On December 6, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued Agricultural Science Education [2019] No. 3, announcing the commendation decision of the 2018-2019 Shennong Chinese Agricultural Science and Technology Award. The Litchi Scientific and Technological Innovation Team of Agricultural University won the Outstanding Innovation Team Award.

   It is reported that in order to thoroughly implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the CPC and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee, implement the strategy of revitalizing agriculture through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the country by talents, and the strategy of innovation-driven development, and give full play to scientific and technological innovation in promoting the modernization of agriculture and rural areas The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has decided to commend agricultural science and technology personnel and teams that have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of agricultural science and technology in China. A total of 41 first prizes, 45 second prizes, 52 third prizes, 25 outstanding innovation teams, and 10 science achievement awards were awarded.

    The litchi technology innovation team of South China Agricultural University is composed of four post-experts and team members of the litchi variety improvement, litchi cultivation, cultivation physiology and ecology, postharvest storage and freshness of the national litchi longan modern agricultural industrial system. The existing team members are 17 people. The fruit tree discipline of Agricultural University is naturally inherited and developed in the persistent research on the relay research on the technical problems of the litchi industry. It has become the research team with the most traditional advantages and international influence in South China Agricultural University. It plays a key supporting role in the construction of first-level discipline doctoral programs, key disciplines in Panfeng, Guangdong, and national key disciplines. It also plays a major role in promoting domestic and foreign litchi academic exchanges and supporting the high-quality development of the litchi industry.

    Since 1997, the team members have hosted 75 litchi-related projects, including 28 at the national level, 40 at the provincial and ministerial levels, and 7 others, with a total funding of 84.29 million; 9 litchi-related awards above the provincial and ministerial levels were obtained, of which 2 national science and technology progress awards, 2 Guangdong science and technology progress awards, 1 first prize; 207 papers related to litchi were published by the first or corresponding author, of which 73 papers were published by SCI journals such as Plant Physiology, New Phytologist; Published 7 monographs on litchi, edited 2 monographs in English, 6 textbooks; obtained 11 patents for invention, selected and approved 8 new varieties; formulated 1 UPOV international standard and 4 industry standards awarded by the ministry . The results obtained by this team have been widely applied in six major litchi producing provinces in China, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hainan, Yunnan and Sichuan, and have achieved significant economic and social benefits. (Text: Zhang Yuxi)