党的二十大胜利召开，吹响了以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的前进号角。习近平总书记强调“教育、科技、人才是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的基础性、战略性支撑”，明确要求到 2035 年要建成教育强国、科技强国、人才强国。新时代新征程对科技界提出了更高的要求。当前，世界科学技术发展日新月异，不断开辟新的认知疆域，并成为带动经济社会发展的核心变量，新一轮科技革命和产业变革正处于蓄势跃迁、快速迭代的关键阶段。开展面向 2035 年的中国学科及前沿领域发展战略研究，紧扣国家战略需求，研判科技发展大势，擘画战略、锚定方向，找准学科发展路径与方向，找准科技创新的主攻方向和突破口，对于实现全面建成社会主义现代化“两步走”战略目标具有重要意义。
当前，应对全球性重大挑战和转变科学研究范式是当代科学的时代特征之一。为此，各国政府不断调整和完善科技创新战略与政策，强化战略科技力量部署，支持科技前沿态势研判，加强重点领域研发投入，并积极培育战略新兴产业，从而保证国际竞争实力。
擘画战略、锚定方向是抢抓科技革命先机的必然之策。当前，新一轮科技革命蓬勃兴起，科学发展呈现相互渗透和重新会聚的趋势，在科学逐渐分化与系统持续整合的反复过程中，新的学科增长点不断产生，并且衍生出一系列新兴交叉学科和前沿领域。随着知识生产的不断积累和新兴交叉学科的相继涌现，学科体系和布局也在动态调整，构建符合知识体系逻辑结构并促进知识与应用融通的协调可持续发展的学科体系尤为重要。
擘画战略、锚定方向是我国科技事业不断取得历史性成就的成功经验。科技创新一直是党和国家治国理政的核心内容。特别是党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央明确了我国建成世界科技强国的“三步走”路线图，实施了《国家创新驱动发展战略纲要》，持续加强原始创新，并将着力点放在解决关键核心技术背后的科学问题上。习近平总书记深刻指出：“基础研究是整个科学体系的源头。要瞄准世界科技前沿，抓住大趋势，下好‘先手棋’，打好基础、储备长远，甘于坐冷板凳，勇于做栽树人、挖井人，实现前瞻性基础研究、引领性原创成果重大突破，夯实世界科技强国建设的根基。”
作为国家在科学技术方面最高咨询机构的中国科学院和国家支持基础研究主渠道的国家自然科学基金委员会（简称自然科学基金委），在夯实学科基础、加强学科建设、引领科学研究发展方面担负着重要的责任。早在新中国成立初期，中国科学院学部即组织全国有关专家研究编制了《1956—1967 年科学技术发展远景规划》。该规划的实施，实现了“两弹一星”研制等一系列重大突破，为新中国逐步形成科学技术研究体系奠定了基础。自然科学基金委自成立以来，通过学科发展战略研究，服务于科学基金的资助与管理，不断夯实国家知识基础，增进基础研究面向国家需求的能力。2009 年，自然科学基金委和中国科学院联合启动了“2011—2020 年中国学科发展战略研究”。2012 年，双方形成联合开展学科发展战略研究的常态化机制，持续研判科技发展态势，为我国科技创新领域的方向选择提供科学思想、路径选择和跨越的蓝图。
联合开展“中国学科及前沿领域发展战略研究（2021—2035）”，是中国科学院和自然科学基金委落实新时代“两步走”战略的具体实践。我们面向 2035 年国家发展目标，结合科技发展新特征，进行了系统设计，从三个方面组织研究工作：一是总论研究，对面向2035 年的中国学科及前沿领域发展进行了概括和论述，内容包括学科的历史演进及其发展的驱动力、前沿领域的发展特征及其与社会的关联、学科与前沿领域的区别和联系、世界科学发展的整体态势，并汇总了各个学科及前沿领域的发展趋势、关键科学问题和重点方向；二是自然科学基础学科研究，主要针对科学基金资助体系中的重点学科开展战略研究，内容包括学科的科学意义与战略价值、发展规律与研究特点、发展现状与发展态势、发展思路与发展方向、资助机制与政策建议等；三是前沿领域研究，针对尚未形成学科规模、不具备明确学科属性的前沿交叉、新兴和关键核心技术领域开展战略研究，内容包括相关领域的战略价值、关键科学问题与核心技术问题、我国在相关领域的研究基础与条件、我国在相关领域的发展思路与政策建议等。
三年多来，400 多位院士、3000 多位专家，围绕总论、数学等18 个学科和量子物质与应用等 19 个前沿领域问题，坚持突出前瞻布局、补齐发展短板、坚定创新自信、统筹分工协作的原则，开展了深入全面的战略研究工作，取得了一批重要成果，也形成了共识性结论。一是国家战略需求和技术要素成为当前学科及前沿领域发展的主要驱动力之一。有组织的科学研究及源于技术的广泛带动效应，实质化地推动了学科前沿的演进，夯实了科技发展的基础，促进了人才的培养，并衍生出更多新的学科生长点。二是学科及前沿领域的发展促进深层次交叉融通。学科及前沿领域的发展越来越呈现出多学科相互渗透的发展态势。某一类学科领域采用的研究策略和技术体系所产生的基础理论与方法论成果，可以作为共同的知识基础适用于不同学科领域的多个研究方向。三是科研范式正在经历深刻变革。解决系统性复杂问题成为当前科学发展的主要目标，导致相应的研究内容、方法和范畴等的改变，形成科学研究的多层次、多尺度、动态化的基本特征。数据驱动的科研模式有力地推动了新时代科研范式的变革。四是科学与社会的互动更加密切。发展学科及前沿领域愈加重要，与此同时，“互联网 +”正在改变科学交流生态，并且重塑了科学的边界，开放获取、开放科学、公众科学等都使得越来越多的非专业人士有机会参与到科学活动中来。
