A progress meeting for the national key research and development project Genomic Big Data-Assisted Design Breeding for Key Agronomic Traits in Crops — led by Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) — was held in Beijing on May 24. The project, part of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), aims to harness biological big data for smarter, more efficient crop breeding.

Over 30 participants, including members of the agricultural science and technology division of the China Rural Technology Development Center, expert consultants from China Agricultural University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and other research teams, attended the meeting. The event was chaired by the project's lead professor, Li Lin.

Group photo of participants. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]

Experts acknowledged the project's scientific design and strategic positioning, emphasizing its importance in bridging the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans. They also highlighted the urgent need for a national agricultural bio-big data platform to support resource integration and data utilization.

Professor Li provided a detailed report, outlining early achievements since the project's launch in 2023, as well as challenges in technology and resource coordination. Each research group followed up with updates on core tasks.

Experts praised advancements in genome data mining and intelligent algorithm development, while urging deeper focus on outcome integration and practical applications to benefit agricultural production. They stressed that building a robust data-sharing platform is vital to the project's long-term success.

In closing, Professor Li called for greater interdisciplinary collaboration and problem-oriented focus to ensure strong performance in the upcoming mid-term evaluation. The project team will refine its next steps based on feedback from the meeting.