The "2024 International Symposium on Rapeseed Genomic Breeding", hosted by Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) and the Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, was held at HZAU on Nov 19.

The symposium attracted nearly 200 researchers and graduate students from various research and teaching institutions across the country.

Seventeen foreign scholars — from Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic and India — as well as 27 scholars from domestic research institutes and universities such as the Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Zhejiang University, presented academic reports.

The opening ceremony was chaired by Zhang Chunyu, director of the Hubei Rapeseed Technology Innovation Center.

The "2024 International Symposium on Rapeseed Genomic Breeding" is held at HZAU on Nov 19. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]

Qing Ping, vice-president of HZAU, extended a warm welcome to the guests on behalf of the university. He emphasized that the purpose of the gathering was to promote the implementation of cutting-edge technology such as rapeseed genomics.

He hoped that the symposium would further spur technological innovation and provide support for China’s agricultural modernization.

Qing Ping welcomes the guests at the symposium. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]

Zhang said that rapeseed, as the largest oilseed crop in China, contributes to over 50 percent of the country's edible oil.

Rapeseed, apart from being used as an oilseed, is a crucial element not only in the preparation of vegetables for consumption, but also in honey production, fertilizer preparation, feed processing and even has a role in tourism. It also significantly contributes to enhancing soil fertility, expanding arable land and strengthening national food security, he said.

He noted that in the past decade, thanks to the rapid development of new technologies such as high-throughput phenotypic analysis, third-generation genome sequencing, gene editing and whole-genome selection, scientists and breeders have made significant progress in understanding the genomic variations of rapeseed and related species. They have identified and utilized key genes responsible for important traits and developed new breeding technologies to improve rapeseed varieties.

The three-day symposium covered eight main themes, including "Rapeseed Genomics and Epigenomics" and "Seed Yield, Heterosis and Hybrid Breeding". During the event, scholars discussed the latest advances in rapeseed genomics, the discovery of key agronomic trait genes, innovation in germplasm resources, breeding theory and technological innovation, and the development of breakthrough varieties.