shanghai academy of agricultural sciences

1  introduction
shanghai academy of agricultural sciences (saas), founded in april, 1960, located in the west suburbs of shanghai, is the only research organization of agricultural science and technology with comprehensive and diversified disciplines sponsored by the shanghai municipal government.

since 2000, all the endeavors made by the academy are in line with the overarching strategy of revitalizing the city through science and education and the goal of building up the city strong in agricultural science and technology put forward by the shanghai municipal government. the academy sets the full-scale development of the academy as the top priority. in recent years, the academy strengthens its efforts in discipline establishment and in capacity building such as the establishment of technical platforms and building up of research teams, in order to enhance continually its capacity for technical innovation and further development.

since 2000, the academy has conducted in total 306 research projects assigned by the ministries in the central government and municipal government respectively. the academy has obtained 37 awards granted by the ministries in the central government and municipal government, among which, six research achievements are awarded the first prize in advance of science and technology by the municipal government. one hundred and seventeen new crop varieties developed by the academy have passed the examination and approval by the authorities.

the academy has about 1,000 staff members, with 142 of them entitled as senior researchers, and 169 of them holds the doctorate or master degree. the academy prioritizes its research on the areas of innovation of genetic resources and genetic improvement, protected horticulture technology, technology in eco-agriculture, agricultural biosafety and standardization, fresh keeping and processing of agricultural products, application of hi-tech in agriculture, theoretic research in urban agriculture. the academy has established the ties for exchange and collaboration with the partners in over 30 countries and regions. the academy also attaches considerable importance to the economic development by commercializing its research results. the academy will foster the business in three main areas, which is, biological livestock vaccines, edible and medicinal mushrooms, seed and seedling. regarding the tasks of extension services in promoting science and technology, basing upon itself in shanghai, the academy will extend and promote its research results, products and services to the whole country, with the focus in the yangtze river delta region, with the commitment to tackling the issues faced by farmers, rural area and agriculture in china.

with the ever changing environment, the academy will stick to its policies of "basing upon scientific research, promoting economic development, strengthening capacity building, opening up and collaboration", working hard to basically build the academy in 2010 as modern academy of agricultural and forestry sciences with urban agriculture features and a regional research center of urban agriculture, which is top-grade in china and reputed internationally. the academy is ambitious to be a base for innovation in agricultural science and technology, a demonstration base for transfer of research results, a base for training of professionals, and a base for international exchange and collaboration in agricultural science and technology, which provide technical support to shanghai takes the lead in fulfilling agricultural modernization and the establishment of urban modern agriculture.

2  research is the mainstay of the academy
aiming at the development trends of modern agricultural science and technology in the 21st century, the academy will accelerate its efforts in innovation of agricultural science and technology tackling the seven prioritized research areas, enhance the core competitiveness in scientific research, and make contribution to the increment of the efficiency in agriculture and farmers' income.

2.1  genetic resources, genetic breeding and improvement
to strengthen the collection and utilization of agricultural biological resources, and develop a number of new varieties with ip rights.

grain crops and oil crops

 horticultural crops and edible fungi

rare resources and livestock resources

2.2  protected agriculture
by introducing technology and facilities in protected agriculture, and through adaptation study and technical innovation, the academy succeeded in designing computerized controlled glass greenhouse and the corresponding cultivation techniques, varieties and products for protected agriculture.

new varieties of protected horticultural crops and the corresponding technology

2.3  environmental friendly agriculture
facing the challenges of excessive heavy metals in soil, excessive nutrients in water and other environmental issues, the academy conducts the research in the areas such as biological restoration of soil, cleaning water by aquatic plants.

 spot of experiment of using aquatic plants to treat the polluted cannels

2.4 soil test-fixed point test, soil improvement, testing
green guard of lawn-techniques of controlling lawn weeds, diseases and pests
new type of released controlled fertilizer
ecological improvement and farming on soil in west china

2.5 agricultural bio-safety and standardization
the researches are focused on the standard detection and testing techniques and testing kits of gmos, and also the draft of the national standards and industry standards of quality of agricultural products and production standards.
bio-safety evaluation and detection and testing techniques of gmos

draft of standards of agricultural sector on button mushroom

2.6  fresh keeping and processing of agricultural products
by the study on the fresh keeping technology of agricultural products and the processing technology of edible and medicinal fungi, to prolong the storage life of the agricultural products and enhance their added values.

10) building of fresh keeping and processing of agricultural products research center

application of fresh keeping technology on pre-cut vegetables
fresh keeping agent of vegetables
r & d in edible and medicinal fungi products

2.7 development strategy of urban modern agriculture
provide information, consulting service to policy makers, technicians and farmers, and study on development strategy of urban modern agriculture.

study on knowledge-based urban agriculture in 21st century
comparison study on distribution system of vegetable wholesale markets in china and korea
action plan of strategy of development of modern agriculture and agricultural industrialization in qingpu county, shanghai

2.8 application of hi-tech in agriculture
by research and application of novel technology in plants, provide new varieties, new approaches and new resources to agricultural production.

11) barley variety, "hua 30", was developed by applying cell engineering techniques
obtain phytase gene and production of phytase with high temperature tolerance
r & d of mixed vaccine against coccidiosis
hi-tech product, a product of traditional chinese herb medicine

research is the mainstay of the academy


3 promote business development
3.1 extension service-revitalize agriculture by science and technology
extension of "4-new achievements", new variety, new technology, new product, new material. extension service-map of china (demonstration bases across the country) demonstration project on pig farming techniques specialty vegetable base in songjiang county, china contract signing ceremony in zhejiang province, demonstration base of fruit trees provide technical advice to farmers allied team of extension service consisted by the academies of agricultural sciences of shanghai, jiangsu and zhejiang province 

3.2 main business
strengthen the linkage between the research and market, focus on three main businesses: seed & seedling, edible & medicinal mushroom, biological vaccines.

business based on sci-tech

seed & seedling business focused on grain and oil crops and vegetables jiamu bio-product co., ltd was authenticated by the ministry of agriculture in terms of gmp standards industrialized production of mushrooms 

4 building up talent pool
  human resources is the primary resource the academy attaches great importance to the capacity building of human resources, to build up a wealth of professionals specialized in research, business, administration and service work, so to provide essential environment and conditions to fulfill the goals of the academy.

14. team spirit

young researchers guest scientists scientists coach ph. d students 

5 opening up and collaboration
the academy attaches the great importance to the collaboration with the higher educational institutions, research organizations, and large enterprises from home and abroad., to build up strategic alliance for the system for innovation in science and technology, to share the resources, and to achieve synergies in the common development.

15. demonstration base of achievements of introducing foreign talents-mushroom production

international forum on upland rice the 5th international conference on mushroom biology and mushroom products field visit to the research project sponsored by the toyota foundation academy staff give lecture in foreign country