“中国学科及前沿领域发展战略研究（2021—2035）”系列成果以“中国学科及前沿领域 2035 发展战略丛书”的形式出版，纳入“国家科学思想库 - 学术引领系列”陆续出版。希望本丛书的出版，能够为科技界、产业界的专家学者和技术人员提供研究指引，为科研管理部门提供决策参考，为科学基金深化改革、“十四五”发展规划实施、国家科学政策制定提供有力支撑。
在本丛书即将付梓之际，我们衷心感谢为学科及前沿领域发展战略研究付出心血的院士专家，感谢在咨询、审读和管理支撑服务方面付出辛劳的同志，感谢参与项目组织和管理工作的中国科学院学部的丁仲礼、秦大河、王恩哥、朱道本、陈宜瑜、傅伯杰、李树深、李婷、苏荣辉、石兵、李鹏飞、钱莹洁、薛淮、冯霞，自然科学基金委的王长锐、韩智勇、邹立尧、冯雪莲、黎明、张兆田、杨列勋、高阵雨。学科及前沿领域发展战略研究是一项长期、系统的工作，对学科及前沿领域发展趋势的研判，对关键科学问题的凝练，对发展思路及方向的把握，对战略布局的谋划等，都需要一个不断深化、积累、完善的过程。我们由衷地希望更多院士专家参与到未来的学科及前沿领域发展战略研究中来，汇聚专家智慧，不断提升凝练科学问题的能力，为推动科研范式变革，促进基础研究高质量发展，把科技的命脉牢牢掌握在自己手中，服务支撑我国高水平科技自立自强和建设世界科技强国夯实根基做出更大贡献。
“中国学科及前沿领域发展战略研究（2021—2035）”
联合领导小组
2023 年 3 月
农业是保障国家粮食安全、助力乡村振兴和满足人民美好生活需要的重要产业。农业和人类健康息息相关，一方面农产品提供人体健康必需的能量和营养元素，另一方面重要动物疫病和人畜共患病仍频繁威胁人类健康。农业也是国际交流的重要领域，我国与一带一路”沿线国家有着浓厚的文化基础和深远的合作历史。为应对粮食安全、生物安全等国际性挑战，世界各国都非常重视农业科学研究。目前我国已形成较完整的农业科学体系，取得了国际瞩目的研究成果，重大基础成果发表在国际顶尖期刊上，农业科学研究的国际影响力不断提升。但同时也应看到，我国的农业科学研究与欧美发达国家相比还有一定的差距，对农业产业绿色高效发展的支撑能力尚待加强。未来5～15年是我国农业科学跨越发展、进入创新型国家前列的战略机遇期。在这种背景下，研究农业科学的发展战略和科学布局意义重大。为此，国家自然科学基金委员会生命科学部根据“中国学科及前沿领域2035发展战略研究”的总体部署，成立了农业科学学科发展战略研究组，在联合领导小组指导下，组织国内有关专家，开展了系统的讨论、调研和总结工作。
农业科学是一门多学科交叉、理论与实践紧密结合的综合性学科。考虑到农业科学的分支学科较多、差别较大，在战略研究中，分别成立了农学基础与作物学、植物保护学、园艺学、植物营养学、林学、草学、畜牧学、兽医学、水产学、食品科学等分支学科的研究组，组织调研并形成各分支学科战略研究报告。在此基础上，通过多次集中研讨，形成农业科学战略研究报告，并征求多方面意见。在国家自然科学基金委员会生命科学部和中国科学院学部工作局的组织下，先后两次征询各领域专家意见，并进行了多轮修改和完善。
考虑到农业科学的学科特点，本书在内容的编排上，采取农业科学总报告、各分支学科报告的组合方式。总报告的有些内容是在分支学科报告基础上归纳凝练得来的，部分内容会有交叉。总报告由邓秀新、种康、徐强和冯锋撰写。各分支学科战略研究报告的主要负责和起草人如下：孙传清、杨新泉（农学基础与作物学），周雪平、王源超（植物保护学），李天来、黄三文（园艺学），张福锁（植物营养学），朱教君、曾庆银（林学），贺金生（草学），赵书红（畜牧学），沈建忠（兽医学），胡炜（水产学），孙宝国、陈卫（食品科学）。
本书在调研和撰写过程中得到了众多专家的指导与支持。除“中国学科及前沿领域2035发展战略丛书”联合领导小组、联合工作组、农业科学学科发展战略研究组、秘书组成员外，华中农业大学科学技术发展研究院在调研工作协调、会议安排等方面给予了大力支持。还有其他大量农业科学领域的专家参与了分支学科调研、资料提供、报告编写、修改完善等相关工作，由于篇幅有限，难以一一列出，在此一并表示衷心的感谢。
感谢国家自然科学基金委员会、中国科学院、中国农业科学院、华中农业大学等单位的大力支持。感谢科学出版社及编辑在文稿编辑和出版方面付出的大量辛勤劳动。
由于农业科学研究发展快速迭代，调研和报告撰写时间比较仓促，本书难免有不足之处，恳请专家和读者指正。
邓秀新 种康
《中国农业科学2035发展战略》研究组组长
2022年3月24日
