Jianfeng Weng

Jianfeng Weng

Executive Chief Scientist, Maize Genetic Improvement and New Cultivar Breeding Team

Center for Crop Genetics and Breeding

Institute of Crop Sciences

No.12 Zhongguancun South Street

Beijing, 100081, China

Tel:86-10-82105853

Fax:86-10-82105853

Email: wengjianfeng@caas.cn

Educations

l  2000.09-2004.07 B.S. in Biotechnology, Nanjing Agricultural University

l  2004.09-2009.06 Combined M.S.–Ph.D. program in Genetics, Nanjing Agricultural University (direct Ph.D. track)

Working Experience

l  2022.01-now, Professor, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

l  2013.01-2021.12, Associate Professor, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

l  2009.07-2012.12, Assistant Professor, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Research Interests

l  Specializes in maize genetic dissection and germplasm innovation. Focused on improving resistance to major diseases, has identified resistance loci/genes for maize rough dwarf disease, northern leaf blight, gray leaf spot, southern rust, and ear rot; developed functional markers and established a biotechnological breeding system for disease-resistance improvement. Elite allelic variants have been applied for germplasm enhancement and new cultivar development

l  Principal Investigator of one National Key R&D Program project and four National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) grants; published over 30 peer-reviewed papers in top-tier journals as first author or corresponding author, with representative publications in Nature Plants, Cell Research, Molecular Plant, and Trends in Plant Science; holds eight granted invention patents; contributed to the breeding of more than ten maize cultivars, including three nationally approved cultivars; and secured more than ten Plant Variety Protection (PVP) rights

Academic Qualifications

Honors

l  Young Scientist Award, Alibaba Breeding Talent Incentive Program (2021)

Awards

l  Breeding and deployment of the high-yield, high-quality, disease-resistant, early-maturing silage maize cultivar Zhongdongqing 2: Second Prize, Heilongjiang Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (2021)

l  Introduction and innovation of Indonesian tropical maize germplasm, and breeding and promotion of new cultivars: Second Prize, Shandong Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (2023)

Selected Publications (*corresponding authors)

Research Grants and Major Programs

l  Principal Investigator: NSFC Young Scientists Fund (31201219)

l  Principal Investigator: NSFC General Program (31471509, 31771804, 32472091)

l  Principal Investigator: National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFD1201802)

l  Participant in five national major programs, including the National Basic Research Program (“973 Program”), National High-Tech R&D Program (“863 Program”), National Key R&D Program, and the Major Special Program for Breeding of New Genetically Modified Varieties

Approved Cultivars

l  Participated in the breeding and official approval/registration of more than 10 maize cultivars, with representative varieties including Zhongdan Qingzhu 601, Zhongdan 901, Zhongdan 105, Zhongdan 121, Zhongdan 122, and Zhongdan 126

Selected Publications (*corresponding authors)

l  Xin Lu, Yuhong Lei, Zhennan Xu, Zixiang Cheng, Meng Liu, Yuxin Tai, Xiaohua Han, Zhuanfang Hao, Mingshun Li, Degui Zhang, Hongjun Yong, Jienan Han, Zhenhua Wang, WenXue Li, Jianfeng Weng*, Zhiqiang Zhou*, Xinhai Li*. Natural variations in the promoter of ZmDeSI2 encoding a deSUMOylating isopeptidase controls kernel methionine content in maize. Molecular Plant, 2025, 18:872-891

l  Zhennan Xu#, Zhiqiang Zhou#, Zixiang Cheng, Yu Zhou, Feifei Wang, Mingshun Li, Gongjian Li, Wenxue Li, Qingguo Du, Ke Wang, Xin Lu, Yuxin Tai, Runyi Chen, Zhuanfang Hao, Jienan Han, Yanping Chen, Qingchang Meng, Xiaomin Kong, Shuanggui Tie, Chunhua Mu, Weibin Song, Zhenhua Wang, Hongjun Yong, Degui Zhang, Haiyang Wang*, Jianfeng Weng*, Xinhai Li*. A transcription factor ZmGLK36 confers broad resistance to maize rough dwarf disease in cereal crops. Nature Plants, 2023, 9(10): 1720-1733

l  Shuping Li#, Shujun Meng#, Jianfeng Weng#, Qingyu Wu*. Fine-tuning shoot meristem size to feed the world. Trends in Plant Science, 2022, 27(4):355-363

l  Yu Zhou, Zhennan Xu, Canxing Duan, Yanping Chen, Qingchang Meng, Jirong Wu, Zhuanfang Hao,Zhenhua Wang, Mingshun Li, Hongjun Yong, Degui Zhang, Shihuang Zhang, Jianfeng Weng*, Xinhai Li*. Dual transcriptome analysis reveals insights into the response to Rice black-streaked dwarf virus in maize. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2016, 67(15):4593-4609

l  Zhiqiang Zhou, Chaoshu Zhang#, Yu Zhou, Zhuanfang Hao, Zhenhua Wang, Xing Zeng, Hong Di, Mingshun Li, Degui Zhang, Hongjun Yong, Shihuang Zhang, Jianfeng Weng* and Xinhai Li*. Genetic dissection of maize plant architecture with an ultra-high density bin map based on recombinant inbred lines. BMC Genomics, 2016, 17:178

Selected Books

l  Genetic Breeding for Disease and Insect Resistance in Maize and Its Applications (2025). Zhengzhou University Press. Associate Editor

Granted Patents

l  Gene encoding the insecticidal protein Cry1Ab-Ma, its expression vector, and applications. Granted Chinese invention patent ZL201010574708.X.

l  Insect-resistant protein Cry1A.401, its expression vector, and applications. Granted Chinese invention patent ZL201210049212.X.

l  Insect-resistant protein Cry1A.301, its expression vector, and applications. Granted Chinese invention patent ZL201210048871.1.