China Leverages Science and Technology to Enhance Bio-Breeding and Seed Diversity

China has significantly enhanced its bio-breeding sector with the aid of scientific and technological advancements, thereby playing a crucial role in ensuring the country's constant provision of grains and primary agricultural products.

Over recent years, the nation has been diligently advancing its seed industry restoration, reaching several milestones in the process.

As per the data shared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China has successfully bred three unique white-feather broiler chicken strains. This has ended its full reliance on foreign imports. In 2023, these novel breeds gained a market share of 25.1 percent and were exported for the very first time the previous year.

In the previous year, China had also succeeded in cultivating a new oilseed rape strain, with its growth period cut down to roughly 169 days. This reduced growth cycle allows farmers to optimize the utilization of their winter fallow lands in southern China, enabling the cultivation of oilseed rape without hampering the sowing of early season rice in the subsequent year.

China has also managed to establish a comprehensive, independent bio-breeding R&D system, securing exclusive intellectual property rights and core technologies pertinent to crucial genes and genetic traits, including drought resistance, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, improved nutritional quality, and salt tolerance.

Recently, the country made headway with 37 genetically engineered corn strains and 14 genetically engineered soybean strains clearing initial examinations as per the ministry’s report, highlighting a pioneering move towards bio-breeding industrialization.

These genetically manipulated crops displayed excellent traits of herbicide tolerance and insect resistance, along with exhibiting a potential 10-percent yield increase, indicating substantial developmental potential.

Seeds, being the "chips" of agriculture, are vital to the progression of the industry. The swift promotion and application of transgenic technology is a necessary move to enhance future international competitiveness, optimize industrial division, and is also a key measure to sustain the country’s food security and promote the sustainable progress of agricultural science and technology.

Official data indicate that the rate at which improved strains contribute to the growth in grain yield currently surpasses 45 percent. Science and technology innovation, a prime focus area for the development of the seed industry, will aid in elevating China's agricultural scientific and technological standards and close the production capacity gap between China and some foreign countries at the forefront.

An academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Li Jiayang, stated that future focal points include enhancing seed production and quality, minimizing the usage of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and reducing losses inflicted by natural disasters.

James del Carmen