农业是保障国家粮食安全、助力乡村振兴和国民经济社会发展的重要产业。农业和人类健康息息相关，一方面农产品提供人体健康必需的能量和营养元素，另一方面重要动物疫病和人畜共患病仍频繁威胁人类健康。农业还具有美化环境、涵养生态、丰富城乡景观及传承文化等社会功能，在美丽中国-生态文明建设进程中发挥着重要的基础支撑作用。农业也是国际交流的重要领域，我国与“一带一路”沿线国家的农产品交易有着浓厚的文化基础和深远的合作历史，农业对提升我国国际竞争力、拓宽国际合作、共建绿色丝绸之路至关重要。因此，农业科学作为研究农业生产理论与实践的一门综合性科学，是保障农业技术进步和产业发展、国民经济与社会稳定发展的重要支撑。发展农业科学是提高农业技术水平和农业国际竞争力的战略选择，是支撑我国乡村振兴战略实施和农业可持续发展的基础。
农业科学包括农学基础与作物学、植物保护学、园艺学、植物营养学、林学、草学、畜牧学、兽医学、水产学、食品科学等学科。农业科学受到生命科学等学科研究成果和农业产业发展需求的双重驱动，它关注农业生物学的前沿科学问题，具有为解决农业生产问题提供科技支撑的属性，其发展规律具体体现在以下四个方面。①社会经济发展和国家需求是农业科学不断发展的原动力。粮食安全等国家重大需求，消费者对优质、营养、安全农产品的需求，以及生产者对绿色、高效生产的需求不断推动着产业升级转型。②理论与实践紧密结合是农业科学发展的核心生命力。农业科学研究的问题多数来自产业发展需求及生产实践，农业科学研究的突破会促进新技术的研发，又经实践检验后转化为成果来支撑产业发展。③跨学科交叉与融合创新是推动农业科学发展的重要方式。农业科学与生物学、化学、信息学、医学、资源与环境、能源等学科交叉渗透、相互促进发展；随着现代科学技术发展，这种发展规律表现得更为突出。④合作越来越成为解决重大问题的科研模式。针对一些现实重大问题及复杂问题的研究，未来农业科学研究的国际合作增加是一个必然趋势。
我国农业科学的发展态势主要体现在以下五点。①保障粮食安全和食物营养健康是农业科学研究的核心与目标。从世界范围看，人口增长、生活水平提高导致粮食安全和营养健康食品需求压力持续加大，而耕地、水等资源不足对农业的制约日益收紧，因此，农业动植物的高产、优质、高效、绿色、安全仍然是农业科学的研究主题。②智慧农业创新加速发展，将引发未来农业范式的变革。智慧农业代表未来农业先进生产力，加强智慧农业从基础研究到技术创新再到产品创制的整体战略布局，对推动我国现代农业发展，实现农业绿色、高效、可持续发展具有重要的战略意义。③农业全产业链逐渐贯通，有利于实现农业绿色高质量发展。贯通农业全产业链，以农业全产业链物质循环及其生态环境效应的系统定量分析和系统设计为基础，突破单项“卡脖子”技术，集成综合技术模式，是实现农业绿色高质量发展的必由之路。④面向主产区是农业科学研究的重要趋势。从事农业科学基础研究的研究人员越来越重视将科学目标与国家需求相结合，围绕农业主产区产业发展中的问题开展科学研究，将基础研究成果应用于农业生产实际中，让基础研究成果在确保国家粮食安全和重要农产品有效供给中发挥更好的作用。⑤全球气候变化对农业的影响逐步显现，节能减排和环境友好势在必行。气候变化导致的极端天气事件将使农业生产和经济损失增大，农业对全球气候变化的响应与适应正受到国际科学界的广泛重视，利用现代高科技，逐渐改变农业生产经营方式，逐步实现环境友好和资源节约，是当前世界农业发展的必由之路。
为应对粮食安全、生物安全等问题，世界各国都非常重视农业科学研究。目前我国已形成完整的农业科学体系，具备了农业科学研究的平台，农业学科人才队伍日益壮大。我国科学家在水稻等农作物遗传育种研究、生物害虫聚群成灾机制、园艺产品风味形成机制、农业绿色增产增效技术体系、畜禽遗传资源与环境适应性、禽流感病毒跨种传播机制等诸多领域的重大基础研究成果具有重大的国际影响力。在作物学、园艺学、植物保护学、植物营养学、林学、食品科学等领域的研究支撑形成了一批植物新品种、新技术、新产品，畜牧学、兽医学和水产学的发展孕育了一批畜禽、水产品种，研发了各种重要新型疫苗，为我国农产品稳定增产、改善人们生活质量、保护生态环境等做出了重要贡献。但同时也应看到，我国农业科学研究与欧美发达国家相比还有一定的差距，这突出表现在领域间和不同研究对象间发展不平衡、不同领域研究力量不平衡，以及以我为主的国际合作与重大交流较少，缺乏我国主导的重大科学计划等方面。我国农业领域重大原始性创新成果、产业发展关键技术成果与产业需求还有一定的距离，储备仍有不足，对农业产业的支撑和对乡村振兴的服务能力尚待加强。我国在队伍建设、经费投入、平台建设及农业科学研究与产业发展贯通等方面仍有待完善。
未来5～15年是我国农业科学跨越发展、进入创新型国家前列的战略机遇期。未来15年农业科学的发展布局，即围绕粮食安全、乡村振兴、种源安全、农业产业绿色发展等国家重大战略需求，聚焦高产、优质、高效、绿色、安全主题，研究种业自主创新以及优良品种培育的理论与技术，揭示重要农业生物（植物、动物、微生物）生命活动、遗传改良、高效生产及农产品优质营养性状调控的基础规律，推动我国在农业种质自主创新、资源高效利用、生态环境保护、食物安全、生物产业发展等方面基础研究和应用基础研究的发展。
