The Center for Agricultural Genetic Resources Research (CAGRR) at Shanxi Agricultural University (SXAU) was initially established in 1979. It is the first provincial crop germplasm resources institute in China and the only one located in the Loess Plateau region. CAGRR primarily focuses on the collection, conservation, evaluation, and utilization of crop germplasm resources, with an emphasis on minor crops in Shanxi Province. Additionally, CAGRR drives innovation in germplasm and material development.
The center employs 47 staff members and is composed of 7 research teams. The main crop germplasm research team focuses on the collection, preservation, identification, and utilization of crop germplasm resources. Other teams focus on research areas such as soybean, oat, buckwheat, millet, broomcorn millet, edible beans, maize, and wheat, concentrating on the evaluation and innovation of germplasm resources and breeding new varieties.
CAGRR has undertaken numerous projects at both national and provincial levels, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation, National Key Technology Research and Development Program, National Germplasm Resources Conservation Program, and the National Science and Technology Fundamental Condition Platform.
Key research facilities include the Minor Crops Research Center (Taiyuan), Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement on the Loess Plateau (sponsored by MARA), National Crop Germplasm Resources Infrastructure (Shanxi), and the Shanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Genetic Improvement of Minor Crops (sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology of Shanxi Province).
CAGRR also houses Shanxi Gene Bank, established in 1988, which occupies an area of 300 square meters. The gene bank stores over 70,000 crop germplasm accessions, covering 35 species. It has provided over 20,000 accessions to universities, research institutes, and seed enterprises for basic research and breeding new crop varieties.
More information: https://www.sxau.edu.cn/en/Institutes/Agricultural_Genetic_Resources_Center.htm.
