On April 25, under the guidance and support of the Department of Seed Industry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), the Oil Crops Research Institute (OCRI), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), and the Institute of Crop Sciences (ICS), CAAS, jointly held the Launch and Advancement Meeting of the Crop Germplasm Resources Improvement Program in Wuhan. At the meeting, the rapeseed germplasm resources improvement program led by OCRI was officially launched.

Academicians Guo Jinyi and Liu Xu of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) attended the meeting. More than 200 participants took part, including representatives from the Department of Seed Industry of MARA, the Hubei Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, OCRI, ICS, over 30 participating institutions of the Crop Germplasm Resources Improvement Program, and seed industry enterprises.

At the meeting, Cai Guangqin, Chief Scientist of the Rapeseed Germplasm Resources Innovation Team and leader of the rapeseed germplasm resources improvement program, presented the program’s technical foundation and implementation plan. Experts held in-depth discussions on key topics including precise characterization and evaluation of germplasm resources, selection of key agronomic traits, technical pathways for germplasm improvement, and the sharing and utilization of elite rapeseed germplasm. The discussions clarified the program’s positioning, phased missions, and implementation strategies, providing clear direction for subsequent work.

During the event, participants visited the Yangluo Experimental Base of OCRI to inspect elite rapeseed germplasm resources.