June 17, 2011
Source: Crop Biotech Update
China is making great progress in the development of drought tolerant wheat. This was the assessment of experts during the on-site exhibition-meeting of China's major program "Abiotic-tolerant GM Wheat New Variety Development" held at the National GM Wheat Pilot Trial Experimental Base in Shijiazhuang Academy of Agricultural Sciences on May 26, 2011. Sixty participants from 12 units including the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the Chinese Academy of Agriculture (CAAS), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) took part in the meeting.
"Many drought tolerance GM wheat lines have been developed within two years since the program was launched. Genes used for transformation were cloned from soybean and wheat, and all these genes are our own intellectual properties," said Professor Youzhi Ma, chief scientist of this program. He reported that "46 GM wheat lines have been tested in pilot trial of which 4 have advanced to Environment Release trial. A batch of elite drought tolerant wheat lines with production application prospect was developed after multi-locus characterization in 2009 and 2010. "
Officials from MoA gave positive comments on the progress of drought-tolerant GM wheat and recommended the following: (1) Strengthen the management of GM biosafety assessment to ensure biosafety during the whole process of R&D; (2) Inform the public about the technology; and (3) Establish joint innovation teams to speed up the progress of new GM variety development.
Original news item: http://www.caas.net.cn/caas/news/showNews.asp?id=9107
作科所抗旱转基因小麦研发取得显著进展
为了加强“转基因生物新品种培育”重大专项课题的过程管理，跟踪和检查重大课题的执行情况，由作科所牵头组织的“抗逆转基因小麦新品种培育”重大课题抗旱小麦新品种培育现场会于5月26日在石家庄市农业科学院国家转基因小麦中试基地举行。
课题主持人马有志博士向潘海平介绍转基因抗旱小麦小区试验情况
农业部科教司潘海平副司长，程顺和院士，我院刘旭副院长、作科所万建民所长、张保明书记、科技局袁龙江副局长，以及来自中科院、中国农大、我院生物技术所的专家和重大课题主持单位、12家课题参加单位约60多位代表参加了现场会。
在现场研讨会上，课题主持人马有志研究员汇报了抗旱转基因小麦的研发进展。他说，“抗逆转基因小麦新品种培育”重大课题实施两年多以来，在抗旱转基因小麦研发方面取得了显著进展。该项目利用具有自主知识产权的，来自大豆、小麦等作物的抗旱关键基因创制出一批抗旱转基因小麦新品系，其中，4个品系进入环境释放，46个品系进入中间试验阶段。经过2009年和2010年二年的多点抗旱性鉴定，获得了一批具有生产应用前景的节水抗旱小麦新品系。石家庄市农科院院长郭进考研究员详细讲解了现场会上展示的新品系节水抗旱鉴定试验，新品系产量比较试验和杂交后代选种试验情况。现场展示的新品系表现了突出的节水抗旱性，在参加节水抗旱鉴定试验的8个品系中，有3个品系分别在旱地组试验中，比节水区试对照品种（邯4589）增产20%以上；在1水处理（拔节期灌水）或二水（拔节期和灌浆期灌水）试验中，分别比邯4589增产10%以上，比水地区试对照品种石4185增产6%以上。转基因小麦新品系节水抗旱能力增强的主要原因是根系发达，提高了水分和养分的吸收能力，使有效分蘖、穗粒数和千粒重均显著提高。
郭敬考研究员向考察人员介绍转基因抗旱小麦石家庄试验点情况
在现场研讨会上，潘海平对抗旱转基因研发取得的进展给予了充分肯定，并提出三点要求:一是加强转基因安全评价工作，确保产品研发安全有序；二是加强转基因技术的科普宣传，提高公众认知度，营造良好社会氛围；三是建立上中下游紧密结合，多学科多部门联合攻关的创新团队，加快转基因生物新品种的研发进程。刘旭在讲话中提出，今后要针对重点产品，集中有限目标实现重点突破，同时，加强抗逆性状精准鉴定平台建设和鉴定标准的制定。张保明在讲话中感谢各级政府部门长期以来的支持与帮助，并表示作科所将全力为项目实施提供必要的支持。（马有志）
Species
