The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has announced its annual list of 10 major scientific discoveries and 10 significant achievements.

On January 12, at its annual work conference, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences announced ten major scientific discoveries and significant research achievements for 2021. Among the 2021 scientific breakthroughs were the first-ever confirmation of functional gene transfer from plants to animals and the development of the first-generation genome‑designed hybrid potato. The year’s major accomplishments included the release of the wheat variety Zhongmai 895, the creation of a new, highly efficient biopesticide, and advances in technologies for controlling the fall armyworm.

Ten Major Scientific Discoveries of 2021

1. First confirmation of functional gene transfer from plants to animals

The tobacco whitefly is the second-largest pest worldwide and the only “superpest.” This study reveals that the tobacco whitefly possesses the remarkable ability to “use the enemy’s spear against the enemy,” shedding light on how insects exploit horizontally transferred genes to overcome host defenses. It opens up new perspectives for investigating the mechanisms of insect adaptive evolution and offers fresh insights for developing next-generation, precision‑based, environmentally friendly strategies for field control of this pest. The research was conducted by the team led by Zhang Youjun at the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers and was published as a cover article in Cell on April 1.

2. First discovery of alkylotrophic methanogenic archaea

A novel methanogenic archaeon has been discovered, laying a scientific foundation for the bio‑gasification–based recovery of residual crude oil from depleted reservoirs. Photo courtesy of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

This study identified archaea that directly degrade crude oil to produce methane, proposed a fifth pathway of methanogenesis, and expanded our understanding of the carbon biogeochemical cycle, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the development of “subsurface biogas engineering.” The research was conducted by the team led by Cheng Lei at the Institute of Microbiology. It was published online in Nature on December 23.

3. The first-generation genome-designed hybrid potato has been unveiled.

Youshu No. 1 is exceptionally rich in carotenoids, and its golden‑yellow flesh boasts an excellent texture after steaming or boiling. Photo courtesy of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

This study leveraged genomic big data to inform breeding decisions, establishing a genome‑guided breeding pipeline for hybrid potatoes and developing the first generation of highly homozygous (>99%) diploid potato inbred lines, as well as the hybrid potato cultivar “YouShu No. 1,” which exhibits pronounced heterosis. This represents a breakthrough in potato breeding, advancing the field from zero to one, and marks the advent of the first-generation genome‑designed hybrid potato. The research was conducted by the team led by Huang Sanwen at the Genome Institute and was published in the journal Cell on June 24.

4. For the first time, the geographic differentiation of upland cotton populations and the genomic basis of fiber quality improvement have been elucidated.

This research analyzed the largest extant upland cotton germplasm population to date, revealing for the first time that geographic differentiation within this population is driven by chromosomal inversions. The study also identified introgressed segments from other cotton species as critical for improving fiber quality in upland cotton, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for further investigations into the adaptive evolution of upland cotton and for overcoming bottlenecks in fiber‑quality improvement. The work was carried out by Du Xiongming’s team at the Cotton Research Institute and was published on April 15 in Nature Genetics.

5. For the first time, the broad-spectrum antiviral mechanism of clofazimine against coronaviruses has been elucidated.

The study found that clofazimine exhibits broad-spectrum inhibitory activity against multiple coronaviruses and elucidated its antiviral mechanism. It demonstrated that the combination of clofazimine and remdesivir produces a significant synergistic antiviral effect, highlighting its potential for clinical treatment of COVID‑19 and providing both data and theoretical support for the initiation of Phase II clinical trials of clofazimine. The research was jointly conducted by the team led by Yin Xin at the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute and the University of Hong Kong, and was published in Nature on May 20.

6. Innovative, independently developed algorithms facilitate the analysis of ultra-large genomes.

This study employed a self-developed third‑generation sequencing assembly algorithm, enabling the rapid analysis of 1.5 TB of corrected third‑generation data and yielding a 39.1 GB genome sequence with an assembly completeness of 95%. It achieved a high‑quality assembly of the African lungfish genome, which has long been among the most challenging to assemble. This genome is currently the largest vertebrate genome known, and the findings mark China’s attainment of world‑leading expertise in the analysis of ultra‑large genomes. The research was conducted by the team led by Ruan Jue at the Genome Institute and was published in the journal Cell on February 5.

7. For the first time, a coupling approach was employed to describe the mechanistic aspects of biomass enzymatic hydrolysis.

This achievement employs a coupled experimental–modeling approach to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the biomass enzymatic hydrolysis process. It compares and evaluates the effects of various parameters—such as cellulase activity and substrate structural characteristics—on the hydrolysis kinetics, and discusses the key factors and primary mechanisms governing the process, thereby providing support for optimizing enzymatic hydrolysis operating conditions and process design. The study was carried out by the team led by Dong Hongmin at the Institute of Environmental Sciences. It was published on January 31 in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

8. A New Approach to Large-Scale Biofuel Production Based on Cell Biology

This study proposes a cell-biology–based metabolic engineering approach to expand the range of metabolites produced by acetogenic bacteria and elucidates methods for optimizing the process of generating biofuels from synthesis gas during fermentation, thereby providing an important pathway toward the large-scale, industrial production of biofuels. The research was conducted by Dong Lifeng’s team at the Feed Research Institute and was published on August 9 in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

9. Developing a methodology for estimating straw resources to support the transformation and upgrading of the fuel ethanol industry.

