Top Ten Major Advances in Chinese Agricultural Science in 2021

On November 19, the 2021 China Agricultural and Rural Science and Technology Development Summit Forum and the China Modern Agriculture Development Forum press conference were held in Beijing. At the event, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wu Kongming, released the 2021 Report on Major Advances in Agricultural Science in China.

According to Academician Wu Kongming, the ten major advances span a range of research areas, including genomics, the functional characterization of key genes, the mechanisms underlying outbreaks of major pests and diseases, animal embryonic development, SARS‑CoV‑2 infection and transmission in animals, and crop cultivation and tillage. These studies have provided both the theoretical foundation and technical support for molecular design breeding and the development of green, high‑efficiency crop varieties; for swine breeding; for the creation of novel, broad‑spectrum antiviral crops; for the research and development of COVID‑19 vaccines; and for the formulation of Bt biotechnology products. They have thus propelled China’s agricultural science and technology from fragmented innovation toward a comprehensive leap—moving toward “independent genes, independent technologies, independent varieties, and independent products.” This achievement underscores China’s leading position in disciplines such as crop science, horticulture, and veterinary medicine.

The ten major advances include:

1. Discovery of a novel mechanism for the coordinated regulation of rice yield and nitrogen fertilizer use

This study, led by the research team of Fu Xiangdong at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, identified NGR5, a key gene involved in efficient nitrogen utilization. NGR5 is a novel component of the gibberellin signaling pathway that integrates gibberellin and nitrogen signals to enhance rice yield and nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency, thereby providing both theoretical and technical support for the molecular design and breeding of high-yielding, nitrogen-efficient crops.

2 Identification of a novel major-effect gene conferring resistance to Fusarium head blight in wheat

This study, led by the team of Kong Lingrang at Shandong Agricultural University, for the first time cloned from tall fescue the major-effect gene Fhb7—transferred horizontally by a fungus—that confers resistance to Fusarium head blight in wheat. It elucidated both the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying this resistance, providing a valuable genetic resource to address the growing challenge of Fusarium head blight in wheat.

3 Revealing the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying nodule formation in leguminous plants

This study, led by the team of Wang Ertao at the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, revealed that the SHR–SCR stem cell molecular module in cortical cells is essential for nodule formation in legumes. By addressing the longstanding scientific question of “why legumes are able to establish symbiotic nitrogen fixation with rhizobia,” the research lays a theoretical foundation for enhancing nitrogen-fixing efficiency in legumes and enabling symbiotic nitrogen fixation in non-leguminous plants.

4. First Construction of a Pan-Genome for Soybean Genome Architecture

This study, led by the research team of Tian Zhixi at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has for the first time constructed a pan-genome of plant genomic architecture, uncovering numerous large-scale structural variants that could not be detected using conventional genome‑wide approaches. It provides a novel analytical framework for processing vast amounts of resequencing data, and has been hailed by experts as a “landmark achievement in genomics.”

5 Construction of a Highly Heterozygous Diploid Potato Genome Map

This study, led by the research team of Huang Sanwen at the Shenzhen Institute of Agricultural Genomics of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, has for the first time assembled a heterozygous diploid potato genome, revealing the rich genetic variation within such genomes and the distribution patterns of deleterious mutations. These findings provide a genomic foundation for biological research on diploid potato inbreeding depression and for molecular design‑based breeding.

6 Revealing the Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Immune Mechanism in Plant Shoot Apices

This study, led by Professor Zhong Zhao’s team at the University of Science and Technology of China, has for the first time identified a key protein—WUSCHEL—that confers broad-spectrum antiviral immunity in plant stem cells. WUSCHEL can respond to viral infection and effectively inhibit viral replication and systemic spread. The research elucidates the mechanism underlying why most viruses fail to infect plant shoot apical meristems, offering a novel technical strategy for developing new, broadly resistant crop varieties.

7. First-ever analysis of the three-dimensional chromatin architecture in early porcine embryos

This study, conducted by the team led by Wang Yanfang at the Beijing Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in collaboration with the team led by Zhang Zhihua at the Beijing Genomics Institute (National Center for Bioinformatics) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has for the first time elucidated the dynamic patterns of three-dimensional chromatin conformation during the early development of porcine embryos from different sources, thereby revealing the critical role of chromatin architecture in early embryonic development. This research not only deepens our understanding of early porcine embryogenesis but also lays a theoretical foundation for enhancing the efficiency of porcine embryo engineering.

8 Revealing Differences in Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Among Various Animals

This study, conducted in collaboration among the research team led by Researcher Bu Zhigao at the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the team headed by Academician Chen Hualan, and the Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, found that SARS‑CoV‑2 cannot replicate in pigs, chickens, or ducks, exhibits only weak replication in dogs, but replicates efficiently in the respiratory tract of ferrets and cats. The findings provide crucial scientific evidence for the integrated prevention and control of COVID‑19 and for tracing its animal hosts, while also offering important tools for the development and evaluation of COVID‑19 vaccines, neutralizing antibodies, and antiviral therapeutics, as well as for fundamental research into the mechanisms of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection, transmission, pathogenesis, and host immunity.

9. Analysis of the Mechanism of Bt Resistance in Plutella xylostella Mediated by Insect Hormones

This study, led by the research team of Zhang Youjun at the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, has for the first time demonstrated that elevated levels of insect hormones confer high resistance to Bt insecticidal proteins in the diamondback moth. It reveals a novel function of classical insect hormones in mediating Bt resistance and elucidates the underlying molecular regulatory network. The findings hold significant theoretical and practical implications for monitoring and early warning of Bt‑resistance evolution in major agricultural pests, as well as for the integrated management of such resistance and the development of Bt‑based biotechnological products.

10 Yield-Enhancing Effects of Intercropping Systems for Crops Worldwide

This study, conducted jointly by the team of Academician Zhang Fusuo at the National Institute for Green Development of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, and Wageningen University in the Netherlands, systematically examined how management practices—such as crop combinations, spatiotemporal arrangements, and nutrient inputs—in intercropping systems worldwide contribute to yield increases. The researchers identified two distinct yield‑enhancing models: one well suited to China (high‑yielding maize intercropped with other grain crops) and the other to Europe (a mix of short‑statured cereals and legumes). These two intercropping strategies not only align with the ecological objectives of low‑input agriculture but also serve as effective approaches to ensuring food security in high‑input farming systems.

Source: Beijing News, Zhou Huaizong, Zhang Shujing