Awards: Second Prize of 2017 State Scientific and Technological Progress Award

Lead researchers: Zhang Jinxia, Huang Chenyang, Chen Qiang, Gao Wei, Wang Bo, Xie Baogui, Zhao Yongchang, Zhao Mengran, Zhang Ruiying, and Huang Zhongqian

Taking edible fungi strain, the primary technical bottleneck that restricts the development of China’s edible fungi industry, as its research object, researchers in the project conducted research on edible fungi strain collection and identification and evaluation. They also looked at high-efficiency breeding, broadly adaptable variety selection, and promotion and application, making breakthroughs in precise identification and evaluation of germplasm resources and high-efficiency breeding.

Via the research, researchers established an edible fungus germplasm resource bank and database, and developed an edible fungus germplasm resource identification and evaluation and high-efficiency breeding technology system, which shortened the time for indoor forecast by 90 percent and reduced field screening workload by 79 percent.

The project results have provided support for the formulation and implementation of the Measures for the Management of Edible Fungi Strains by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (formerly the Ministry of Agriculture), and served as a scientific basis for the management of edible fungi strains by national competent authorities. In addition, it has helped farmers in selection and use of strains for scientific breeding, and improved the strain quality nationwide.

The project has bred 31 new varieties, obtained nine invention patents, and formulated 15 national and industrial standards. Researchers published five books and 52 academic papers. Related technologies have been applied in 19 provinces, cities, and districts across China, generating cumulative new profit of 12.945 billion yuan ($1.952 billion) from 2017 to 2019.