The Sericulture and Bee Research Institute of the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (YAAS) is a scientific research institution specializing in sericulture and bee research in Yunnan Province. The Institute focuses on scientific research related to silkworms, mulberry, and honey bees, and promotes technological development in these fields. It is involved in the collection, protection, evaluation, and genetic breeding of silkworm, mulberry, and bee resources. The Institute also conducts research on silkworm and bee rearing techniques, mulberry cultivation, silk and bee product processing, new variety demonstration, industrial development, and the popularization of science and technology. The Institute has 128 employees and operates six innovation teams, including the Silkworm and Resource Insects Innovation Team, Sericulture and Agricultural Green Prevention and Control Innovation Team, Large Food View Product Innovation Team, Bee and Pollinating Insects Innovation Team, Modern Agriculture and Mulberry Industry Innovation Team, and the Modern Agriculture Innovation Team.
The Institute covers an area of about 231.3 hectares, including around 100 hectares dedicated to sericulture research and 66.7 hectares for other agricultural activities. It is equipped with more than 950 scientific research instruments and equipment. The Institute has developed over 53.3 hectares of modern sericulture demonstration gardens for education, technology demonstration, and leisure experiences, along with a 600-square-meter silk culture exhibition hall. The facilities include specialized sericulture seed storage and protection rooms. The Institute is home to several research stations, such as the National Sericulture Industry Technology System Honghe Comprehensive Experiment Station, the National Bee Industry Technology System Honghe Comprehensive Experiment Station, and the Yunnan Provincial Mulberry Germplasm Resource Nursery.
The Institute also collaborates internationally, establishing partnerships with Laos, Iran, and Vietnam, such as the Laos Overseas Sericulture Science and Technology Demonstration Base and the Yunnan-Iran Sericulture Science and Technology Research and Development Center. Additionally, after years of collection and preservation, the Institute maintains 471 wild mulberry resources, 326 silkworm resources, and a Yunnan Honey Bee Resource Preservation Farm. The herbarium holds over 7,700 specimens of various bee species, including 30 species of bumblebees found in Yunnan.
More information (in Chinese): http://ynbb.org/.
