 China's population growth and economic development have led to an increase in demand for food and animal feed, which could potentially reduce its self-sufficiency in maize production. To address this issue, researchers combined data-driven projections with a machine learning approach to analyze data from 402 stations and 87 field experiments across China. The results showed that current maize yields could be doubled with optimal planting densities and soil management. Additionally, the study found that a 52% yield gain could be achieved in the 2030s due to dense planting and soil improvement under a high-end climate scenario. These findings suggest that China can become self-sufficient in maize production if it implements optimal crop soil management strategies. This article was authored by Ning Luo, Qingfeng Meng, Puyu Feng, and others.