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Core Insights - The article discusses breakthroughs in agricultural biotechnology through the "Seed Precision Design and Creation" project initiated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, focusing on enhancing crop yields while reducing chemical inputs [1][2]. Group 1: Project Overview - The "Seed Precision Design" project began in November 2019, involving collaboration among 30 institutions to address key issues in food security and agricultural development in China [1]. - The project aims to increase crop yields by 10% to 20% while reducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide use by 15% to 20% and minimizing losses by 15% to 20% [1]. Group 2: Innovations in Crop Breeding - Scientists have identified a key gene, OsTCP19, which significantly improves rice's nitrogen utilization efficiency, allowing stable yields even with a 20% to 30% reduction in nitrogen fertilizer [2][3]. - A broad-spectrum disease-resistant gene, Pm24, has been discovered from local wheat varieties, leading to the creation of high-yield, disease-resistant wheat strains [3]. - The new wheat variety "Zhongke 166" has been developed with strong disease resistance, resulting in a significant reduction in pesticide use, with a cumulative planting area nearing 1.5 million acres [3]. Group 3: Advanced Breeding Techniques - The project employs advanced gene editing techniques to create new crop varieties that combine high yield and disease resistance, overcoming traditional breeding challenges [5]. - A novel approach termed "from scratch domestication" has been utilized to harness wild rice's genetic potential, leading to the successful creation of new four-fold rice materials [5][6]. Group 4: Market Impact and Adoption - The "Zhongke Fa" series of rice has received positive feedback from farmers, demonstrating high yields and quality, with "Zhongke Fa 5" achieving over 20% yield increase compared to local varieties [7][8]. - The introduction of "Zhongke Fa Early Glutinous 1" has addressed the market need for early-season rice, allowing consumers to access fresh glutinous rice 2 to 3 months earlier [9]. Group 5: Broader Agricultural Applications - The project has also developed high-yield soybean varieties and established a comprehensive genomic database for soybean breeding, addressing China's high dependency on imported soybeans [10][11]. - In aquaculture, the "Zhongke 6" fish variety has shown a 25% increase in growth rate and a 66.5% improvement in survival rate compared to widely farmed varieties [11].