#GermplasmCreationCenter #AgriculturalInnovation #CropBreeding #ScientificResearch #GermplasmResources #China #SouthwestChina
The second phase of the Germplasm Creation Center at the Western (Chongqing) Science City commenced operations on May 27th, welcoming six new teams dedicated to creating germplasm for crops such as rapeseed, potatoes, citrus fruits, tea trees, tilapia, and freshwater fish. With this expansion, the total number of teams operating within the center has reached nine. This article explores the background, progress, and potential consequences of this agricultural development.
In January 2021, the Germplasm Creation Center was established in the Western (Chongqing) Science City, under the leadership of Southwest University. It is one of the five specialized platforms nationwide that supports breeding innovation, as recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Initially, the center accommodated three teams focusing on the creation of germplasm for silkworms, poplar trees, and Artemisia annua.
Since its inception, the center has constructed a research facility spanning 45,000 square meters and assembled a research team of nearly 200 members. They have successfully overcome key technological challenges in germplasm creation and obtained over 10 authorized invention patents. Furthermore, they have developed more than 1,700 new germplasm resources, and some of their achievements are already in the process of commercialization, with new varieties covering over 25,000 acres. The center has secured support from the Ministry of Education’s Special Program for Germplasm Innovation and received approval for the National Key Research and Development Program by the Ministry of Science and Technology. It has also been designated as a key laboratory by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
Professor Xia Qingyou, the Chief Scientist of the Germplasm Creation Center, outlines the future plans for the center. They aim to focus on biological germplasm innovation and the utilization of cutting-edge technologies worldwide. Leveraging the strengths of modern agriculture, biotechnology, and other key disciplines, the center will undertake large-scale engineering for germplasm creation. Their objectives include selecting and breeding novel animal and plant varieties with independent intellectual property rights, enhancing the transformation and industrial application of scientific achievements, and contributing to national food security and biological safety.
Additionally, the center aims to create an open scientific research platform, strengthen collaboration among universities, research institutions, and enterprises, and streamline the entire process from research to application. By deepening the integration of innovation chains and industrial chains, the center aspires to become a hub for scientific talents, technological innovation, and the birthplace of emerging industries within the Western (Chongqing) Science City.
According to the center’s plan, they aim to complete a 2-billion-yuan investment within 5 to 10 years, establishing internationally influential engineering facilities for germplasm creation. They also strive to overcome more than 10 critical technological challenges in germplasm creation for significant species, creating tens of thousands of mutant strains and thousands of commercially practical strains. Moreover, they aim to develop hundreds of new varieties with complete independent intellectual property rights and significant industrial application value. By attracting top international talents and employing 1,000 researchers, the center aims to cultivate high-level, multidisciplinary personnel for the seed industry. Through industrial operations, the center seeks to nurture or support internationally competitive listed seed companies, contributing to the development of a seed industry cluster worth billions of yuan and revitalizing the national seed industry.
