关键词: 生物技术 中国 农村发展 转基因作物

Abstract:

Over the past three decades, researchers in China＇s agricultural biotechnology laboratories have developed hundreds of novel crop varieties suited to China＇s growing conditions and agricultural challenges. Among them are varieties designed to more effectively resist pest and disease outbreaks, requiire less water or fertilizer, and supply higher nutritional value than their predecessors. Many of these crops have been developed using transgenic techniques, which allow for highly specific transfer of genetic material through methods other than conventional cross-breeding. These techniques have generated controversies in some parts of the world. Despite their widespread application in China＇s laboratories, only one transgenic crop, insect-resistant cotton, is widely planted on farms. In a new book entitled Agricultural Biotechnology： Origins and Prospects, the origins of China＇s emerging agricultural biotechnology research system are introduced. How the impact of China＇s investment, both locally and globally, depends on factors beyond the laboratory are explained： the funding and performance of both biotechnology and conventional agricultural research, the strength of China＇s biosafety oversight, the effectiveness of seed delivery channels, and public acceptance of the technology in China and abroad.

Key words: biotechnology, China, rural development, transgenic crops