Collection

　　In the last two decades,CAAS has conducted a nation-wide survey and collection of crop germlasm biodiversity . By the end of 1996,some 350,000 accessions of more than 160 crops including grain crops, cotton, oil crops, fruit trees, vegetables, pasture crops and their wild relatives have been collected, covering 30 families,174 genus and more then 600 species or subspecies. Among them about 81% are domestic germplasm and 19% from overseas. The academy also has an agricultural microbial collection in Beijing with more than 3,000 strains covering 135 families and 350 species.

　　A long term national germplasm bank is established in Beijing with a storage capacity of 400,000 accessions . A duplication bank is in Qinghai province. There are also 25 field nurseries for tuber and perennial crops in various CAAS institutes.
　　Research programs are carried out on cryopreservation , ultra-drying preservation, viability and genetic integrity of the cold stored seeds, and theory and techniques for ex situ conservation.

　　Evaluation and screening of agronomic traits, quality, stress tolerance and disease resistance. Genotyping and database development of major commercial varieties of wheat, rice, corn ,soybean, and cotton . Engagement of bio-techniques in identification and verification of new varieties and core collections.

Identification of new genes for breeding