The history of the Wheat Research Center of China Agricultural University originated in the 1940s, and was founded by Cai Xu, a famous wheat genetic breeder and agricultural educator in China. In the early days, the academician Cai Xu used more than 3,000 wheat breeding samples collected in the U.S. to develop a number of excellent wheat parental varieties, such as "Early Yang Wheat", "Victory Wheat" and "Minnie 2761". Since then, he has pioneered the innovation of wheat germplasm resources and breeding work in China Agricultural University, and made a significant contribution to wheat breeding and cultivation in China. From 1970s to 1980s, he developed four varieties, including Nongda 311, which won the prize of National Science Conference in 1978. Subsequently, a group of distinguished breeders, such as Yang Zuomin and Liu Guangtian, has inherited and expanded the wheat breeding in China Agricultural University and made remarkable contributions to the evolution of wheat disease resistance and quality improvement.In recognition of the leading role of the senior scientists in the genetic breeding of wheat in China, the Department of Agriculture approved the establishment of the "Wheat Genetic Breeding Research Laboratory" at Beijing Agricultural University in 1985.
Our research is aimed at the exploration and innovation of wheat Genetic Resources, Genetic improvement of wheat resistance, Molecular mechanism of wheat polyploidy and hybrid dominance formation, Functional genome of wheat yield and quality, and Molecular breeding of wheat.
After more than 30 years of continuous improvement, we have formed a scientific research and innovation team with cross-discipline, focused objectives, outstanding performance and advantages, and officially established the Wheat Research Center in 2015, with Professor Qixin Sun as the honorary director and Zhongfu Ni as the director. There are 20 full-time researchers, among whom 12 are professors, 7 are associate professors and 1 are lecturers. Among them, there are 3 recipients of National Outstanding Youth Funds, 2 recipients of Huo Ying Dong Education Foundation Award for Young Teachers in Universities, 2 recipients of the New Century Talent Project of the Ministry of Education, 2 recipients of National Outstanding Youth Funds, 1 young top-notch talent, and 1 young entrusted talent.
With the joint efforts of all teachers and students, we received one National Technical Invention Second Prize, one First Prize of Technical Invention for Outstanding Achievements in University Research of the Ministry of Education, one Excellent Innovation Team Award of China Agricultural Science and Technology Award, and one First Prize of Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Progress in the past five years. The Plant Journal (3), Theoretical and Applied Genetics (10); 57 SCI papers published in high level journals; 7 wheat varieties validated, 1 new variety right obtained; 2 monographs published; 6 young talents introduced to the Center during 2016-2020, 41 doctoral students, 80 master's students and 7 post-doctoral students.
The endosperm-specific transcription factor TaNAC019 regulates glutenin and starch accumulation and its elite allele improves wheat grain quality
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Ectopic expression of VRT-A2 underlies the origin of Triticum polonicum and Triticum petropavlovskyi with long outer glumes and grains
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A Collinearity-Incorporating Homology Inference Strategy for Connecting Emerging Assemblies in the Triticeae Tribe as a Pilot Practice in the Plant Pangenomic Era
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I abide by the principle of being a scientist with integrity and adherence to scientific attitudes and truth-seeking.
Wheat cultivator and genetic breeder, agricultural educator, pioneer of Chinese wheat hybrid breeding and one of the founders of Chinese wheat breeding work