农业科学的发展思路是突出我国优势和特色领域，兼顾提升薄弱方向，加强我国在农作物、园艺作物，以及畜禽、水产等农业动物的生物学及遗传改良和分子设计育种、农业有害生物大区流行控制等方面研究的优势；扶持食品科学尤其是与人类营养、健康相关的研究领域，以及农业生产对全球变化的响应等薄弱方向；鼓励农业生物抗逆（生物逆境、非生物逆境）的分子机制和宏观效应等前沿方向研究；重视学科交叉和方法创新，积极开展与信息、工程科学交叉的设施农业、精准农业、植物工厂等智慧农业领域的交叉方向研究，培植农业生物组学与大数据等新兴领域。
未来5～15年，农业科学发展的战略目标是根据国家农业生产力提高和乡村振兴重大需求蕴含的重要科学问题，瞄准世界农业科学前沿，加强应用基础研究和原始创新，在更深的层面和更广泛的领域开展重大农业科学问题研究，提高我国自主创新能力和解决重大问题的能力，为国家粮食安全、农业产业转型升级与绿色健康发展提供科学支撑，使我国在2030年初步建成世界农业科技强国，成为农业高新技术创新研究方面的先进国家，并在某些研究领域处于世界领先地位；到2035年，使我国在农业科学研究领域进入创新型国家前列，原始创新、技术创新与集成创新能力跻身世界一流行列。
基于农业科学的研究规律、发展布局、发展思路和发展目标，本书提出了未来15年农业科学的优先发展领域和重大交叉领域。优先发展领域包括以下12个方面。①农业生物重要遗传资源基因发掘及分子设计育种的理论基础。遗传资源是农业生物遗传改良的战略资源，对农业生物遗传资源进行精细评价，规模化发掘和利用优良等位基因，通过分子设计将优良等位基因聚合，创制新种质，培育新品种，为促进农业转型升级与绿色发展的战略需求提供重要的科技支撑。②农业生物杂种优势形成的生物学基础及利用新途径。阐明动植物杂种优势形成的生物学基础，开拓创建杂种优势利用新途径和杂种优势固定的新育种体系，为保障我国肉粮安全做出更大贡献。③主要农业生物优质、高产、高效栽培/饲养的基础和调控。为适应新时期绿色安全生产需求，需要对农业生物产量与品质、资源高效、适应性广、生产安全等多重目标进行系统研究，这不仅是持续保障我国食物安全的核心问题，也是我国种植业、畜牧业的长期和重大战略性任务。④农作物非生物逆境抗性和养分高效利用的机制。进一步加强农作物非生物逆境抗性和养分高效利用的生物学机制研究，揭示其遗传、生理及栽培调控机制，对减轻逆境伤害与损失，提高养分利用效率，实现农作物优质、高产、高效和可持续生产具有重要意义。⑤农作物有害生物演变与成灾机制。农作物种植结构调整直接影响有害生物的寄主来源与生境条件。阐明该过程中农作物有害生物的演变过程和成灾机制，对有害生物的有效防控及作物的绿色高效生产具有重要科学价值和实践意义。⑥农业动物产品产量与品质性状形成的生物学基础。深入发掘不同品种肉蛋奶等性状形成的调控基因、主要物质合成规律及重要的调控分子，解析动物产品产量和品质形成的生物学基础，对粮食安全保障和国民营养提升十分重要。⑦主要农业动物疾病发生、传播和控制。重要动物疫病和人畜共患病仍严重影响与制约我国畜禽产业健康发展、食品安全及人类健康，针对农业主要动物疫病的发生、传播和控制进行研究，可为重要疫病的疫苗研发、诊断和药物设计及防控策略制定提供理论与技术支撑。⑧食品风味与营养、安全机制及调控机制。针对食品风味、营养和安全问题展开研究，是满足食品内在品质要求、保障居民健康的重要内容。⑨园艺作物产品器官形成与发育的机制。园艺作物产品器官形成和发育具有特殊性，从基因水平解析产品器官的形成和生长发育规律，结合我国园艺作物品种资源丰富的特点，可促进具有自主知识产权的优良园艺作物品种培育。⑩森林质量功能形成与提升机制及林木产品调控生物学基础。培育优质林木新品种，构筑森林质量功能精准提升的理论与技术体系，深化林木产品多尺度互作调控机制，提升森林质量功能与提高林木产品全质化利用已成为我国林业发展的重大科技需求。？优质安全草产品开发与家畜高效转化利用的生物学基础研究。优质安全草产品生产是现代草食家畜业特别是奶产业健康发展的重要基础和保障，开展优质安全草产品开发与家畜高效转化利用研究，对推动我国现代草食畜牧业和草产业的发展具有重大的战略意义。？果蔬及生鲜食品储藏与保鲜过程中品质变化的生物学基础。解析生鲜农产品储藏、物流期间的衰老和品质维持/劣变机制是储藏与保鲜的前提，有利于果蔬、粮食、畜禽、水产等产业提档升级，保障食品安全，提高行业竞争力和促进可持续发展。
重大交叉领域包括以下四个方面。①大数据农业生物组学与智慧农业的基础理论与技术创新。大数据和智慧农业是农业科学发展的重要前沿方向，加强农业基因组学等大数据生物学和以信息科技为依托的智慧农业研究，推动现代设施农业、精准农业、植物工厂、智慧养殖的发展，提高农业产业效益，有助于改变传统农业的面貌、增加我国农业科技的国际竞争力。②农业生产系统的环境生态互作机制和功能调控。随着农业生态系统环境压力的加大，农业生产导致的生态和环境问题日益凸显，对农业生产系统的环境生态互作和功能调控的关键基础问题开展研究，可为农业生态系统可持续发展和生态服务功能提升提供理论基础与技术支撑。③海洋牧场生态环境效应与调控机制。海洋牧场集环境保护、资源养护和渔业持续产出于一体，是实现渔业转型升级和“三产”融合发展的重要途径，多学科交叉开展海洋牧场生态环境效应与调控机制研究，支撑我国现代化海洋牧场高质量发展，对海洋生态文明建设和海洋强国战略实施具有重要意义。④农业动物优质产品绿色生产与人类健康。在动物遗传育种、营养与优质畜产品生产和人类健康的关系研究方面取得突破，是由追求数量型转向追求促进人类健康的优质型畜牧水产业发展的共识和方向。
