Difficulties in the domestic soybean seed industry: technically stuck in the neck, thrown into the "drop chain"

New Soybean Seed Products Are Frequent and Need to Solve the Problem of "Three Disjoints"

　　Difficulties in the domestic soybean seed industry: technically stuck on the “chain”

Seeds are agricultural "chips". As the country of origin of soybeans, my country preserves the richest soybean germplasm resources in the world, but the average soybean yield is less than 60% of that of the United States. In recent years, Chinese scientific researchers have stepped up their research and selected a number of new soybean varieties, which have improved their yield, quality, and resistance, and have achieved a double increase in the number and quality of varieties. However, experts said that my country's soybean seed industry is still out of touch in the three aspects of protection and utilization of germplasm resources, scientific research and market, and good seeds and good methods.

Experts suggest strengthening the identification, evaluation and utilization of soybean germplasm resources, strengthening the integration of breeding technology innovation and breeding practice, strengthening the research on the supporting technology of soybean planting, solving the problem of disconnection in a targeted manner, and fighting a turnaround in the soybean seed industry.

Increased number of approved varieties and increased soybean yield

Although soybeans are not a staple food, they have a great impact on meat prices and edible oil prices, and are directly related to people's quality of life. Soybeans are the most imported grain in my country. Last year, the import volume exceeded 100 million tons, and the self-sufficiency rate was less than 20%.

During the soybean field management period, the soybeans have been closed and the growth is good. Fu Zhengwu, a large grain grower in Zixin Village, Qianjin Town, Hailun City, Heilongjiang Province, sprayed foliar fertilizer on soybeans. This year, the soybean variety he planted is "Dongsheng No. 7". . "Last year,'Dongsheng 7'was planted. Although there are disadvantages such as low temperature, rain and insufficient light, the average yield per mu is 400 kg, the protein content is 40%, and it is resistant to lodging and disease." Fu Zhengwu said.

"Dongsheng 7" was cultivated by Li Yanhua, a researcher at the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Yao Hongwei, director of the Hailun Agriculture and Rural Bureau, said that last year, the soybean planting area in Hailun was more than 2.6 million mu, and the Dongsheng series including "Dongsheng No. 7" became the main local soybean varieties.

In recent years, the selection and breeding of new soybean varieties in my country has developed to a certain extent, and high-yielding soybean varieties continue to appear. "Heinong 84" was selected and bred by soybean research of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences. According to Luan Xiaoyan, a researcher of the Institute, this variety has been demonstrated in large-scale production for four consecutive years from 2017 to 2020, with an average yield of more than 500 jin per mu. The protein content is 42.58%. The data provided by Luan Xiaoyan on some soybean varieties in the Huanghuaihai production area shows that some soybean varieties have an average yield of 618.48 kg per 100 acres, and some soybean varieties have high protein content, large grains, and good appearance. The annual promotion is 1 million. More than acres.

Heilongjiang Province is my country's main soybean producing area, and soybean area and output account for about half of the country. On the occasion of the autumn harvest last year, in the Heilongjiang Heping Ranch Science and Technology Demonstration Park, the new soybean variety "Henong 71" selected by the Jiamusi Branch of the Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences was tested in the field. The actual harvest area was 5.2 mu, with an average mu The output was 336.2 kg, setting a new record for the actual yield of soybeans in Northeast China.

According to Luan Xiaoyan, during the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, my country has developed rapidly in the selection and breeding of new soybean varieties. Soybean varieties have improved in terms of yield, quality, resistance, and adaptability, achieving a double increase in the number and quality of varieties. The average soybean yield in my country has increased from 238.6 kg in 2016 to 264.8 kg in 2020, and the yield has increased by about 11%.

Soybean breeding technology has also been continuously improved. Feng Xianzhong, a researcher at the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and director of the Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design and Breeding, introduced that the key laboratory has established a process platform for soybean molecular design and breeding to realize the molecular selection and engineering implementation of the whole process of soybean breeding. Promoting the transformation of my country's soybean breeding technology from conventional breeding to directed and efficient breeding, the research team implemented the "Super Green Soybean Program" to promote the improvement of soybean yield in my country.

Feng Xianzhong said that traditional breeding methods take about 10 years to cultivate a new variety. Soybean molecular design breeding, as an advanced soybean breeding method, can shorten the time by more than half. In the past five years, the Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design and Breeding has undertaken a total of 143 scientific research projects, obtained 96 authorized invention patents, approved 13 soybean varieties, and promoted 54 million mu of high-quality varieties.

Triple disconnection restricts the development of soybean seed industry

Although my country has made some progress in the selection and application of new soybean varieties, there is still a certain gap compared with the main soybean producing countries such as the United States, Brazil, Argentina and other countries. There are three disconnected problems in the soybean seed industry.

First, there is a disconnect between the protection and utilization of soybean germplasm resources. After the germplasm resources are identified, the characteristics of the genes can be known, and the good genes can be extracted for breeding. Experts said that, as the country of origin of soybeans, my country preserves the world’s richest soybean germplasm resources, but the identification, evaluation, and utilization of resources are seriously insufficient. The proportion of stored resources that have passed in-depth identification and evaluation is low, and there is a disconnect between resource protection and utilization. . Luan Xiaoyan said that the effective use of parental resources is the basis for determining the yield, quality, and resistance of varieties. At present, my country’s soybean germplasm resources are under-innovated, evaluated, and utilized. The genetic relationship of breeding parents is relatively close, and the genetic basis is narrow, which leads to the yield of varieties. , The quality potential has been improved slowly, and it is difficult to breed breakthrough varieties.

