Shanghai Agrobiological Gene Center (SAGC) was established on July 27, 2002. The mission of SAGC is: with foothold in Shanghai, serving the whole country, connecting with the world, preparing material and technology foundation for sustainable development of agriculture in China. The main research tasks include: collection and conservation, investigation and evaluation, breeding and enhancement, and exploration and utilization of agrobiological gene resources and also the research on related technologies.

SAGC has set up the only comprehensive agrobiological genebank in China, including two conservation systems, low temperature and low humidity, and liquid nitrogen. The genebank has capacity to conserve 300,000 accessions for long term, medium term, and short term conservation. Modern laboratories for study and utilization of germplasm provide ideal conditions for comprehensive evaluation and identification of elite germplasm, exploration, isolation and transfer of useful genes, study on functional genomics of main crops, and enhancement and utilization of germplasm.

With consideration on national food security, water resources security, and environment security, the study on water saving and drought tolerant rice becomes one of the important research areas in SAGC. SAGC has developed the world first sterile line of upland rice, and realized three-line hybrid combination. Two water saving and drought tolerant hybrid upland rice combinations, “Hanyou No. 2” and “Hanyou No. 3” were registered by Shanghai Variety Appraisal Committee, and these varieties have been planted in large scale for production. This was an important event in the history of development of upland rice in the world, having significant theoretical meanings and application values.

 Organization chart

 Senior Research Staff of SAGC

• LUO Lijun, Principal Scientist & Research Professor 

• MEI Hanwei, Research Professor 

• LIU Zaochang, Research Professor 

• YU Shunwu, Research Professor 

• CHEN Liang,Research Professor 

• LIU Hongyan,Associate Research Professor 

• LONG Ping, Research Professor