China releases catalog of 105 tropical crop germplasm banks

HAIKOU, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- A catalog listing 105 tropical crop germplasm banks in China was released on Thursday, underscoring the country's efforts to preserve and utilize its tropical crop resources.

The banks are spread across eight provinces and autonomous regions, including Hainan, Guangdong and Xizang, according to the catalog issued by the economic development center of China State Farms during an exchange event in Haikou, the capital of the southern island province of Hainan.

To date, the germplasm banks contain more than 90,000 resources, with 73 dedicated to single crops such as rubber trees, lychees and mangoes, said Huang Hui, deputy director of the center.

Tropical crop germplasm resources play an important role in China's biodiversity and serve as the foundation for the sustainable development of the country's tropical crop industry. In 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs launched a project to protect these resources.

Huang noted that the release of the catalog aims to improve the germplasm banks and facilitate the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements in the seed industry, providing significant guidance for the future of China's tropical crop seed sector.