China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has granted final approval for 30 genetically modified (GM) maize and soybean varieties, marking a significant advancement in the country’s agricultural biotechnology.
The approval comes after these varieties passed the assessment of the China National Crop Variety Registration Committee (CNCVRC), according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network report.
Among the approved varieties are 27 GM corn and 3 soybean types, all slated for planting in suitable regions across China. These varieties were first published for public comment in March 2024. Key developers of the approved GM varieties include the Maize Research Institute of the Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, China Agricultural University, and the Grain and Oil Crops Research Institute of Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, among others.
One notable GM maize variety, Rongyu 8K (event ND207), stands out for its resistance to both the Asian corn borer and armyworm, offering a 7.9% higher yield compared to its non-GM counterpart. Similarly, the herbicide-tolerant soybean variety Zhongliandou 6024 (event Zhonghuang 6106) boasts a 7.3% yield advantage over the control variety.
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