The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences announced 10 major achievements in 2021, including this plant factory breeding technology.

On January 12, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences announced ten major achievements of 2021 at its 2022 work conference. The details are as follows:

01 "Zhongmai 895" Supports Stable, Increased, and High Wheat Yields in the Huang-Huai-Hai Region

The Institute of Crop Sciences jointly bred the new variety "Zhongmai 895," which features outstanding heat tolerance, high and stable yield, premium quality, and disease resistance. It has been promoted across a cumulative area of 51 million mu, setting a high-yield record with an average actual harvest of 782 kg per mu. As a key parental line for heat-tolerant, high-yield breeding in the Huang-Huai wheat region, it has helped stabilize and increase wheat production in the Huang-Huai-Hai region, making significant contributions to national food security.

02 Technological Upgrade in Fall Armyworm Control

The Institute of Plant Protection has upgraded its real-time monitoring and early warning system for fall armyworm. It has developed novel biopesticides, seed coatings, granulation processes, and application technologies for fall armyworm control, achieving a breakthrough from 0 to 1. The effectiveness of fall armyworm control has significantly improved, securing grain yields and ensuring bumper harvests with outstanding results. The system has been recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for global promotion.

03 Development of New High-Efficiency Biopesticides

G033A, an engineered strain of Bacillus thuringiensis biopesticide independently developed by the Institute of Plant Protection, is China's first genetically engineered microbial pesticide with independent intellectual property rights. It has pioneered a new direction for microbial pesticides in China and broken foreign monopolies.

04 "Zhonggan 21" Builds a Major Brand for "Plateau Summer Vegetables"

"Zhonggan 21," developed by the Vegetable and Flower Research Institute, is a cabbage variety promoted as a key initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, produced using a dominant male-sterile line discovered for the first time domestically and internationally. It accounts for over 70% of spring open-field cabbage in northern China and summer vegetables on plateaus, making significant contributions to poverty alleviation and rural revitalization.

05 "Guangming No. 2" Cultivation

The white-feathered broiler "Guangming No. 2," jointly bred by the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, has been approved, marking a breakthrough from 0 to 1 in China's independent breeding of white-feathered broilers and breaking foreign monopolies.

06 Technologies for Reducing Methane Emissions from the Intestines of Ruminants

The rumen methane reduction technology for ruminants completed by the Feed Research Institute reduces greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming while improving breeding efficiency. It has been included in the top ten emission reduction and nitrogen fixation technology models of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, providing scientific support for the implementation of the "Dual Carbon" strategy.

07 Assessing the pig industry situation to support national macro-level decision-making

The Institute of Agricultural Economics applies big data analysis and monitoring and early warning technologies to accurately assess the supply and demand situation in the live pig market and industry development trends. The policy recommendations proposed provide strong support for scientific decision-making.

08 "Zhongyouza 19" bred

The new rapeseed variety "Zhongyouza 19", developed by the Oil Crops Research Institute, is China's first nationally approved winter rapeseed variety with an oil content reaching 50%. It has overcome the challenge of synergistically improving high oil content, high yield, and multiple resistance in rapeseed, propelling high-oil rapeseed breeding to a world-leading level.

09 Foot-and-mouth disease virus-like particle vaccine takes a key step toward industrialization

The Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute's "Porcine Foot-and-Mouth Disease Type O Virus-Like Particle Vaccine" and "Bovine Foot-and-Mouth Disease Type O Virus-Like Particle Vaccine" have each received National Class I New Veterinary Drug Certificates, breaking through the traditional antigen preparation methods of inactivated vaccines and achieving technological innovation in new foot-and-mouth disease prevention and control products.

10 Key Technologies for Rapid Rice Breeding in Plant Factories

The key technologies for rapid rice propagation in plant factories, developed by Urban Institute, have achieved a major breakthrough by halving the rice growth cycle and enabling harvest in approximately 60 days, leading the global direction of rapid crop breeding.

Image source: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences