China has a long history and rich experience in utilization of plant genetic resources. Since the founding of new China in 1949, a number of new crop varieties have been developed which can’t be separated from the utilization of germplasm of landraces rich in China and elite germplasm introduced from abroad. Statistics indicate that during the period from 1949 to 1979, China developed 508 rice varieties. In 70’s, following the discovery of the wild abortive, success in cytoplasmic male-sterile or A-line transfer, and identification of desirable fertility restore or R-line, China realized the combination of three lines in hybrid breeding. A large number of superior hybrids have been developed and used in production. By 1992, the cultivated areas of hybrids amounted to 140 million hectares. The production increased by 150 billion kg. This was a revolution in rice production in China. From 1949 to 1982, China developed 13 wheat varieties with planting areas of 670,000 hectares for each and 110 varieties with planting areas of 67,000 hectares for each. The heights of plants changed from tall to short. The weight of 1000 grains increased from light to heavy. The disease resistance increased continuously. Maturity time became more and more early. Since 1960’s, China strived to popularize hybrid maize. According to statistics, there are 20 maize hybrids with planting areas of 130,000 hectares for each, 10 varieties with planting areas of 65,000 hectares. The yield increased by 20 – 30% and more than that of check variety. At present, the planting areas of hybrid maize account for over 75% of total planting area of maize in China. China is extremely rich in genetic resource of soybean. A lot of local varieties are still major cultivars so far. Since 1949, nearly 200 superior varieties of soybean have been selected in China. They account for two thirds of varieties developed through cross. From 1960 to 1982, 225 varieties (lines) of rape (Brassica napus L.) were selected in China. As the new rape varieties have been spread in large areas, they have changed the face of rape production in China. Since 1949, 260 cotton varieties have been developed, of which 43 varieties of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) covered 65,000 hectares and more.

In recent years, China has gained some new progress in the utilization of Crop genetic resources.

Rice – by using wild rice to cross with cultivated rice, a large number of superior varieties and male sterile lines have been developed and used in production. By using Zhong 413, a strong restor line with broad compatibility, an extra-high yielding combination of Xieyou 413 has been produced and has been used in production. Rice variety 82-210 with strong salt-tolerance, selected from Indica materials introduced from abroad, has been planted in saline-alkali soil along the coast. Indica rice variety BG90-2, introduced from abroad, and its 6 derived varieties have been planted on over 670,000 hectares.

Wheat – successfully transferred the gene with barley yellow dwarf disease resistance from Thinopyron intermedium to bread wheat. A translocation line of Thinopyron intermedium has been developed. It has provided reliable material basis for resistant breeding program of barley yellow dwarf disease. Some new winter wheat lines selected from winter varieties with cold and salt tolerance can be irrigated with salt water. Winter wheat variety 442M-1 with salt resistance and good performance has been spread largely in Delta of Yellow River.

Maize – maize variety Hongyu No. 9 selected from inbred lines with strong cold resistance has been spread 26,000 hectares. The planting areas for maize have been moved to N.51 31’. By using maize varieties with high oil. And protein contents and high lysine to make cross, a number of hybrids, with oil contents 2-3 times of common varieties, have been developed.

Sorghum – by using restore lines 5-26 and 5-27, which are immune to head smud (Sphacelotheca relianum) and has resistance to aphid of sorghum respectively, to make cross, Sheza No. 6 has been developed and the planting area amounts to 65,000 hectares. Economic benefits have increased by 20 million yuan.

Millet – by introducing and using variety Japan 60 Days, the damage, caused by blast of summer millet epidemic that couldn’t be controlled for several years in China, has been basically controlled. The utilization of germplasm with rust resistance has gained a good result in breeding program of rust resistance.

Soybean – by using of improved germplasm 5621, developed by crossing semi-wild species with cultivated varieties, as parents, a series of varieties with good performance and disease resistance have been developed.

Peanut – by using germplasm, with strong bacterial wild disease of peanut, in breeding, a large number of varieties with bacterial wild resistance and good performance have been developed. They have been spread 3 million mu in the areas with bacterial wild disease. The disease has been controlled efficiently in these areas. The income increase by 200 million yuan annually.

Fruit Trees – Fuji Apple introduced from Japan has covered 270,000 hectares, with output of 5 million tins annually. The output value has reached 10 billion yuan. By using it as parent to make cross, a number of promising varieties better than the Fuji variety have been developed. Sweet persimmon introduced from Japan has been planted in 14 provinces and cities. Domesticated varieties (lines) selected from wild Chinese gooseberry have covered 4,000 hectares and have got significant results. The citrus varieties Sortunella (Hindsir) and Goutoucheng (C. aurantium L.), that showed strong resistance to root rot (Thytothoir sp.) and CTV respectively in China, have received great attention in the world.

Vegetables – by using superior local pepper growing in hunan as parent to make cross, a series of varieties of Xiangyan Nos. 1 to 10 have been developed. They have been planted in 30 provinces and cities with accumulative areas of 65,000 hectares. By using Yunnan pumpkin with black seeds as root stock for cucumber grafting, the yield increased by 30-50%. The varieties produced through this method have spread 14,000 hectares.

