Germplasm resource collection and preservation underway in China's Heilongjiang-Xinhua

Sun Minghao, a member of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, inspects corn plants at a national modern agricultural demonstration zone of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 16, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Since 2024, the team has collected more than 5,400 crop germplasm resource samples, providing solid scientific and technological support for the high-quality development of Heilongjiang's seed industry. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

Li Jikai, leader of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, inspects newly-collected soybean germplasm resources at National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin) in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 17, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Li Jikai (2nd L), leader of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, explains the differences in soybean germplasm to students at National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin) in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 17, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Li Jikai, leader of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, measures the height of a soybean plant at a national modern agricultural demonstration zone of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 16, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Zhang Hailing, a member of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, tests the vitality of newly-collected soybean seeds at National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin) in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 17, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Wang Xue (L) and Liu Siyu, members of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, check chili plants at a greenhouse of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 16, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Zheng Yangyang, a member of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, inspects soybean germplasm resources at a national modern agricultural demonstration zone of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 16, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Ma Chen, a member of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, collects soybean germplasm resources at a national modern agricultural demonstration zone of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 16, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Li Zhijiang, a member of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, measures the length of a wheat ear at a national modern agricultural demonstration zone of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 16, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

A drone photo taken on Sept. 16, 2026 shows Wang Yongli, a member of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, inspecting the condition of crops at a national modern agricultural demonstration zone of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Wang Qiang, a member of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, checks newly-collected bean germplasm resources at a national modern agricultural demonstration zone of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 16, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.

Li Jikai (R), leader of a germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, checks the moisture content of newly-collected soybean germplasm resources at National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin) in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 17, 2026. Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, has entered the autumn harvest season. A germplasm resource collection and preservation project team, led by the National Frigid Zone Crop and Soybean Germplasm Resources Mid-term Bank (Harbin), is conducting germplasm collection and research across black soil fields and in laboratories.