Abstract: The Yangtze River Economic Zone (YREZ) is one of the main grain producing areas in China. The study of the ecological efficiency and spatial pattern of cultivated land utilization in the YREZ is of great practical significance for securing national food security. This paper used the super-efficiency SBM model, Malmquist index model and spatial autocorrelation analysis to evaluate the ecological efficiency of cultivated land use in the YREZ and in each prefecture-level city. Results revealed that: （1） The average ecological efficiency value of the YREZ was 0.73, which was at a medium level in terms of input and output. This value had not yet reached the most efficient state, with considerable room for improvement. Meanwhile, the ecological efficiency level of cultivated land use in each prefecture-level city generally showed a distribution pattern of "low in the east and high in the west", with certain regional differences. （2）The ecological efficiency of cultivated land use in the YREZ had weak positive spatial autocorrelation, and there was an agglomeration effect. Areas with high-efficiency had effects in radiating an increase in ecological efficiency of cultivated land use in surrounding areas. Through strengthening exchanges and cooperation with neighbouring areas, the ecological efficiency of cultivated land use in the YREZ could be effectively improved, via upgrading the level of agricultural production and management, and reducing the pollution of agricultural production.