Guide to Youth Special Projects in Biological Breeding Research
In order to thoroughly implement the national “Seed Industry Revitalization Action Plan” and the “Several Measures on Further Strengthening the Training and Use of Young Scientific and Technological Talents” issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council (August 2023), and better promote biological breeding research and talent training, the Ministry of Life Sciences has set up a “Biological Breeding” research youth special project to fund young scientific and technological personnel with good germplasm resource conditions and genetic breeding research background, targeting my country’s main agricultural crops, horticultural crops, forest grass, livestock and poultry, aquatic products, etc. The seed industry has major needs to identify and utilize excellent germplasm resources, develop new and efficient breeding technologies and methods, and cultivate excellent varieties with independent intellectual property rights.
- Overall scientific goals
This special project focuses on supporting young scientific and technological personnel to focus on important economic traits such as high yield, high quality, and stress resistance of agricultural organisms, to devote themselves to research, identification and utilization of excellent genetic materials, to create new and efficient breeding technologies and methods, to cultivate excellent new varieties, and to realize the realization of my country’s seed industry. Self-reliance and self-reliance in science and technology, and autonomous and controllable breeding provide scientific and technological support and talent guarantee.
- Research directions to be funded
(1) Breeding of new crop varieties and their scientific basis (application code: C13).
Facing the major strategic needs for independent innovation in crop breeding, we should deeply explore the excellent germplasm resources of crops, study the theory and technology of rapid domestication, genetic improvement and utilization of wild crop species and related species, and use wild and closely related germplasm resources and efficient breeding technologies to create new crop varieties with independent intellectual property rights. Provide theoretical basis, germplasm and technical support for the research and development of crop breeding technology, the expansion of excellent parent resource nurseries and the cultivation of excellent new varieties.
(2) Breeding of new varieties of horticultural plants and their scientific basis (application code: C15).
Facing the major national strategic needs of independent and controllable germplasm, horticultural plants are used as research objects, focusing on the precise evaluation of germplasm resources, germplasm innovation and utilization, the genetic mechanism for the formation of excellent traits, new technologies and methods of efficient breeding, and gene editing. Carry out applied basic research in the direction of creating excellent varieties to provide theoretical basis and technical support for the creation of new varieties of horticultural plants with high quality, multiple resistance, high yield and efficiency, and suitable for labor-saving production.
(3) Breeding of new forest and grass varieties (lines) and their scientific basis (application code: C16).
Facing the major national needs for independent innovation in the seed industry, the main research objects are special-purpose forest trees, native grass species, new forage grasses, etc., focusing on the development of rapid domestication theory and the breeding of new varieties (lines) through existing excellent forest and grass resources. Develop breeding acceleration and efficient seed production technology based on smart plant factories to provide theoretical basis and technical support for the research and development of efficient forest and grass breeding technology, the cultivation of excellent varieties and large-scale seed production.
(4) Breeding of new agricultural animal varieties and their scientific basis (application code: C17 or C19).
Facing major needs such as improving the efficiency of livestock, poultry and aquatic breeding, identify and utilize excellent germplasm resources, analyze the genetic mechanisms of animal growth, disease resistance, reproduction, quality and other excellent shape formation, and develop omics big data oriented towards efficient and precise breeding. Analysis and genomic selection methods provide theoretical basis and technical support for the research and development of efficient breeding technologies for livestock, poultry, and aquatic products, as well as the cultivation and continuous improvement of fine varieties.
- Funding period and funding intensity
The total direct cost of this special project is approximately 40 million yuan, the funding period is 5 years, and the direct cost funding intensity does not exceed 1.2 million yuan per project. The research period in the application should be filled in as “January 1, 2024-December 31, 2028”.
- Application requirements and precautions
(1) Application qualifications.
- Applicants are required to be no more than 40 years old when applying, that is, born after January 1, 1983 (inclusive);
- Have a senior professional and technical position (professional title) or a doctoral degree;
- Have experience in undertaking basic research projects (topics).
(2) Regulations on limited applications.
- When applying for this special project, it will not be included in the scope of the total number of applications and responsibilities for senior professional and technical positions (titles). Before the application is officially received and the National Natural Science Foundation of China makes a decision on whether to fund or not, and after the funding is obtained, the number of applications will be counted. The total number of applications and responsibilities for personnel entering senior professional and technical positions (professional titles) is 2.
- Applicants and major participants can only apply for or participate in the application of 1 project of this special project.
- Applicants can only apply for one research project in the special project in the same year.
(3) Things to note when applying.
- The application acceptance time is October 27, 2023-16:00 on October 31, 2023.
- The application form for this special project is written online. The specific requirements for applicants are as follows:
(1) Applicants should carefully read the relevant contents of this guide and the “2023 National Natural Science Foundation of China Project Guide” before filling in the application form. Application projects that do not meet the project guide and relevant requirements will not be funded.
(2) Applicants log in to the Science Fund Network Information System https://grants.nsfc.gov.cn/ (applicants who do not have a system account should apply to the fund management contact of the host institution to open an account), and write the application in accordance with the writing outline and relevant requirements. Book. Please note: The text of the report should focus on the early breeding research foundation and the importance of the proposed research work to the seed industry, as well as the expected research results and potential application value. There is no limit to the form of the results of this special research, which focuses on examining the practical significance and application prospects of the research work in the cultivation of excellent new varieties.
(3) Select “Special Project” for the funding category in the application form, select “Research Project” for the subcategory description, select “Comprehensive Research Project of the Ministry of Science” for the note description, and select “C13, C15, C16, C17 or “C13, C15, C16, C17 or C19 subordinate code”. Applications for projects with inaccurate or unselected selections above will not be funded.
(4) The total number of supporting units and cooperative research units for each special project shall not exceed 2; the main participants must be actual contributors to the project.
(5) The applicant should write the application in accordance with the writing outline of the special project application.
(6) If the applicant has already undertaken other science and technology planning projects related to this special project, the differences and connections between the applied project and other related projects should be discussed in the “Research Basis and Working Conditions” section of the main body of the application.
(7) Applicants should carefully read the budget preparation requirements in the application regulations of the “2023 National Natural Science Foundation of China Project Guide” and prepare the project budget truthfully.
(8) This special project implements paperless application. After the applicant completes the application writing, he or she must submit the electronic application and attached materials online. The host unit only needs to confirm the electronic application and attached materials online, and does not need to submit a paper application. However, the authenticity and completeness of the application materials submitted by the applicant of the unit should be carefully reviewed.During the project acceptance deadline Before (16:00 on October 31, 2023), submit the unit’s electronic application and attachment materials through the information system item by item, and submit the unit’s project list online within 24 hours after the application acceptance deadline. After the project is approved, the host unit will bind the signed and stamped paper page of the application at the end of the “Funded Project Plan” and submit it together as required within the specified time.
- Consultation methods for this special project:
Agricultural Animal Science Division, Department of Life Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China, contact number: 010-62329105.
(4) Other matters needing attention.
- In order to achieve the overall scientific goal of this special project, the funded project leader should promise to abide by relevant data and information management and sharing regulations.
2. In order to strengthen the academic exchanges of the project and promote multi-disciplinary intersection, this special project will set up a special project guidance expert group and a coordination and promotion group, hold an annual academic exchange meeting for funded projects every year, and organize academic exchanges in related fields from time to time. seminar. The person in charge of the funded project must participate in the above-mentioned academic exchange activities and conduct academic exchanges seriously.