China: Guizhou Province Successful in Research, Development of New Tobacco Varieties

Source from:  TobaccoChina Online 12/10/2012

Southwest China's Guizhou Province – the second largest tobacco-producing region in China – has achieved successes in the execution of its major exclusive project of "innovation of resources of tobacco germplasm and research and selective development of high-quality and disease-resistant new tobacco varieties in Guizhou".

On Deember 4, a meeting was held at Guizhou Provincial Administration of Science and Technology to evaluate and appraise the project of "innovation of resources of tobacco germplasm and research and selective development of high-quality and disease-resistant new tobacco varieties in Guizhou" for technical acceptamce.

It was determined at the meeting that the taskforce established to execute the project accomplished all the tasks stipulated in the relevant contract, and the panel of experts designated to evaluate and appraise the project unanimously agreed to have it pass the acceptance appraisal.

In the execution of the project, the taskforce accomplished the ISSR, SSR and SRAP molecular marker analysis of 134 major tobacco germplasm varieties; established 23 digital fingerprint spectrums of tobacco core materials; obtained through screening molecular markers closely linked to tobacco yellow leaf mutant mutable genes and leafiness genes of leafiness mutants; submitted 16 strains for participation in regional experiments in Guizhou Province; succeeded in developing a new tobacco variety known as Guiyan 201; and put forward on the basis of research a package of technologies for developing seedlings of Guiyan 201 and for supporting growing and curing of Guiyan 201, in realizing fine methodology for a fine variety.

So far, Guizhou Province has grown 5,550 mu (370 hectares) of Guiyan 201 for demonstration of generalization, with an annual output of 136.7 kg/per mu (per 0.067 hectare), higher than that of K326 by 26.3 kg/per mu (per 0.067 hectare), and with the unit output value reaching 2,187.2 yuan per mu (348 U.S. dollars per 0.067 hectare), higher than that of K326 by 420.8 yuan per mu (66.8 U.S. dollars per 0.067 hectare), or 23.8 percent. As a result, tobacco growers in the province have seen their annual output value go up by 2.335 million yuan (307,635 U.S. dollars). Enditem