农业科学国际合作是农业科技创新的重要组成部分。未来15 年，农业科学国际合作的优先领域包括以下四个方面。①“一带一路”沿线国家农业生物资源研究与评价。共同建立“一带一路”沿线国家农业生物资源和数据平台，推动全球农业可持续发展。②跨境农业生物重大病虫害成灾机制与监测技术研究。明确不同国家多样性气候条件、多类型农业管理制度、种植养殖方式与跨境病虫害之间的发生规律，有效控制重大病虫害。③食源性致病微生物全球传播与分子溯源网络建立及应用评价。食源性致病微生物呈现全球传播与流行趋势，构建食源性致病微生物全球传播监测网络与分子溯源体系是保障食品安全和及时应对食源性致病微生物暴发事件的重要举措。④农业生物对全球气候变化的响应。全球气候变化直接影响农业生物的生产、品质和安全，并调节作物与有害生物的种群关系，影响全球粮食安全和生态安全，已成为人类生存和发展面临的共同挑战。
Abstract
Agriculture is an important industry to ensure national food security, support rural revitalization, and facilitate national economic and social development. It is closely related to human health. On the one hand, agricultural products are an important source of energy and nutritional elements necessary for human health. On the other hand, important animal epidemics and zoonosis are still posing frequent threats to human health. In addition, agriculture bears a variety of social functions, including landscaping, ecological conservation, urban and rural landscape construction, cultural inheritance, etc., thus playing a fundamental role in the ecological civilization construction of “Beautiful China”. Agriculture is also an essential feld of international exchanges. China boasts a profound cultural foundation and history of cooperation in the transactions of agricultural product with countries along the “Belt and Road”. This industry is thus crucial for strengthening the country’s international competitiveness and broadening international cooperation in building the Silk Road of Green Development. This is why agricultural science, as a comprehensive science to study the theories and practices of agricultural production, is a crucial support of agricultural technology progress, industrial development and the steady growth of national economy and society. To develop agricultural science is strategic choice of China to improve its agricultural technology and international competitiveness in agriculture, which will lay a foundation for the implementation of China’s rural revitalization strategy and agriculture sustainable development.
