China will build a diversified variety approval index system

In order to solve the outstanding problems existing in the examination and approval of variety tests, and to adapt to the "transformation of agricultural production, adjustment of structure" and the new requirements for the development of modern seed industry, the Ministry of Agriculture recently issued a circular to solicit opinions on further improving and perfecting the examination and approval of variety tests.

The circular pointed out: to establish a comprehensive and coordinated variety evaluation index system, to meet the needs of agricultural production and the market, to speed up the establishment of a diversified variety examination and approval index system, to establish a national unified variety test database, to achieve the interconnection and sharing of variety test data between the state and provinces, and between provinces; to improve the system of combining the coding and real name of tested varieties, and to effectively prevent human intervention.

The variety test of social resources is brought into the unified management.

The opinion draft expands the test capacity of crops with high demand, and makes full use of social resources to carry out variety tests. Consortia of enterprises, science and enterprises and scientific research institutions with test capabilities can carry out variety tests on their own and be brought into the unified management of variety tests at the national or provincial level. To simplify the test procedure for special varieties such as sweet, waxy and explosive varieties in corn and vegetable soybeans, the applicant can carry out the variety test and provide the test report by himself. Through two to three years of efforts, we will strive to basically meet the test needs of the varieties applied for approval.

At the same time, it shall publicly apply for examination and approval of varieties to enter the selection procedures of the test, determine the tested varieties according to the principle of fair competition, and publish the application situation and the names and units of the tested varieties. Construct the variety test information platform and data analysis platform, and establish a traceable and flattened test data acquisition and processing system. Optimize the statistical methods of test, constantly improve the statistical analysis means of variety test, and improve the accuracy of test data.

Create an open and transparent experimental environment to protect the rights of participation, information and supervision of applicants for variety approval. A variety test open day is set up to determine the variety test site during the critical period of crop growth, and the variety applicant can inspect the variety performance on the spot and supervise the test quality.

Strengthen the social supervision of variety test examination and approval

The opinion draft also optimizes the working procedure of variety experimental approval and speeds up its examination and approval speed. For varieties that have been approved by one province, applicants are allowed to carry out production tests in other provinces of the same ecological type, and directly apply to the state or relevant provinces for approval or introduction. The varieties applied for examination and approval shall be tested for more than two years in accordance with the regulations. Cancel the preparatory test carried out by the test management unit. The regional test and the production test are separated in the spatial layout, and the varieties with outstanding comprehensive characters can be carried out simultaneously with the production test in the second year.

The draft calls for the establishment of a review mechanism for test data, strict collection of abnormal data, and timely disclosure of test data. For resistance and diseases that are vetoed by one vote, the test unit shall retain audio-visual materials such as videos and pictures, and organize on-site inspection by the examination and approval committee during the critical period. Establish a reporting system, publish the reporting telephone number, and increase social supervision over the examination and approval of variety tests.

Strengthen the supervision of the authenticity of approved varieties and strengthen the withdrawal of varieties. Establish a national unified approved variety information database, standard sample database and DNA fingerprint database. Strengthen the building of the ability to detect the authenticity of varieties. Take the authenticity of varieties as the core, strengthen spot checks on the seed market and enterprise supervision, and timely clean up and withdraw varieties that do not have authenticity and counterfeit brands.

Establish an exit mechanism for unqualified test sites

The draft stipulates that the agricultural administrative department should strengthen the organization and leadership of the variety test examination and approval work and clarify the post responsibilities of each link of the test examination and approval. The test personnel shall bear the main responsibility for reporting the data, the test unit shall bear the leadership responsibility, and the test management unit shall bear the supervision responsibility for the management of the test.

The administrative organ for test examination and approval shall establish a system of regular exchange of managers for variety test examination and approval, with the maximum length of the same post not exceeding 10 years. If the test site practices fraud in the variety test, the qualification to undertake the test shall be cancelled and criticism shall be notified, and the test shall not be carried out again within 3 years. Anyone who practices fraud, engages in malpractice for personal gain, abuses his power, neglects his duty, solicits or accepts bribes shall be given administrative sanctions according to law once verified; if the case constitutes a crime, he shall be investigated for criminal responsibility according to law.

In view of the fact that the variety applicant has the behavior of deceiving, "running the point" and bribing the test personnel in the process of examination and approval of the test, the draft of the opinion is clear, the variety of the application shall not be approved, and the qualification of the application shall be suspended within 3 years; the assessment and evaluation of the test site shall be strengthened, and the withdrawal mechanism of the unqualified test site shall be established.

It is understood that since the implementation of the "seed Law," more than 20,000 major crop varieties have been approved at the national and provincial levels, making important contributions to the stable development of grain and major agricultural products and the sustained increase of farmers' income. In recent years, with the rapid development of modern agriculture and seed industry, the management system, test conditions and service capacity of variety test examination and approval can not fully meet the needs of the new situation. Some crops have some problems, such as insufficient test capacity, lack of comprehensive variety evaluation, unfairness of some tests, data distortion and so on, which affect the scientific and authoritative work of examination and approval.