Core Insights - Shenzhen is emerging as a leader in agricultural biotechnology, particularly in crop breeding, driven by a combination of scientific research and corporate innovation [1][8] - The city has developed a comprehensive breeding ecosystem that integrates foundational research, field applications, and industrialization [3][8] Group 1: Breakthroughs in Rice Breeding - The Shenzhen Agricultural Genome Research Institute's team led by Shang Lianguang has created the world's first super pan-genome map of rice, which includes 251 rice germplasm, enabling precise selection of superior genes for molecular design breeding [2][8] - The team has identified the salt-tolerant gene STG5, allowing the cultivation of salt-tolerant rice in saline soils with a salinity of 10‰, potentially transforming 30 million acres of coastal saline land into arable land [2][3] Group 2: Innovations in Weed Resistance - Tang Xiaoyan's team has developed "Clean Field Rice," which exhibits 10-15 times the herbicide resistance compared to traditional varieties, significantly reducing weed presence with just one herbicide application [3][8] - The "Wide Three-Line" hybrid breeding technology developed by Tang's team accelerates the breeding cycle from 5-10 years to just 3 years, enhancing the efficiency of hybrid rice production [3][8] Group 3: Smart Breeding Technologies - BGI's CropGS-Hub system allows for precise gene-trait associations, enabling even non-experts to identify target gene combinations for breeding [4][8] - The collaboration between BGI and Yunnan University has led to the development of "Perennial Rice 23," which can be harvested for three years after a single planting, significantly reducing farming costs [4][8] Group 4: Potato Breeding Revolution - Zhang Chunzh's team has introduced a new potato seed that is one-sixth the size of traditional seeds, addressing high transportation and planting costs associated with conventional potato cultivation [5][8] - The new potato varieties have a weight of 100-200 grams and possess superior quality, although current yields are only 60-80% of traditional varieties [5][8] Group 5: Advanced Gene Editing - Zhu Jiankang's team has developed a new CRISPR-Cas enzyme that overcomes international patent barriers, facilitating the application of gene editing technologies in China [6][8] - The high oleic acid soybean developed by Zhu's team has an oil content exceeding 80%, surpassing that of olive oil, and has received China's first agricultural gene editing safety certificate [6][8] Group 6: Supportive Ecosystem - Shenzhen's agricultural biotechnology sector benefits from strong policy support and a collaborative ecosystem involving government, enterprises, and research institutions [8][9] - The city has attracted top talent and established key research centers, such as the National Super Hybrid Rice Engineering Technology Research Center, enhancing its research capabilities [8][9]

Core Insights - Shenzhen is emerging as a leader in agricultural biotechnology, particularly in crop breeding, driven by a combination of scientific research and corporate innovation [1][8] - The city has developed a comprehensive breeding ecosystem that integrates foundational research, field applications, and industrialization, addressing practical agricultural challenges [3][8] Group 1: Breakthroughs in Rice Breeding - The Shenzhen Agricultural Genome Research Institute's team led by Shang Lianguang has created the world's first super pan-genome map of rice, encompassing 251 rice germplasm, which allows for precise selection of superior genes [2][8] - The team has identified the salt-tolerant gene STG5, enabling the cultivation of salt-resistant rice in saline soils, potentially transforming 30 million acres of coastal saline land into arable land [2][3] Group 2: Innovations in Weed Resistance - Tang Xiaoyan's team developed "Jietian Rice," which exhibits 10-15 times greater resistance to herbicides compared to traditional varieties, significantly reducing weed presence with just one herbicide application [3][8] - The introduction of the "Wide Three-Line" hybrid breeding technology has reduced the breeding cycle from 5-10 years to just 3 years, accelerating the development of high-quality hybrid rice [3][8] Group 3: Smart Breeding Technologies - BGI's CropGS-Hub system allows for precise gene-trait associations, enabling even non-experts to identify target gene combinations for breeding [4][8] - The "Perennial Rice 23" variety, developed in collaboration with Yunnan University, allows for three harvests from a single planting, significantly lowering cultivation costs [4][8] Group 4: Potato Breeding Revolution - Zhang Chunzh's team has developed a new potato seed that is one-sixth the size of traditional seeds, addressing high transportation and planting costs associated with conventional potato cultivation [5][8] - The new potato varieties have improved quality and nutritional content, although current yields are at 60-80% of traditional varieties [5][8] Group 5: Advancements in Gene Editing - Zhu Jiankang's team has developed a new CRISPR-Cas enzyme that enhances gene editing capabilities in China, facilitating the production of high oleic acid soybeans with oil content exceeding 80% [6][7] - The team's research has led to significant improvements in the health attributes of various crops, including increased GABA in tomatoes and resistant starch in rice and wheat [6][7] Group 6: Supportive Ecosystem for Biotechnology - Shenzhen's early adoption of biotechnology and strong policy support have attracted top talent and established a robust research environment, leading to significant advancements in agricultural biotechnology [8][9] - The combination of government funding and market-driven approaches has enabled research teams to align their innovations with national agricultural needs and industry challenges [9]