China completes third national survey of crop germplasm resources

China has completed a national survey spanning from 2021 to 2023 to get a full picture of the country's agricultural germplasm resources, which are strategic assets to ensure the stable and secure supply of grains and important agricultural products.

The Third National Survey of Crop Germplasm Resources, conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, was the largest and most extensive of its kind in China, with aquaculture being included for the first time, covering 2,323 agricultural counties and over 920,000 aquaculture households.

More than 530,000 pieces of agricultural germplasm resources were collected in this survey spanning three years.

"We have achieved a thorough understanding of the types, quantities, distribution and characteristics of various agricultural resources, laying a solid foundation for ensuring national food security and breeding innovation," said Sun Haoqin, an inspector of the Seed Management Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

In terms of crops, 87.5 percent of the newly collected germplasm resources are local varieties, which are known as the traditional landrace varieties featuring long history, diverse varieties and excellent genetic characteristics.

"We found the kam sweet rice used for making 'oolong rice,' a must-have dish for the Dong ethnic girls' festival. We also discovered half-wild cottons. In Xizang Autonomous Region, we discovered highland barleys growing at an altitude of 4,800 meters. We spent a lot of effort to find these seeds, which are very precious," said Liu Xu, head of expert group of the Third National Survey of Crop Germplasm Resources.

The coverage of the survey spans from the northernmost city of Mohe to the southernmost Sansha Island, as well as from Zhoushan in the east to the Pamir Plateau in the west, encompassing the entire spectrum of species across the surveyed areas.

(Cover image: Seed samples. /CFP)