The team of Horticultural crop genetics and germplasm enhancement of State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Innovation in Nanjing Agricultural University is mainly engaged in some applied basic researches, which including germplasm identification of some horticultural crops (e.g. non-heading Chinese cabbage, radish, cucumber and pear), specific gene identification and germplasm innovation, genetic and biotechnology breeding as well as genetic improvement and cultivar development. There are eight professors, seven associate professors and six lecturers, among which one is the member of the sixth discipline appraisal group in the academic degrees committee under the State Council of PRC and vice director of Chinese Society for Horticultural Sciences, four are selected as ‘New Century Excellent Talent’, and three are belonged to the modern agricultural industry technology system and one acts as a chief scientist. Moreover, our team has 24 PhD and 120 master students.
In the past five years, the team has successfully applied more than 110 scientific research grants including the funds of 973 and 863 program, National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Technologies R & D Program of China, National Modern Agriculture Industry Technology System and the Key Technologies R & D Program of Jiangsu province, etc. The research works focus on genetics and breeding of horticultural crops, molecular markers, gene cloning and functional genomics and proteomics. There are some large instruments including two-dimensional electrophoresis systems, flow cytometry analysis system, nucleic acid and protein analyzer, HPLC and atomic absorbance spectrometry. In addition, some greenhouses, artificial climate chambers and 20 hectares of breeding station with good basic conditions and management provide efficient research platforms for genetic and germplasm innovation of horticultural crops.
Some significant achievements have been obtained in the horticultural crop genetics and germplasm innovation of some main horticultural crops including non-heading Chinese cabbage, radish, cucumber and pear, some of which were originated in China. More than 10,000 horticultural crop germplasm accessions were collected including 282 excellent germplasms and 61 new cultivars developed. Moreover, some great progresses were achieved on genetic mapping and genome sequencing, genetic basis of male sterility, self-incompatibility, bolting, quality, disease and stress resistance and molecular breeding of important traits in horticultural crops. The system of efficient plant regeneration and genetic manipulation of some important horticultural traits are successfully established. Moreover, the first pear genetic map of pear was constructed, and the molecular basis of pear self-incompatibility was clarified. Additionally, the genome re-sequencing and transcriptome-sequencing were conducted on 102 Chinese cabbage genotypes.
In recent years, we won one Second Class Prizes of National Science and Technology Progress Award, three provincial Science and Technology Awards and 28 authorized national invention patents. A total of 218 articles were published in the scientific journals including more than 100 SCI papers published in Genome Research, PLOS Pathogens, Plant J, Cell Research, J Exp Bot, Thero Appl Genet, Planta, Molecular Breed journals. Notably, one PH D won the National Excellent Doctoral Thesis and the other one won the Provincial Excellent Doctoral Thesis. In all, 52 innovative horticultural germplasms and 12 new cultivars were developed and released, which were demonstrated and widely used in the appropriate area at a large scale.
Team Leader: Prof. Xilin Hou |
