Center of Crop Germplasm Resources

Center of Crop Germplasm Resources is dedicated to addressing the critical needs of China's food security and agricultural development. With the goal of strategically supporting original innovation in agricultural science, breeding, and the biotechnology industry, it adheres to the principle: "extensive investigation, comprehensive conservation, thorough evaluation, in-depth research, active innovation, and open sharing." The center focuses on overcoming major scientific and technological challenges related to the safe preservation and effective utilization of crop germplasm resources, aiming to achieve coordinated development between "effective utilization through conservation" and "safe preservation through utilization."

Currently, the center comprises 13 innovation research groups and 9 innovation teams, with a staff of 87 employees. Among them, 33 hold senior professional titles, and 24 hold associate senior professional titles. The center boasts 2 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and 12 recipients of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) Agricultural Talent Award. Multiple staff members have been honored with national accolades such as "Outstanding National Agricultural Science and Technology Worker" and "National Advanced Worker in Agriculture and Rural Affairs." Since 2003, the center, as the primary completing unit or primary contributor, has been awarded 8 National Science and Technology Awards and 6 ministerial/provincial-level science and technology awards.

The center has spearheaded the creation of the world's leading multidimensional integrated preservation technology system for crop germplasm resources, enabling the strategic safe preservation of over 580,000 accessions of more than 340 crop species in genebanks and field repositories. It has led the Third National Census and Collection Action on Crop Germplasm Resources, completing surveys and collections in 2,323 agricultural counties and acquiring over 139,000 new crop germplasm accessions.

Additionally, the center has directed the national effort on precision identification of crop germplasm resources. By 2025, genotypic identification of 360,000 accessions and phenotypic identification of 50,000 accessions had been completed, leading to the discovery of elite germplasm urgently needed for breeding programs. It has also led the implementation of the National Maize Germplasm Improvement Plan to broaden the genetic base of maize breeding in China.

The center developed and established the National Crop Germplasm Resources Sharing Platform, which distributes over 40,000 resource materials annually to users across the country, significantly supporting fundamental research and breeding applications in Chinese agriculture.