Crop germplasm resources have been provided for use in three ways:

1. germplasm resources with good characteristics are used as parents in breeding program

2. through ecological evaluation, the germplasm resources with comprehensive characteristics are provided for use in production

3. the germplasm resources will be provided for the use in biotechnology research and other research concerned in agriculture

About 350,000 accessions of crop germplasm resources have been collected and preserved in China, including 50,000 accessions introduced from abroad and identified worthy of preservation. By rough statistics, the germplasm resources used now account for 3-5% of total collections preserves. In the past 45 years, about 5,000 new crop varieties have been developed in China. An estimated 10,000 over accessions of genetic resources have been used. For instance, about 1,000 wheat varieties were used in production in 1970’s but about 30,000 accessions of wheat germplasm resources were preserved then. From 1986 – 1990, 200,000 accessions of crops germplasm were evaluated primarily through state major research projects. Nearly 20,000 germplasm resources were found with single or multiple superior characteristics, but only about 1,900 were used in breeding programs and in production. They only accounted for 1% of total materials provided for evaluation, and 9.5% of materials with superior characteristics. In recent years, China, through germplasm resource exploration, has collected 10,000 accessions and more of crop genetic resources, but most of them have not been studied and used. In grain crops, some minor crops, legumes, cash crops and horticultural crops and their wild species have rich genetic resources for development and utilization.

The crop genetic resources already collected which are often listed in the state research projects are rice, wheat, barley, millet, sorghum, sweet potato, potato, cotton, soybean, rape, peanut, sugarcane, sugar beet, vegetables, fruit trees and rubber trees. These crops are closely related to national economy and people’s livelihood. Most landraces are used in crop germplasm resource research. Some wild relatives have been drawn attention in the research. All breeders both at home and abroad have attached great importance to the introduction of germplasm.

Farmers are eager to obtain new varieties with good quality and high yields. Thus the native varieties have lessened. Monoculture of cultivated varieties has become more serious. For instance, before 1949, nearly 10,000 wheat varieties were used in production in China. By the 50’s, statistics show that local varieties accounted for 81%, varieties developed accounted for 14.9% and varieties introduced from aborad accounted for 4.1%, local varieties only accounted for 5%. In the past, varieties cultivated by the farmers depended mainly on exchanges between themselves or obtained from research organizations. In recent years, as the economy develops and the spreading of superior varieties, farmers can buy seeds they need from seed production departments (seed companies, seed extension stations).

Benefits obtained through using of plant genetic resources in China

Utilization of crop genetic resources in China has brought significant economic and social benefits to agriculture. Since the founding of new China in 1949, the seeds used in production have changed for 3-5 times on the large scale. Coverage rate of improved varieties has reached over 85%. From 1949 to 1992, statistics show that the yield of grain crops increased from 1050 kg/ha to 3900 kg/ha. The total production increased from 132.1 billion kg to 456.4 billion kg. The yield increased by 3.7 times and 3.45 times respectively. All these results were realized mainly by regeneration of varieties, among which, the yield of rice increased from 1890 kg/ha to about 6000 kg/ha through 4 renovations of rice varieties. The yield of wheat increased from 630 kg/ha to about 3000 kg/ha through 4 renovations of wheat varieties. The planting areas of hybrid maize accounted for 70-80% of total planting areas of maize. The yield increased from 1335 kg/ha to 4500 kg/ha. Through 6 renovations of cotton varieties, the yield increased from 375 kg/ha to 750 kg/ha. China now has become the biggest country in cotton production.

At present, China has established germplasm exchange relations with more than 90 countries and regions. About 3000-5000 accessions of germplasm will be introduced from abroad annually. About 3000 accessions will be provided for germplasm exchanges with foreign countries. The utilization of germplasm introduced from abroad has played an important role in agricultural research and production in China. Since the founding of New China in 1949, there are 19 rice varieties introduced from abroad with the planting of 67,000 hectares for each. By using rice germplasm introduced from abroad to make crosses, more than 300 new rice varieties have been developed. More than 80 wheat varieties introduced from abroad have been used directly in production, 6 of them planted in areas of 670,000 hectares each. Hundreds of wheat varieties have been developed by using germplasm introduced from abroad. Statistics show that over 80% of wheat varieties developed in China are with foreign blood relationships. Through introduction of inbred line Mu No. 17, single-cross maize varieties Zhongdan No. 2 and Danyu No. 13 have been developed. The planting areas have covered 2.1 million hectares and 3.2 million hectares respectively. By using Dalta, Stoneville and varieties with low phenol contents introduced from abroad, the cotton production in China made a great leap forward. The varieties of rape and other oil crops and sugar crops introduced from abroad have not only increased yield, but also improved quality. New fruits and vegetables introduced from abroad have significantly increased the varieties on the market and regulated the supplies. Additionally, the germplasm resources provided by China have also played an important role in the countries around the world. For instance, the United States has found genes with water-logging and root rot resistance from soybean germplasm resources provided by China in recent years. These genes have been used with good results.

