Henan is one of China's most populous provinces and the country's breadbasket. From experimental fields to cutting-edge labs, Chinese researchers are using seed innovation to safeguard the nation's food supply. Xia Ruixue reports from Xinxiang, Henan Province. 

RU ZHENGANG, Professor, Henan Institute of Science and Technology "Everyone, spread out! Work in separate rows — plant one ridge at a time."

At first glance, the work seems simple — even ordinary. In an experimental field in Henan, Professor Ru Zhengang and his students plant wheat seeds by hand, row by row, ridge by ridge. But this field is far from ordinary.

For more than four decades, Ru has treated plots like this as living laboratories — where new wheat varieties are tested, selected, and refined. Each seed planted here has the potential to shape future harvests.

RU ZHENGANG, Professor, Henan Institute of Science and Technology "A seed must be tested in real natural conditions — under both favorable and challenging environments. Only if it performs well can it be considered a truly good variety."

Ru is part of a nationwide push to strengthen China's "seed industry chips", which are strategically vital seeds or high-tech innovations crucial for food security. In the last five years, his team introduced varieties such as Bainong 4199 and Cheng'an 211, known for their high yields, rich flavor, and resistance to both disease and lodging.

RU ZHENGANG, Professor, Henan Institute of Science and Technology "Our country places great importance on the development of the seed industry. These policy supports have been crucial to our work."

During the 14th Five-Year Plan, science and technology contributed 63.2% to agricultural production. At the National Bio-Breeding Industry Innovation Center in Xinxiang, young researchers move with purpose among state-of-the-art workstations.

High-tech plant CT scanners capture every detail of a seed — from wheat furrows and embryo shapes to peanut shell textures — in seconds. The data is instantly fed to an AI system that analyzes and classifies thousands of samples every day.

QUAN XIN, Deputy Director, Molecular Breeding Center, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences "We have 33 solar greenhouses dedicated to year-round breeding of high-end vegetable varieties, and a 2,400-square-meter intelligent greenhouse that enables experiments to run throughout the year."

Today, over 95% of China's crop varieties are independently bred. The country has completed a nationwide survey of its agricultural germplasm, preserving 580,000 crop samples, 1.4 million livestock and poultry samples, and 140,000 aquatic species — the largest collection of its kind in the world.

ZHONG YU, Director, Crop Production Division of Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, CAAS "This year, during my field research in Henan, I found that domestically produced strong-gluten wheat can now meet around 70 percent — more than two thirds — of domestic demand, nearly double the level seen in previous years."

As China advances into its 15th Five-Year Plan, agricultural policy is entering a new stage. At the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in October, recommendations for the plan highlighted four priorities in agriculture for the first time: technology-driven farming, green production, quality improvement and brand building — marking a major strategic upgrade from previous plans.

ZHONG YU, Director, Crop Production Division of Institute of, Agricultural Economics and Development, CAAS "This change reflects both improving living standards and growing demand for healthy, high-quality food."

Looking ahead, Professor Ru Zhengang and his team aim to unlock more functional genes from traditional Chinese wheat — preserving genetic heritage while boosting modern performance.

Facing increasing climate challenges, they are also developing seeds that can endure everything from heavy rains to sudden droughts, helping safeguard China’s future food security.

XIA RUIXUE, Xinxiang, Henan Province "From the lab to the farm, China's seed innovation is redefining the nation's path toward agricultural modernization. Over the next five years, scientists say the humble seed will remain the foundation — carrying both technology and hope for the future. Xia Ruixue, CGTN, Xinxiang, Henan Province."