China's total collection and conservation of grass germplasm resources ranks among the top in the world
Grass germplasm resources are an important component of biodiversity, an important national strategic resource, and an important vehicle for environmental protection and ecological development. Over the years, the Ministry of Agriculture has organized grassland management departments at all levels and scientific research and technology extension units to vigorously advance the conservation of grass germplasm resources, achieving remarkable results, with the total collection and conservation of grass germplasm resources ranking among the top in the world.
Based on building a long-term mechanism, a germplasm resource collection and conservation system has been established. The Ministry of Agriculture has focused on building a long-term mechanism for the conservation and utilization of grass germplasm resources, and has established a national grass germplasm resource collection and conservation system that integrates collection management, technology research and development, and conservation and utilization. It mainly includes a national grass germplasm resource collection and management system with the National Animal Husbandry Station as the core, 10 ecological regional technical collaboration groups as the main body, and 56 collaborating units participating; a technology research and development system with collection, conservation, evaluation, utilization, and technological innovation as its main content; and a conservation and utilization system composed of 1 central gene bank, 2 backup gene banks, 1 in vitro gene bank, 17 resource nurseries, and the National Grass Germplasm Resource Conservation Management System.
Germplasm resource surveys have been carried out, and the quantity of grass germplasm resources conserved ranks among the top in the world. Through large-scale, all-round surveys, the wild types and wild relatives of China's endemic species and major cultivated forage grasses, as well as their species and distribution, have been identified, and a series of key protection lists has been compiled. At present, China has conserved more than 50,000 accessions of grass germplasm resources, ranking among the top in the world, realizing the transformation from a country with abundant resources to a strong country in resource conservation, and enhancing the capacity for sustainable development of the grass industry.
Trait evaluation of grass germplasm resources has been organized, and superior grass germplasm resources have been screened. An indicator system for agronomic trait and resistance identification and evaluation of grass germplasm resources has been established. Based on this indicator system, agronomic trait and resistance evaluations of grass germplasm materials have been systematically carried out. To date, agronomic trait evaluations have been completed for 16,646 accessions and resistance evaluations for 7,506 accessions, and 518 superior germplasm materials have been screened out, providing superior germplasm materials with selectable traits for grass variety improvement and new variety breeding.
Development and application of the management system have been strengthened to realize the sharing of grass germplasm resources. The National Grass Germplasm Resource Conservation Management System has been developed, and an information and physical sharing service platform has been established, realizing standardized, digital management and information sharing of forage grass germplasm resources. To date, more than 200,000 information consultations have been provided to scientific research, teaching, and production units, and 6,556 accessions of forage grass germplasm resources have been provided to major national scientific research projects, promoting the breeding and extension of new forage grass varieties.