Jan 7, 2021
China will complete a new national crop germplasm bank this year, to boost the country’s capacity to develop new crop varieties and enhance food security. The bank has a designed capacity of 1.5 million copies, almost four times the existing one, and will be the world’s largest.China’s seed sector is vital to guarantee the country’s food supply, a long-standing priority that has received renewed attention since the COVID-19 pandemic. China’s seed sector is fragmented and its companies lack the extensive germplasm collected by major multinational crop firm.
Germplasm is living genetic material, such as seeds or tissues that are kept for breeding and research. A rich collection of germplasm allows breeders to select for more diverse traits when developing crop varieties.
China’s current seed bank cannot meet development needs.
The new national crop germplasm resource bank must not only be well established, but also be used well,” said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tang Renjian.
China must ensure it maintains its competitive advantage in rice and wheat varieties, while reducing the gap with other countries in corn, soybeans, pigs, and dairy cows, he added.