Activities of Crop Breeding in China

Crop breeding in China has developed quickly in recent years. In the course of increasing productivity in agriculture, the function of new crop varieties account for 30% and more. The main objective of crop breeding in China is to improve local varieties to meet the quality and quantity requirements caused by a continuously increasing population, as well as the problem of the constantly reducing areas of cultivated land. Emphasis is given to improvement of quantity and quality of grain, cotton and oil crops and vegetables.

Crop breeding activities are conducted mainly by agricultural research institutions established by national and local governments. Funds are granted by central and local governments, which are very limited and far from the normal requirements for crop breeding. Many breeding projects have difficulty in conducting research activities. It is difficult to get assistance from private or foreign companies.

Varieties developed in China must participate in zone testing for three years, after which they must be examined and approved for release by provincial and national governments. Farmers and seed departments can spread and multiply seeds, obtained from research institutions, which have been examined and approved by the departments concerned. Farmers prefer to plant varieties with high yield, good quality, resistant to diseases and pests, drought, cold and tolerant to saline-alkali, and suitable for growing in different ecological conditions. For the new varieties planted by farmers, apart from meeting their own needs, most are sold in the market, thus it can increase their incomes and expand production. Farmers always plant and preserve varieties with special purpose and varieties they used to plant. It can play and important role in preserving some superior germplasm resources in natural conditions. Whether the variety is good or bad is determined by farmers by the benefit they obtained by planting it, and then to determine the planting area.

Presently, the main problem is that although a large number of varieties have been developed, there is a shortage of varieties with a breakthrough in yield. Yield of a new variety is generally an increase of 8-10% than that of major varieties. Main causes as follows:

1. Genetic resources used at present are narrow; germplasm resources collected haven’t been studied thoroughly; some superior germplasm resources haven’t been used and developed sufficiently. These have limited the utilization of genetic diversity and led to the availability of less superior materials for crop breeding.

2. High and new techniques are slow to be used. New techniques cannot be closely linked to conventional breeding. Basic research is poor; research on some important characteristics and genetic regulations is not enough.

3. There are no intellectual property rights to protect breeders.

4. There is a severe shortage of financial inputs for genetic resources research and breeding. Facilities and conditions are poor and backward. Research system is unsuitable for the development of agricultural research.

Although there are some improvements on seed multiplication and extension, seed processing, storage and business, with the establishment of the market economy, the existing system and operation mechanism are unsuitable for current development need. The work on breeding, seed production and extension are separated from each other. Seed business is confusing and seed quality is poor. The reform and construction of seed system has been listed in the state key programmes.

Problems and proposals on the utilization of plant genetic resources in China

For the plant genetic resources collected in China, presently, apart from few resources that have showed their value clearly in utilization and obtaining benefit in a short time, most of them need to be further studied for their role in utilization. In the recent ten years, the Chinese government has attached great importance to the work of plant genetic resources and has increased its inputs. Its main problems are:

1. A large number of plant genetic resources collected are short of further research. The classification and evaluation of plant genetic resources are still on phenotypes. There is a shortage of advanced techniques and equipment to explore and utilize superior germplasm efficiently.

2. Exploration and utilization of wild resources of some major crops haven’t received sufficient attention.

3. Research of genetic resources has not been closely linked with breeding programme.

4. Funds and management have limited the introduction and utilization of superior germplasm from abroad.

5. The laws and regulations of plant genetic resources are imperfect.

6. It is difficult to draw attention and get support from local governments for the research of plant genetic resources. Although the Government has attached great importance to this work, funds and inputs are still seriously insufficient.

Recent Developments

Since mid-1995, about 25,000 accessions have been added to the long-term genebank in Beijing. Evaluation for agronomic and morphological characters of the new accessions have been completed in the recent three years, of which about 40% evaluated for diseases and pests resistance, 35% for stress tolerance and 56% for quality analysis.

A comprehensive evaluation for 3,000 of the core collection of germplasm from the total plant genetic resources stored in the genebank has been conducted for 3-4 years. Finally, 250-300 elite genetic lines will be obtained for breeding program and agricultural production.

Establishment of core collection of rice and wheat is being carried out in Institute of Crop Germplasm Resources, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences. Classification based on agronomic evaluation, geographic origin and molecular marker analysis will help to establish the core collection of rice and wheat.

The narrow base of today’s varieties of major crops like rice, wheat, corn etc. render them more vulnerable to disease and pests. The new resistant genes to different diseases and pests are urgently needed for sustainable genetic enhancement over a long term. Therefore, genetic enhancement is a key project for major crops in the near future. Genetic enhancement on wheat, rice, maize, soybean and vegetable crops has been conducted for a long time in China. Scientists have developed a big number of genetic materials with high resistance to diseases, stress tolerance, good quality and other specific characteristics through translating the genes from wild species and their relatives.

In the ninth five-year plan (1996-2000), the Government provided USD3,000,000 to build a national project for plant genetic resources research. Research focus has moved from collection and characterization to evaluation, enhancement and utilization. Yet, deficiency in funding is obvious.

(Sources: Survey on the Implementation of the Global Plan of Action in China, paper for the Regional Meeting for the Implementation of the Global Plan of Action for Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Manila 15-18 December, 1998; Country Report of China, May 1995, submitted to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)

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