Xuzhou Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Jiangsu Xuhuai Area was founded in 1910, with a history of over 100 years. With twist and turns as well as the efforts of several generations, the institute has changed its name and location for several times. Right now, the institute is located at Chengdong Road, National Economic and Technological Development Zone in Xuzhou, known as “transportation junction of five provinces”. The institute is under the dual leadership of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) and the People’s Government of Xuzhou City. The current director of the institute is the Prof. Chen Ping.
Xuzhou Institute, established in Xuhuai area, has been working at the key production technologies of major crops and carrying out sweet potato disciplines and projects, especially the research on its extension. Meanwhile, the institute extends its research to the basic researches to provide an all-round technical support to sweet potato industry in China. As for the crops such as wheat, rice, cotton, soybean, peanut, vegetables, edible fungi and etc., the institute has carried out researches on their extension, processing and utilization, pest control and crop protection, etc.
Xuzhou Institute includes the following labs and divisions: the General Office, Research Management Division, Finance Division, Logistics Division, Sweet Potato Resources Research Lab, Sweet Potato Genetic Breeding Research Lab, Sweet Potato Cultivation and Processing Research Lab, Sweet Potato Pest Control Research Lab, Wheat Breeding and Cultivation Research Lab, Rice Breeding and Cultivation Research Lab, Cotton Breeding and Cultivation Research Lab, Soybean Breeding and Cultivation Research Lab, Peanut Breeding and Cultivation Research Lab, Vegetable (Edible Fungi) Breeding and Cultivation Research Lab, Plant Protection Research Lab, Science and Technology R&D Lab.
Within the institute, there were also some national and provincial research stations and platforms, including National Sweet Potato Improvement Center, National Modern Sweet Potato Industry R&D Center, Regional Crops Experiment Station of China, National Demonstration and Extension Station for Introduced Sweet Potato Varieties and Technologies.
Xuzhou Experiment-tube Seedling Center of National Sweet Potato Germplasm Bank, National Wheat, Cotton, Rice, Soybean, Peanut Comprehensive Experiment Station, Field Observation Station of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA, P. R. China), Important Sweet Potato Genetic Improvement Lab of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Jiangsu Virus-free Sweet Potato Research Center, Jiangsu Sweet Potato Germplasm Resources Gene Bank and Post Doctorate Scientific Research Station. Several high-techenterprises have been established and they are “Jiangsu Xunong Seed Company”, “Jiangsu Yuansheng Food Co., Ltd.” and “Science and R & D Center of Xuzhou Agricultural Sciences Institute”. Besides, the institute also has a 47-heactre high standard agricultural scientific research experimental field, 300 sets of advanced scientific research equipments and facilities, and a 70-hectare modern agricultural science and technology demonstration park.Sweet Potato Committee of Chinese Crop Association and Xuzhou Association of Agricultural Science Societies are affiliated to this institute.
At present, Xuzhou Institute has 355 employees, 202 retired and 153 in-service. Right now the institute has 108 scientists and technicians, among which there are 12 professors, 39 associate professors, 22 experts enjoying the State Council special subsidy, 12 provincial-level experts with special contributions, 19 scientists and technicians fostered by Jiangsu “333 Project”, 1 deputy of the National People's Congress, 1 member of the standing committee of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress, and 2 “National Model Workers”.
By now, the institute has undertaken 501 research subjects (projects) during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan Period, with an annual average of 100.2 subjects (projects), 1.3 times more than that during the Tenth Five-Year Plan Period and obtained 21 scientific achievement awards, with 2 national awards, 12 provincial awards, and 7 municipal awards. 42 crop varieties cultivated by the institute have passed evaluation (examination), and 12 of them are approved by the state and 30 by provincial authorities. The institute has obtained 17 invention patents and utility patents, and 11 crop varieties have obtained new variety protection rights. Publications of the institute include 292 papers, 22 books. The institute has made great progress in all aspects, which laid a solid foundation for further scientific researches.