Second, the degree of soybean industrialization is low, and there is a disconnect between scientific research and the market. Feng Xianzhong said that there is a disconnect between upstream and downstream in my country's soybean breeding industry chain. The traditional method may take 10 years to cultivate a variety, and many companies are unwilling to invest so much energy to wait for a result. Experts said that most of my country's soybean breeding research and development is done only after projects, and it may not be able to be promoted after the research. Some major soybean producing countries are invested by enterprises and aim for marketization.

Third, there is a disconnect between good soybean varieties and good law. There are already some high-protein and high-quality varieties in my country, and there are also some high-yielding new varieties. However, the reporter of "Economic Information Daily" found that on the one hand, new varieties are constantly being introduced, and on the other hand, the average soybean yield in my country is still very low, less than 60% of the United States. Experts said that this was mainly due to the disconnection between the research and development of varieties and the supporting technology, the lack of a large-scale implementation of fine varieties and methods, and the lack of standardized and large-scale planting. In other words, after high-yield and high-quality varieties were bred, the corresponding cultivation techniques did not keep up.

Backward breeding technology and insufficient investment are the crux

Luan Xiaoyan said that my country’s soybean breeding technology is relatively backward, and it is still in the breeding era that combines hybrid breeding and molecular technology-assisted selection, while some developed countries have entered the breeding era of "biotechnology + big data information technology" . Technically, there is a "stuck neck", which leads to a big gap between my country and foreign countries in the efficiency of soybean breeding and the precise improvement of specific traits.

Feng Xianzhong said that the construction and management of germplasm resources are more of a public welfare nature, and it is difficult to produce papers and other results, which to a certain extent leads to a relatively low level of protection and utilization of soybean germplasm resources. Experts said that my country's further increase in soybean yields has resulted in a stable increase in soybean imports or a decrease in soybean imports. It is necessary to make good use of existing soybean germplasm resources and cultivate independent soybean varieties.

According to some experts, the main body of domestic soybean breeding research is mostly local agricultural science academies and institutes, and most developed countries are large enterprises. From the perspective of funding security, it is a confrontation between ten thousand yuan and one hundred million yuan. Feng Xianzhong gave an example. Genotype identification is one of the core techniques of soybean molecular design breeding. In the past, the cost was relatively high. About 100,000 genotype identifications were needed to breed good varieties. The cost is about 10 million yuan. Currently, through optimization, The cost can be reduced to about 2 million yuan, but for ordinary enterprises, the cost is still high.

Luan Xiaoyan said that with the development of molecular biology and genomics, theoretical research on molecular markers, gene mapping, gene editing, and molecular design breeding of important traits in soybeans has advanced by leaps and bounds, but the combination of innovation and application of these breeding technologies is disconnected. At present, breeding units at or below the provincial level that most directly face production still use hybrid selection as the main breeding method. The breeding cycle is long and the breeding efficiency is low, making it difficult to meet the needs of industrial development.

In addition, the traditional soybean production of one household in my country belongs to extensive management and management. Repeated planting will increase the number of pests and diseases. It is difficult to achieve the standardization of soil preparation, planting, management, and harvesting. This is compared with the production conditions of some major soybean producing countries abroad. A certain gap is also an important reason why soybean yield and quality are difficult to increase substantially.

In 2019, the soybean variety "Henong 71" selected by Guo Tai, a researcher from Jiamusi Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences and his team, produced 447.47 kilograms per mu in the experimental field in Xinjiang, breaking the record for the yield of domestic soybean varieties. Guo Tai said that soybean is a light and temperature sensitive crop, and the suitable planting area for high-yield varieties is relatively single, which is difficult to promote across regions. If it is not compatible with the farming system, it will be even more difficult to achieve sustained high and stable output.

Promote the linkage of breeding, production, education and research and research and development of supporting technologies

Soybean breeding experts suggest that multiple measures should be taken to fight a turnaround in soybean breeding and industrial development.

First, strengthen the identification, evaluation and utilization of soybean germplasm resources. Luan Xiaoyan suggested that the collection, protection, identification, and evaluation system of soybean germplasm resources should be improved by relying on national and local germplasm resources banks, and through high-throughput, large-scale phenotype and genotype identification, attention and discovery of germplasm carrying excellent genetic resources Materials; establish a high-throughput genotype-phenotype database, create a germplasm resource management and sharing platform, and provide more gene sources for breeding.

Second, strengthen the integration of breeding technology innovation with breeding practice, and promote the industrial application of new soybean varieties. Luan Xiaoyan, Li Yanhua and others suggested to speed up the formation of more modern breeding teams and form a "scientific research school + enterprise" model, with upstream and downstream linkages, complementary advantages, and collaborative research. On the basis of hybrid breeding, gradually innovate and integrate molecular markers and other technologies, directly apply them to breeding practice, promote the integration process of "breeding, propagation and promotion", and promote the conversion of scientific and technological achievements into productivity as soon as possible.

Third, increase research on supporting technologies for soybean planting. Experts suggest that relevant departments should increase support and increase research on soybean planting technologies in the form of scientific and technological projects, so as to realize the organic combination of good land, good seeds and good methods in production, and develop in the direction of standardization and large-scale production. In terms of breeding, continue to strengthen scientific and technological innovation, use modern breeding technology to realize the aggregation of multi-character genes of varieties, and improve soybean yield, quality and resistance.