Collaborative kiwi lab between New Zealand and China yields fruitful results

The China-New Zealand Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Kiwifruit, a collaborative effort between the Sichuan Provincial Academy of Natural Resource Sciences and the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, has been in operation for a decade and has made significant strides in preserving kiwifruit germplasm resources and breeding new varieties. Located in Sichuan Tianfu New Area, the laboratory is the world's largest germplasm repository for red-fleshed kiwifruit, preserving 90 percent of the global red-fleshed kiwifruit resources. The laboratory has also established a 133.3-hectare demonstration base in Sichuan and facilities in Shaanxi and Guizhou provinces to identify and promote varieties suitable for local conditions. The new varieties of red-fleshed kiwifruit have been applied to over 80,000 hectares in China and have been authorized for cultivation in 11 countries. The laboratory plans to focus on genome sequencing for red-fleshed kiwifruit, pest and disease control, and safe production techniques for kiwifruit orchards in the future.