Yazhou Bay National Laboratory launches innovation platform in Guiyang

The experimental fields co-developed by the laboratory and Guizhou focus on resource introduction and the selection of corn, rapeseed, and wheat varieties. [Photo/colorful Guizhou network]

The Yazhou Bay National Laboratory's Guiyang Grain and Oil Crop Innovation Platform was established in the Gui'an New Area on April 17. This initiative marks a deep collaboration between national, provincial, and municipal agricultural research forces, focusing on germplasm resource creation and the breeding of high-quality grain and oil varieties.

As the only national-level laboratory in the agricultural sector, the Yazhou Bay National Laboratory focuses on tackling major obstacles within the seed industry. It serves as a vital strategic technological force for ensuring national food security.

In November 2024, the laboratory signed an agreement with Guizhou to co-develop 501 mu (33.4 hectares) of experimental breeding fields. The site facilitates the introduction of resources and the selection of corn, cole flower, and wheat varieties.

Over the past year, the field has planted 27,800 sets of genetic materials for various grain and oil crops, selected 4,003 materials with superior traits, and established a solid foundation for breeding breakthrough crop varieties.

Fang Jun, chief scientist of the rice innovation team at Yazhou Bay National Laboratory, noted that the laboratory provides germplasm resources and intellectual support. "For the first phase of cole flower planting, we provided nearly 100 sets of high-quality materials, while for corn, we contributed several thousand sets. With this official unveiling, our rice and corn teams have arrived in full force. When we sowed cole flowers last November, our chief expert brought many key laboratory personnel along."