The Shanxi Institute of Sericulture Research at Shanxi Agricultural University (SXAU) was founded in March 1957 and is located in Yuncheng, which is considered the birthplace of sericulture. The institute mainly focuses on the collection, protection, and utilization of sericulture germplasm resources, the selection and breeding of diversified varieties, and the research and development of high-efficiency and high-yield technologies. It also engages in the innovative utilization of resources and the integration and innovation of regional agricultural leading industries and extension services.
The institute has adopted the Yuncheng Comprehensive Test Station of the National Sericulture Industry Technology System and the National “East Mulberry Shift” Project Technical Research Work. The campus consists of the Shanxi Province Sericulture Diversified Utilization R&D Laboratory, the Shanxi Province Sericulture Germplasm Resource Platform, the Shanxi Province Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System Feed and Functional Food Post Expert, and the Shanxi Province Modern Agricultural Technology Training Base Relying Unit.
Departments include the Silkworm Research Department, the Mulberry Research Department, the Silkworm Functional Products Research Department, the Mulberry Functional Products Research Department, the Special Culture Research Department, the Fruit Trees and Flowers Research Department, the Edible Fungi and Vegetables Research Department, and the Chinese Medicinal Materials Research Department. At present, the institute has 70 employees.
The institute has preserved more than 365 mulberry germplasm resources and 90 silkworm germplasm resources. This has helped standardize the Shanxi Sericulture Germplasm Resource Platform, which focuses on breeding, introduction, and promotion of fine mulberry varieties. The institute has also worked on the breeding, introduction, and promotion of fine silkworm varieties. Four pairs of fine silkworm varieties have been selected successively, and more than 10 pairs have been introduced. These efforts have contributed to the research and promotion of various mulberry cultivation techniques.
The research results and the subsequent promotion of sericulture technology have increased labor efficiency by more than four times and reduced silkworm disease damage from 20% to 5%.
The institute strives to build a collaborative development platform. Together with the eight northern provinces and their nine research institutes, it is preparing to establish the Northern Sericulture Scientific Research Cooperation Zone. It has hosted three academic conferences on northern sericulture scientific research, a national sericulture seminar, and undertaken national and provincial development projects. It has also undertaken the Ministry of Commerce’s “East Mulberry Move to West” Project, the National Sericulture Industry System Yuncheng Comprehensive Test Station, the Shanxi Province Industrial Technology System Silkworm Breeding Post Expert, and the Special Breeding Test Station.
More information: https://www.sxau.edu.cn/en/Institutes/Institute_Sericulture_Research.htm.
