The Crop Research Institute of the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences was formally established in February 2025 through the merger of several crop-focused institutes and experimental stations. With 17 innovation teams and over 200 researchers, including more than 40 PhD scientists and a broad network of experts, the institute is one of Xinjiang’s largest crop science research hubs. Its work is geared towards addressing key challenges in regional agricultural production, focusing on germplasm conservation and evaluation, genetic improvement and new variety development, and integrated high-yield, resource-efficient, and mechanization-friendly cultivation technologies.
The institute operates more than 30 national and regional research platforms, including the Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Cultivation in Desert Oases, the Northwest Branch of the National Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Technology Innovation Center, and the Crop Genetic Resources and Germplasm Creation Observation Station in Xinjiang.
Facilities include laboratories, crop processing workshops, and over 600 advanced instruments. The institute’s applied research is closely linked to large-scale demonstration and technology transfer, covering major crops such as wheat, maize, rice, soybean, millet, and cumin. This provides strong opportunities for international cooperation in areas such as plant breeding, stress tolerance, water-saving irrigation, and sustainable cropping systems adapted to arid and saline environments.
More information (in Chinese): http://www.xaas.ac.cn/zzjg/kyjg/zwyjs/sqgk/dwjj.htm.
