Seeds are known as agricultural "chips". For the country, the status of seeds is not only limited to agriculture, but also an important bargaining chip to ensure national food security.

With the continuous improvement of agricultural production levels, the development of modern seed industry in my country has achieved remarkable results.

However, what cannot be ignored is that the independent innovation ability of the seed industry is relatively weak, and some varieties, fields and links are overly dependent on "foreign seeds".

Foreign seed prices are high, imports are restricted by others, and the risk of "cutting off seeds" is hidden. We must break through key technologies, innovate systems and mechanisms, and deepen market reforms as soon as possible, improve breeding technology and strength, and hold agricultural "chips" in our hands as soon as possible.

1

Epidemic of foreign seed dependence

  According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, my country's autonomously selected crop varieties account for more than 95% of the area. The two major ration crops of rice and wheat can achieve 100% self-sufficiency. The provenance of corn, soybeans, and pigs is guaranteed to be based in the country.

Currently, foreign-funded enterprises account for about 3% of my country's seed market share.

In general, my country's seed supply is guaranteed and risks are controllable.

  However, my country's seed industry has many shortcomings and weaknesses.

For example, there is insufficient protection and utilization of resources, and there is a gap between breeding innovation in some fields, especially basic primitive innovation, and the international advanced level.

Especially in some regions, some varieties of foreign seeds account for more than 80%, and they even rely almost entirely on imports.

Foreign seeds not only have a high market share, but their prices are much higher than those of domestic seeds. Some varieties are even sold by grains and domestic ones.

  Keshan County, Heilongjiang Province is known as the "Hometown of Potato Seeds in China", with a planting history of more than 100 years.

The Banyuetan reporter found that most of the potato seeds here come from overseas.

In 2020, the potato planting area in Keshan County is 60,000 mu, of which Atlantic varieties account for about half.

Maize is a relatively weak field in my country's main grain breeding.

The hybrid corn seed "Xianyu 335" bred by American Pioneer Company has been promoted for more than 10 years, and it is the main corn variety planted in corn producing areas in Northeast and North China.

  In recent years, the domestic vegetable breeding ability has been greatly improved, but many peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, etc. have been bred from foreign species.

According to data from China Seed Trade Association, in 2019, my country's vegetable seed imports were 224 million U.S. dollars, accounting for more than half of seed imports.

The import dependence of broccoli seeds is over 80%, and the dependence of sugar beet and ryegrass seeds on the outside reaches over 95%.

  "Some foreign seeds are really good. Take hot pepper as an example. Domestic hot pepper seeds can only be harvested two crops, while foreign seeds can be harvested three crops, and they have good appearance, high market recognition, good sales and high prices." A vegetable in Northeast China Said the chairman of the planting farmers' professional cooperative.

2

Domestic seeds are stuck, where is the "stuck"?

  ——The original germplasm is relatively scarce.

At present, foreign countries cannot hold our country on the varieties of corn production and utilization, but foreign countries can easily hold our country on the germplasm resources or breeding technology of the source of cultivated varieties.

The innate advantages of maize germplasm resources in our country are insufficient. Germplasm resources are the source and basis for cultivating new varieties. With the promotion of maize varieties, seed degradation is serious.

Only with abundant germplasm resources can the fittest be selected and more new varieties that the market needs can be cultivated.

  ——Weak ability to accurately appraise resources.

"my country's crop germplasm resources collection and protection are not far behind foreign countries, but in terms of accurate identification of germplasm resources, such as whether they have high-yield, high-quality and other traits, there is still a big gap." Wan, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Jianmin said that my country has established the Center for the Protection and Utilization of Crop Germplasm Resources of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The total number of resources saved exceeds 520,000, ranking second in the world, but currently less than 15,000 have been accurately identified.

  ——Insufficient protection of existing germplasm resources.

Although my country is rich in species sources, many local species are disappearing fast.

According to the preliminary survey of the third national crop germplasm resources survey (implementation period is from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2020), in 375 counties in 6 provinces, including Hubei, Hunan, and Guangxi, 71.8% of grain crops Local varieties have disappeared, and there are many varieties with high-quality, disease-resistant and barren tolerance. The protection of germplasm resources is facing new challenges.

  ——Weak gene mining ability.

Chinese researchers have done some work, such as rice genome research, but in terms of research oriented to major national needs, there is still room for improvement in "digging for truly useful genes." a bit less.

"This is related to the evaluation system. Those who are engaged in germplasm innovation, the results are resources rather than varieties, which cannot be directly turned into benefits. At the same time, there is no mechanism to protect the intellectual property rights of resource results." Wan Jianmin Say.

  ——The lack of effective collaboration between scientific research institutions and enterprises, and the low level of research and development in breeding of some varieties.

Huang Chunfeng, director of the Heilongjiang Seed Industry Technical Service Center, said that most of the foreign seed research and development are in large companies, and the collection of seed resources comes from a century of accumulation, an early start and a large investment in scientific research.

However, my country's commercialized crop seed industry scientific research system has not yet been established, with limited investment, weak foundation, and lack of effective collaboration.

The flow of technology, resources, and talents to the enterprise is not smooth.

  The international seed industry has already entered the stage of molecular breeding and factory breeding. The crop varieties in some areas of my country are still mainly based on conventional breeding methods, relying on sight and touch.

There are few applications of molecular marker development and assisted selection, interspecific hybridization and embryo rescue, anther culture and genetic transformation, gene editing and molecular breeding.

3

Ask for autonomy in technology

  Seed is the cornerstone of agriculture, and modern seed industry is a national strategic and basic industry.

If important varieties rely too much on imported seeds, my country will lose the initiative in seed prices and the right to speak in the market.

The competition in the seed industry is related to the competitiveness of the country and the agricultural industry. It is a high-tech war without gunpowder.

If there is an extreme cut-off of supply abroad, although it will not be "one-card death", it will indeed affect the speed, quality and efficiency of my country's agricultural development.

  Holding the autonomy of the seed industry, the most important thing is to do a good job in innovation in the seed industry, and we must insist on putting scientific and technological self-reliance on the prominent position of agricultural and rural modernization.

  First of all, we must increase the protection and utilization of germplasm resources in our country, build and improve the medium and long-term germplasm resources bank, establish a sound germplasm resource registration and management system, and improve the resource protection system, identification and evaluation system, and shared utilization system.

  Liu Xicai, deputy dean of the Keshan Branch of the Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, suggested that more efforts should be made to protect the new varieties that have been bred to ensure healthy competition in the seed industry.

Increase penalties for infringements of new variety rights, so that offenders dare not repeat them.

  Secondly, start the implementation of seed source jamming technology as soon as possible, and form a batch of breakthrough achievements with independent intellectual property rights.

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the state should set up major special projects for seeds that rely heavily on imports and start implementation as soon as possible, promote industrialization with an innovative mechanism that integrates production, education, research and use, introduce professionals, and focus on key research.

  Third, straighten out the cooperation mechanism of science and technology and change the breeding mechanism and R&D model.

my country has not yet formed a full-chain organizational system for the utilization of germplasm resources, gene mining, variety research and development, product development, and industrial application.

On the existing basis, further introduce policies, break the boundaries between scientific research institutes and enterprises, strengthen and improve the commercial breeding technology innovation organization system that closely cooperates with science and technology enterprises and shares the profits in proportion.

  Source: "Ban Yue Tan Internal Edition" Issue 3, 2021. Original title: "Agricultural "chips" must be in your own hands: Seed industry innovation to resolve foreign seed dependence risks"

  Half a month to talk about reporters: Wang Jian