The Institute of Horticulture of Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GXAAS) was established in 1956 as a multidisciplinary research institute focused on the genetic breeding and cultivation technologies of tropical and subtropical fruit trees, watermelon, and other crops. The institute employs 69 staff members.
It houses eight specialized research laboratories, including the Lychee Longan Research Laboratory, Watermelon Research Laboratory (with an insect pollination research team), Tropical Fruit Tree Research Laboratory, Dragon Fruit Research Laboratory, Tropical Rare Fruit Tree Research Laboratory, Citrus Breeding Laboratory, Citrus Cultivation Research Laboratory, and Deciduous Fruit Tree Research Laboratory. The institute undertakes several national and provincial scientific research projects, including those under the National 863 Program, National Science and Technology Support Program, National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Guangxi Science and Technology Special Projects.
The institute is equipped with advanced scientific research instruments and facilities, such as a horticultural plant tissue culture laboratory, physiology and biochemistry laboratory, fruit analysis room, and fruit tree molecular laboratory. It has also established numerous fruit tree research and breeding bases in locations like Nanning, Wuming Lijian, and Chongzuo Longzhou. The institute’s main research areas include the collection, preservation, evaluation, and utilization of germplasm resources of horticultural crops such as citrus, lychee, longan, mango, watermelon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, poplar, banana, fig, papaya, and others. It focuses on variety breeding, as well as integrating and innovating supporting technologies.
The institute is home to six scientific research platforms of MARA, including the South Subtropical Fruit Tree Scientific Observatory Experimental Station, National Germplasm Resources Wuming Observatory Experimental Station, National Lychee and Longan Industry Technology System Deputy Chief, National Watermelon Industry Technology System Nanning Comprehensive Experimental Station, National Citrus Industry Technology System Gui South Central Comprehensive Experiment Station, and Guangxi Baise Comprehensive Experiment Station of the National Banana Industry Technology System for Mango. Additionally, it oversees four research platforms at the autonomous region level, including the Watermelon Engineering and Technology Research Center, Guangxi Watermelon Seed Breeding Center, Guangxi Citrus Huanglong Disease Prevention and Control Engineering and Technology Research Center, and the Baise Mango Engineering and Technology Research Center. The institute also manages six national modern agricultural industrial technology systems and 10 p experimental stations for Guangxi specialty crops such as Lingshan Litchi, Wuming Citrus, Tandong Mango, Daxin Longan, Tian’e Pearl Plum, Beihai Watermelon, Rongxian Shatian Pomelo, Luchuan Tangerine Red, Leye Kiwifruit, and Debo Dahuang Hawthorn.
More information (in Chinese): http://www.gxaas.net/front/130.
