Deficiency of available phosphorus in alkaline soil is a serious problem in northern China. This contrasts with the finding that the total amount of phosphorus in the soil is, actually, very high (over 200 times of its available form). Starting from 1990, my colleagues and I initiated a new research project with a longer term aim to breed phosphorus efficient wheat varieties. From among 500 wheat lines, several genotypes that could tolerate low phosphorus level in the soil were identified. In one of the genotypes, the enhanced phosphorus utilization trait is now found to be controlled by a single dominant gene. Physiological analysis showed that the phosphorus efficient genotypes could secret a higher amount of organic acids (such as malic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, etc) into the soil under low supply of phosphorus. The organic acids may assist the solublization of the insoluble phosphorus in the soil. These results shed light on the genetic and physiological basis of phosphorus utilization by wheat plant and suggest that, with appropriate selection strategies, phosphorus efficient wheat varieties can be bred in the future.