usage in all wheat-growing regions had generally declined, and the effects of reducing and substituting chemical fertilizers were significant. However, there were still instances of irrational use nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers in some areas or by farmers. Overall, from 2012 to 2021, the production pattern in the wheat-producing regions had remained stable and improved, but the amount of fertilizer applied still needs continuous optimization. |