Objective  Taking Shenyang city as the study area, the potential of cultivated land quality improvement and transformation is evaluated, with the views of improving the quality grade and productivity of cultivated land, implementing the balance system of cultivated land occupation and supplement, and ensuring national food security more effectively.

  Method  The cultivated land improvement potential evaluation model was constructed based on the results of agricultural land grading, using the principal component analysis and experts scoring method, which included two evaluation dimensions (the feasibility of improvement of grading factors and the critical state of grading index), and two evaluation indices (the number and degree of limiting factors, and the difference between grading index and upper grading index of cultivated land). The comprehensive factor score method and restriction factor determination method were used to estimate the potential of cultivated land quality improvement, to divide the potential areas of cultivated land quality improvement, to identify the leading limiting factors of cultivated land quality improvement, and to determine the cultivated land regulation type.

  Result  The results showed that the high potential area was 10849.72 hm², accounting for only 1.37% of the total area, mainly distributed in Xinmin. The moderate potential area was 106990.79 hm², accounting for 13.49%. The areas of low potential and no potential were 384595.93 hm² and 290536.32 hm², accounting for 85.14%. The results showed that the area of high potential cultivated land improvement area in Shenyang was 10849.72 hm², only accounting for 1.37% of the total area, mainly distributed in Xinmin. The area of medium potential area is 106990.79 hm², accounting for 13.49% of the total area. The areas of low potential area and no potential area were 384595.93 hm² and 290536.32 hm² respectively, accounting for 85.14% of the total area. The main limiting factors were drainage condition and effective soil thickness.

  Conclusion  The potential of cultivated land quality improvement in Shenyang is not large. In medium and high potential areas, engineering measures can be taken to improve the effective soil thickness, drainage conditions and other limiting factors to promote cultivated land quality improvement.