The use of high-yielding varieties (HYV's) of wheat and rice has expanded sharply in the developing nations in recent years. This report reviews the development of these varieties and documents their yearly spread in statistical terms. Major emphasis is placed on semi-dwarf (1) wheat varieties developed at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico, and (2) rice varieties developed in the Philippines at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Data cover the 8-year period from the 1965/73. As of 1972/73, the HYV wheat and rice area in non-Communist nations, excluding Mexico and Taiwan, totaled about 80.2 million acres (32.5 million hectares). Of this, about 41.6 million acres (16.8 million ha) were wheat and 38.7 million acres (15.7 million ha) were rice. In addition, over a million acres of rice were found in Latin America (excluding Cuba). Nearly all of the HYV area was in Asia. Within Asia, over half of the HYV area was in India. Altogether, the HYV's accounted for nearly 35 percent of the total wheat area and 19.5 percent of the total rice area in non-Communist Asia. Elsewhere, nearly 2.5 million acres of HYV wheat were planted in North Africa; some HYV rice was beginning to be planted in the remainder of Africa.

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