Agricultural science covers multiple disciplines, including basic agriculture and plant/crop science, plant protection, horticulture, plant nutrition science, forestry, herbalism, animal science, veterinary medicine, fshery science, food science and agricultural interdisciplinary disciplines. Driven by both the research achievements of life science and other disciplines and the development needs of agricultural industry, agricultural science not only concerns the cutting-edge scientific issues in the field of agrobiology, but also provides technical support for addressing problems in agricultural production. The laws that underlie the development of agricultural science are manifested in the following four aspects. (1)Social and economic development and national demands are the motive power driving the constant growth of agricultural science. For example, the industrial upgrading and transformation of agriculture is the result of continuous spurring of a series of demands, including major national demands (e.g., food security), consumers’demands for high-quality, nutritious and safe agricultural products, and manufacturers’demands for green and efficient production. (2)The core vitality of the development of agricultural science lies in the close combination of theory and practice. Most of the problems in agricultural science research result from industrial development demands and production practice. Breakthroughs in this field will spur the research and development of new technologies, which are likely to be transformed into actual outcomes to support industrial development. (3)Interdisciplinary fusion and integrating innovation is an important means to promote the development of agricultural science. With the development of modern science and technology, the trend of fusion, penetration and mutual promotion between agricultural science and other disciplines such as biology, chemistry, informatics, medicine, resource and environment, and energy is becoming more prominent. (4)Cooperation has increasingly become the solution of scientifc research to address major issues. There is inevitably a growing trend of international cooperation in the research on agricultural science for some major practical and complex problems in the future.
The development trend of agricultural science in China is mainly reflected in following several aspects. (1)The focus and goal of agricultural science research are to ensure food security and food nutrition and health. From the global perspective, population growth and upturn living standards have led to increasingly growing pressure on food security and the demands for nutritious and healthy food. However, the shortage of arable land, water and other resources has increasingly tightened the constraints on agriculture. (2)The accelerated development of smart agriculture innovation will lead to the transformation of agricultural paradigm in the future. Smart agriculture represents an advanced productive force of agriculture in the future. To improve our overall strategic planning of smart agriculture from basic research to technological innovation and product creation is of great strategic signifcance to promoting the green, efcient and sustainable agricultural development of modern agriculture in China. (3)The gradual complete connection of the whole industrial chain of agriculture is facilitating its green and high-quality development. Connection to the whole industrial chain of agriculture is the only way to realize green and high-quality development of agriculture. Specifc eforts include resolving technology bottlenecks through innovation and integrating technology patterns based on quantified system analysis and design for the material cycle of the whole industrial chain of agriculture and its ecological and environmental effects. (4)Problems from major agricultural regions are becoming an important subject of research on agricultural science. The personnel engaging in basic research of agricultural science are giving increasing weight to the combination of scientific goals and national demands in the scientific research on the problems of industrial development in major agricultural regions. The basic research outcomes are then applied in agricultural production so that they will play a better role in ensuring national food security and efective supply of important agricultural products. (5)The growing impacts of global climate change on agriculture make it imperative to carry out emission reduction and eco-friendly campaigns. Extreme climate events will lead to more losses in agricultural production and economy. How the agriculture sector responds and adapts to global climate changes is widely concerned by the international scientific community. It is believed that the key to global agricultural development at present lies in the utilization of modern high technology to gradually reform the mode of agricultural production and operation towards the goals of environmental friendliness, resource conservation.
In order to address food security, biological security and other issues, all countries in the world put a high value on the research of agricultural science. China now has established a complete agricultural science system and a platform for agricultural science research. Besides, the number of agricultural professionals is also expanding. Chinese scientists have produced a great many major basic research achievements with significant global influence in fields such as the research on genetics and breeding of rice and other crops, the mechanism of biological pest clustering disasters, the mechanism of horticultural product flavor formation, the technical system for increasing the yield and efficiency of agricultural green products, the adaptability of livestock and poultry genetic resources to the environment, and the mechanism of cross-species transmission of avian infuenza viruses. Anumber of new plant varieties, technologies and products have been developed through research in crop science, horticulture, plant protection, plant nutrition, forestry, food science and other fields. With the development of animal husbandry, veterinary science and fshery science, new species of livestock, poultry and aquatic products and a variety of important new vaccines have been produced. Those achievements have contributed greatly to the stable increase in agricultural output, life quality improvement and ecological environment protection in China. However, it should also be noted that there is certain gap between China’s agricultural science research and the international advanced level in the United States and Europe. It is mainly reflected in the unbalanced development among different sectors and diferent research objects, the imbalance of research forces in diferent felds, the lack of international cooperation and major exchanges dominated by China, and the lack of major scientifc plans led by China. A gap remains between the major original innovation achievements in agriculture, key technical results of industrial development and industrial demands, as relevant reserves are still insufcient. The country’s capacity to support agricultural development and rural revitalization remains to be strengthened. Other efforts shall be intensified to promote team building, funds input, platform construction, and the connection between agricultural science research and industrial development.
