Founded in 1958, the Institute of Bast Fiber Crops (IBFC) – 麻类研究所 is the only national research institute dedicated to bast fiber crops. It also houses the Center for Southern Economic Crops of CAAS (南方经济作物研究中心). IBFC employs 175 staff members and focuses on the following research areas:
- Resources and evaluation of bast fiber crops
- Breeding of annual and perennial bast fiber crops
- Resources and utilization of southern horticultural and forage crops
- Cultivation of edible fungi
- Multipurpose bast fiber mulching films and fiber products for comprehensive processing
IBFC spans 43 hectares of research fields and features 11 technological innovation platforms, including the National Breeding Center for Bast Fiber Crops and a key laboratory of MARA. Key achievements include:
- Development of new varieties, such as Zhongzhu No. 1 and Zhongsizhu No. 1
- Design of machines for harvesting and processing bast fiber, jute, and flax, which are also exported to Southeast Asia and Japan
More information (in Chinese): https://ibfc.caas.cn/bsgk/bsjj/index.htm.