This study has developed a rapid method for estimating the quantity of straw resources in China and proposes pathways to accelerate the industrialization of high-value straw utilization, addressing aspects such as balanced supply of straw feedstock, pre‑treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and saccharification, strain selection, and fermentation processes. The findings offer valuable guidance for the resource‑based utilization of straw, the transformation and upgrading of the fuel ethanol industry, and the achievement of carbon neutrality goals. The research was conducted by the team led by He Mingxiong at the Institute of Biogas and was published on April 13 in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

10. Developing a crop yield estimation system to provide a new approach for large-scale crop yield assessment.

This study proposes a novel data assimilation algorithm and, leveraging a crop growth model and this assimilation approach, develops a new crop yield estimation system that enhances the accuracy of regional crop yield simulations and forecasts. The researchers successfully conducted quantitative simulations and estimates of regional winter wheat yields, offering a viable new methodology for large-scale crop yield prediction and underscoring its significant implications for safeguarding national food security. The research was carried out by the team led by Chen Zhongxin at the Institute of Resource Regionalization and was published on February 16 in the journal Environmental Remote Sensing.

Ten Major Achievements of 2021

1. “Zhongmai 895” helps ensure stable, increased, and high yields of wheat in the Huang-Huai-Hai region.

This variety was jointly developed by the Institute of Crop Sciences and exhibits outstanding heat tolerance, high and stable yields, superior grain quality, and disease resistance. To date, it has been widely cultivated across 51 million mu, setting a record yield of 782 kg per mu under actual harvest conditions. It has become a key parental line in breeding heat-tolerant, high-yielding wheat for the Huanghuai wheat region, contributing to stable and increased wheat production in the Huang-Huai-Hai area and making an important contribution to national food security.

2. Control of the fall armyworm has achieved a technological upgrade, leading international advances in this field.

The real-time monitoring and early-warning system for the fall armyworm, upgraded by the Plant Protection Institute, has focused on developing novel biopesticides, seed‑treatment formulations, granulation processes, and application technologies. This has enabled breakthroughs from scratch, significantly enhancing control efficacy against the pest and ensuring bountiful harvests by safeguarding crops from insect damage—achieving outstanding results and earning endorsement from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for global dissemination.

3. Develop novel, high-efficiency biopesticides, paving the way for a new direction in China’s pesticide industry.

The biopesticide Bacillus thuringiensis engineered strain G033A, independently developed by the Institute of Plant Protection, is China’s first genetically engineered microbial pesticide with proprietary intellectual property rights. It has spearheaded a new direction in the development of microbial pesticides in China and broken the foreign monopoly.

4. “Zhonggan 21” establishes a major brand for “plateau summer vegetables.”

“Zhonggan 21,” developed by the Vegetable and Flower Research Institute, is a cabbage variety recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, bred using a dominant male‑sterile line that was first discovered both domestically and internationally. It accounts for more than 70% of the acreage planted with open‑field spring cabbage in northern China and with summer vegetables on the plateau, making a significant contribution to poverty alleviation and rural revitalization.

5. The development of “Guangming No. 2” marks the achievement of independent breeding for white-feathered broiler chickens in China.

The white-feathered broiler “Guangming No. 2,” jointly developed by the Institute of Animal Health, has been officially approved, marking a breakthrough in China’s independent breeding of white-feathered broilers—from zero to one—and ending foreign monopolies.

6. Methane Emission Reduction Technologies in Ruminant Gut Microbiomes to Promote Carbon Reduction and Efficiency Gains in Animal Husbandry

The methane‑reduction technology for ruminant gut emissions, developed by the Feed Research Institute, not only cuts greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming but also enhances farm profitability. It has been included among the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs’ ten leading technological approaches for emission reduction and carbon sequestration, providing robust scientific and technological support for the implementation of the “dual carbon” strategy.

7. Assessing the state of the swine industry to support national macroeconomic policymaking

The Institute of Agricultural Economics employs big data analytics and monitoring‑early warning technologies to accurately assess the supply‑demand dynamics of the hog market and industry development trends, and its policy recommendations provide robust support for evidence‑based decision‑making.

8. The development of “Zhongyouza 19” marks China’s rapeseed oil‑content breeding as having entered the world’s leading ranks.

The new rapeseed variety “Zhongyouza 19,” developed by the Oil Crops Research Institute, is China’s first winter‑sown rapeseed cultivar approved at the national level with an oil content of 50%. It has overcome the longstanding challenge of simultaneously achieving high oil content, high yield, and multiple resistance traits, elevating China’s rapeseed breeding for high oil content to a world‑leading position.

9. Foot-and-mouth disease virus-like particle vaccine takes a critical step toward industrialization.

The Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute has obtained National Class I New Veterinary Drug Certificates for its “Porcine Foot-and-Mouth Disease Type O Virus‑Like Particle Vaccine” and “Bovine Foot-and-Mouth Disease Type O Virus‑Like Particle Vaccine,” breaking with the conventional antigen‑preparation methods of inactivated vaccines and achieving technological innovation in next‑generation foot-and-mouth disease prevention and control products.

10. Key technologies for rapid rice propagation in plant factories have achieved a major breakthrough in crop breeding methods.

Rice grown in a plant factory. Photo courtesy of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

The key technology for rapid rice propagation in plant factories, developed by the Institute of Urban Agriculture, has achieved a major breakthrough—halving the rice growth cycle to approximately 60 days—pioneering a new global direction in accelerated crop breeding.

Source: By Zhou Huaizong, a reporter for The Beijing News