The next 5 to 15 years will be a period of strategic opportunity for the great-leap-forward development of the country’s agricultural science and its transformation into a leading innovative power in the world. The country’s development planning of agricultural science in the next 15 years will be focused on addressing major national strategic needs such as food security, rural revitalization, seed source security and green agricultural development in order to realize the goals of high yield, high quality, high efciency, eco-friendliness and safety. Through research on the theories and technologies for independent innovation of seed industry and breeding of excellent varieties, this book will reveal the basic laws underlying the vital activities of agricultural lives (plants, animals, microorganisms), genetic improvement, efcient production, and regulation of high-quality nutritional traits of agricultural products. In addition, this book will promote the development of basic research and applied basic research in felds such as independent innovation of agricultural germplasms, efficient utilization of resources, ecological and environmental protection, food safety, and biological industry development.
The development mode of agricultural science includes intensifcation advantages and characteristics, improving the country’s weaknesses and reinforcing its strengths in the research of food crops, horticultural plants, livestock, poultry, aquatic products and other agricultural animals, as well as their genetic improvement, molecular design and breeding, and regional epidemic control of agricultural pests; supporting research on food science, subjects related to human nutrition and health, and the country’s weak links such as agricultural production response to global changes; encouraging research on frontier domains such as the molecular mechanism and macro effects of agricultural biological stress resistance (including resistance to biological and abiotic stress); attaching importance to interdisciplinary research and techniques innovation, i.e., actively carrying out interdisciplinary research on smart agriculture fields such as facility agriculture, precision agriculture and plant factories that intersect with information engineering science, and developing emerging felds such as agricultural bioinformatics and big data.
The strategic goals of developing agricultural science include strengthening applied basic research and original innovation on important scientifc issues arising from the major demands of agricultural productivity improvement and rural revitalization for the purpose of reaching the world advanced level in agricultural science; studying major agricultural scientific problems at a deeper level and in a wider range; improving China’s capacity of independent innovation and addressing major problems; and providing scientifc support for the transformation and upgrading of agricultural industry and its green and sound development. In doing so, it is expected that China will become a leading innovative power in agriculture by 2035, with its capabilities of original innovation, technological innovation and integrated innovation ranking among the best in the world.
This study provides a list of priority felds and major interdisciplinary fields for the development of agricultural science in the next 15 years based on the research laws, development planning, development strategy and development goals of agricultural science. The priority fields include the following aspects. (1)The theoretical basis of gene discovery and molecular design breeding of important genetic resources for agricultural living things. Genetic resources are strategic resources for genetic improvement of agricultural lives. A series of moves will be taken to provide important technical support for the eforts to satisfy the strategic needs of agricultural transformation and upgrading and green development, including fine evaluation of genetic resources for agricultural lives, large-scale exploration and utilization of excellent allele, aggregation of excellent alleles through molecular design, creation of new germplasms and cultivation of new varieties. (2)The biological basis of heterosis for agricultural lives and their new utilizations. The interpretation of the biological basis for the formation of animal and plant heterosis and the development of new approaches to utilize heterosis and a new breeding system with fixed heterosis will contribute more to the ensuring meat and grain safety in China. (3)The basis and regulation of high-quality, high-yield and high-efciency cultivation/feeding of major agricultural lives. As a core task to adapt to the demands for green and safe production in the new era and to ensure food safety in China on a continuous basis, China will conduct multi-objective systematic research on the yield and quality, resource efciency, adaptability and production safety of agricultural lives. (4)The mechanism of crop resistance to abiotic stress and efficient utilization of nutrients. Efforts to strengthen the research on the biological mechanism of abiotic stress resistance and nutrient efficient utilization of crops, and to reveal their genetic, physiological and cultural regulation mechanism are of great signifcance for achieving high-quality, high-yield, high-efficiency and sustainable crop production. (5)Crop pests and disaster occurrence mechanism. As the adjustment of crop planting structure has a direct impact on the host source and habitat conditions of pests, an explanation of the evolution process and disaster mechanism of crop pests in such process is of important scientific value and practical significance to effectively control pests and promote green and efficient crop production. (6)The biological basis for the formation of yield and quality traits of agricultural animal products. In order to ensure food security and improve national nutrition, it is essential to intensify efforts to discover the regulatory genes, synthesis pattern of main substances and important regulatory molecules for the formation of diferent varieties of meat, eggs and milk, and to analyze the biological basis for the formation of animal product yield and quality traits. (7)The occurrence, transmission and control of major agricultural animal diseases. China is still severely impacted and restricted by important animal epidemics and zoonosis in the sound development of its livestock and poultry industry as well as food safety and human health. The research on the occurrence, transmission and control of major agricultural animal epidemics will provide theoretical and technical support for the design of vaccines, diagnosis and drugs as well as the