The 17th National Symposium on Microbial Resources was held from July 20 to 25, focusing on scientific advances that can improve farming and food production in Northeast China, known as the “black soil granary” and the country’s main food-producing region. The event — which took place in Changchun, the capital of Jilin province in Northeast China — was organized by the Microbial Resources Committee of the Chinese Society for Microbiology, which is affiliated with the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning (IARRP) of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. It was co-hosted by the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, among others. The National Key Laboratory for Black Soil Protection and Utilization (in preparation) also helped host the symposium. The theme of the symposium was Microbial Resources: Guarding the Blue Planet, Protecting the Black Soil Granary. It focused on cutting-edge topics such as microbial resource conservation and utilization, black soil protection, green agricultural development, ecological environment management, and biomanufacturing. The event showcased new theories, technologies, and achievements in the field of microbial resources — and explored the technical bottlenecks and industrialization pathways for the development and utilization of microbial resources. More than 980 experts, scholars and graduate students from over 230 universities, research institutes, and enterprises across 31 provinces attended. Ai Chao, deputy director of IARRP, attended the symposium and delivered a speech. 

A group photo of representatives at the main venue of the symposium

The opening ceremony was chaired by Ruan Zhiyong, chairman of the Microbial Resources Committee and a researcher at IARRP. Ai Chao, deputy director of IARRP, delivered a speech on behalf of the affiliated unit of the Microbial Resources Committee. He pointed out that microbial resources were crucial strategic resources for ensuring national food and ecological security and promoting the development of the bioeconomy. Since 1999, IARRP has led nationwide efforts to collect, identify, preserve and utilize microbial resources and has continuously advanced the development of the National Microbial Resource Platform and the National Strain Resource Bank. Currently, research on microbial resources is transitioning from "understanding resources" to "creating resources" and from exploring the functions of individual strains to designing microbial communities and regulating systems. It is therefore essential to strengthen the integration of cutting-edge technologies and build an innovation chain extending from resource preservation and functional evaluation to product development and industrial application — thereby transforming microbial resource advantages into technological and industrial advantages.

Speakers included Jiang Ming, vice president of the Jilin Provincial Association for Science and Technology and director of the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, and Xiang Hua, secretary-general of the Chinese Society for Microbiology and director of the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Others were Jiang Dayong, a member of the Party Group and deputy director of the Jilin Provincial Department of Science and Technology; and Qin Guobao, a member of the Party Group and deputy director of the Jilin Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. They warmly welcomed the experts and representatives attending the meeting and emphasized the importance of microbial resources as national strategic biological resources. They noted that the in-depth exploration and innovative application of microbial resources are crucial for guarding the blue planet, protecting the black soil granary and nurturing new productive forces. The opening ceremony was attended by Li Yu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Jilin Agricultural University; Wang Lichun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a researcher at Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences; and Li Yuezhong, vice chairman of the Chinese Society for Microbiology. 

Ai Chao, deputy director of IARRP, gives a speech.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chen Wenxin, a renowned soil microbiologist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The symposium featured a report commemorating the centenary of her birth and a special session to systematically review her significant contributions to rhizobium classification, microbial resource utilization, and talent cultivation — honoring the rigorous, dedicated and patriotic scientific spirit of the older generation of scientists.

During the symposium, leading experts delivered reports on a range of topics. Academician Deng Zixin from Shanghai Jiao Tong University discussed breakthroughs and transitions in China's biopharmaceutical industry — elaborating on new pathways for promoting the transformation of scientific achievements and industrial upgrading through synthetic biology and microbial resource innovation. Academician Shao Ming'an from Northwest A&F University gave a talk entitled Enhancing Quality and Efficiency in the Green Mountains and Clear Waters of the Loess Plateau — discussing scientific pathways for ecological restoration, the efficient use of soil and water resources, and the enhancement of ecological functions on the Loess Plateau. Academician Jiao Nianzhi from Xiamen University presented a paper on Black Soil: A Vast Lost Resource — revealing the microbial diversity and value of black soil from an ecological perspective, and emphasizing the need for enhanced protection and exploration of black soil microbial resources. Academician Shen Qirong from Nanjing Agricultural University gave a talk entitled Agriculture with the Help of Trichoderma. Shen analyzed the mechanisms by which Trichoderma promotes plant growth and regulates rhizosphere microbial ecology, as well as its potential agricultural applications. Academician Zhang Youming from Shandong University presented research on obtaining active drug molecules through the modification and artificial evolution of microbial natural product gene clusters, highlighting the use of gene-cluster editing technology to promote the discovery of microbial natural products and the creation of new active molecules. Di Hongjie, a fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and a professor at Lincoln University in New Zealand, systematically analyzed agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution and proposed technical approaches for coordinated emissions reduction and integrated microbial remediation of agricultural pollution. 

Reports given by academicians and experts

Researchers Jiang Xin, Wei Hailei and Ma Mingchao from IARRP — along with over 140 experts from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and related universities and research institutes — presented reports. Their reports covered topics such as soil microbial distribution and carbon cycling, microorganisms in saline-alkaline environments, the development of microbial germplasm resource banks, functional microbial communities, biopesticides and environmental remediation — showcasing the latest advances in basic and applied research in these fields. 

Reports by experts in the field of microbial resources

The symposium featured six specialized technical training sessions. These covered topics such as soil biota classification, single-cell high-throughput cultivation, soil phage genomics, microbial classification and resource exploration, cross-scale rapid screening of microbial strains, and strategic planning for science and technology. The sessions were organized by experts including Zhang Xiaoxia, secretary of the Microbial Resources Committee and a researcher at IARRP, and more than 600 participants attended. A field visit was organized for representatives to Lishu County in Jilin province. The visit provided participants with insights into practices such as conservation tillage, straw incorporation, black soil fertility improvement and the application of microbial agents, thereby promoting effective alignment between microbial research achievements and actual agricultural production needs. 

The closing ceremony was chaired by Gu Jingang, deputy chairman of the Microbial Resources Committee and an associate researcher at IARRP. Jia Zhongjun, a researcher at the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, delivered a summary of the symposium. Li Yuezhong and other experts presented honorary certificates to recipients of awards for outstanding posters, top-ten flash presentations and excellent flash presentations. 

Presentation ceremony for the Best Poster Award

The participating experts agreed that microbial resources were crucial strategic resources that supported national food security, ecological safety, human health and bioeconomic development. They said that in the future, greater efforts should be made to survey microbial resources, standardize their preservation, analyze their functions and promote open sharing. The integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence, single-cell analysis, multi-omics and synthetic biology should be promoted, while collaborative innovation among research institutes, universities, enterprises and agricultural producers should be strengthened to accelerate the translation and application of scientific and technological achievements.