generation of prevention and control strategies for important epidemics. (8)The mechanism and regulation of food flavor, nutrition and safety. China will conduct research on food flavor, nutrition and safety issues as an important move to meet the interior requirements of food quality and safeguard residents’health. (9)The mechanism of organ formation and development of horticultural crops. Due to the particularities of organ formation and development of horticultural crops, the analysis of their laws from the perspective of gene levels will provide insights into plant developmental biology and promote the cultivation of excellent horticultural crop varieties with independent intellectual property rights. (10)The mechanism for the formation and improvement of forest quality functions and the biological basis of forest product regulation. To facilitate forestry development in China, a number of major technological demands shall be addressed, including cultivating new varieties of high-quality forest trees, building a theoretical and technical system for precise improvement of forest quality functions, deepening the multi-scale interaction and control mechanism of forest products, improving forest quality functions and increasing the full quality utilization of forest products. (11)Basic biological research on the development of high-quality and safe grass products and efcient livestock transformation and utilization. The production of high-quality and safe forage products is essential for the sound development of modern herbivorous livestock industry. In order to promote the development of modern herbivorous animal husbandry and grass industry, it is of great strategic signifcance to study the development of high-quality and safe forage products and efficient livestock transformation and utilization. (12)The biological basis of quality variation of fruits, vegetables and fresh food during storage and preservation. An understanding of the aging and quality maintenance/deterioration mechanism of fresh agricultural products during storage and transportation is the premise to ensure their efcient storage and retain freshness, which will contribute to the upgrading of fruit and vegetable, grain, livestock and poultry, aquatic products and other industries, ensure food safety, improve industry competitiveness and promote sustainable development.
The major interdisciplinary fields include the following four aspects. (1)The basic theory and technological innovation of big data-based agricultural bioinformatics and smart agriculture. Big data and smart agriculture are important frontiers of agricultural science. A series of measures can be taken in these fields to transform traditional agriculture and increase the country’s international competitiveness of agricultural science and technology, including strengthening research on big data biology (e.g., agricultural genomics) and IT-based smart agriculture, promoting the development of modern facility agriculture, precision agriculture, plant factories and smart farming, and increasing the efficiency of agricultural industry. (2)The eco-environmental interaction mechanism and functional regulation of agricultural, forestry and grass production systems. The increasing environmental pressure on the agricultural ecosystem has resulted in increasingly prominent ecological and environmental problems in agricultural production. Thus, it is necessary to study the key and essential issues impacting the environmental ecological interaction and functional regulation of the agricultural production systems, which will provide theoretical basis and technical support for the sustainable development of agricultural ecosystem and the improvement of ecological service functions. (3)Research on the eco-environmental effect and regulation mechanism of marine ranching. As an industry integrating functions of environmental protection, resource conservation and sustainable fishery output, marine ranching plays an important role in promoting the transformation and upgrading of the fishery industry and the integration of the three major agricultural industries. The interdisciplinary research on the ecological environmental effect and regulation mechanism of marine ranching will support the high-quality development of the country’s modern marine ranching industry, which will be of great significance to marine ecological civilization construction and the implementation of the strategy of building maritime power. (4)Green production of high-quality agricultural animal products and human health. China is dedicated to making breakthroughs in the research on the relationship between animal genetics breeding, nutrition and production of high-quality livestock products, and human health. This is also the common aspiration and goal of shifting from the pursuit of quantity-oriented animal industry and aquatic products industries to quality-oriented industries that aim at enhancing human health.
The international cooperation on agricultural science plays an important part in agricultural science and technology innovations. This study proposes to intensify international cooperation in the following key fields of agricultural science in the next 15 years. (1)Research and evaluation of agricultural biological resources in countries along the “Belt and Road”. Concerted eforts will be made to establish agricultural biological resources and data platforms in countries along the “Belt and Road” to promote sustainable development of global agriculture. (2)Research on the disaster mechanisms and monitoring technologies of major cross-border diseases and pests of agricultural living things. In order to effectively control the major diseases and pests of agricultural living things, this book will conduct research on the relationship between diverse climate conditions, various agricultural management systems, planting and breeding methods and cross-border pests and diseases in diferent countries. (3)Establishment, application and evaluation of the global transmission and molecular traceability network of food-borne pathogenic microorganisms. Facing the global spread of food-borne pathogenic microorganisms, we need to establish a global transmission and molecular traceability network as an important move to ensure food safety and immediate response to the outbreaks of food-borne pathogenic microorganisms. (4)Response of agricultural lives to global climate changes. Global climate changes have become common challenges for human survival and development as they directly afect the production, quality and security of agricultural lives, regulate the population relationship between crops and pests, and impact global food security and ecological security.
