Abstract: With the steady support of various funding agencies, plant science in China has been developing rapidly. In 2008, Chinese scientists reported a lot of original research findings in various aspects of plant biology. Significant progresses in molecular genetics of rice architecture, flowering control, seed development, reproductive isolating mechanism and the ecological safety of transgenic crops have been made. This review aims to provide an overall picture of plant research in China and highlights some of the important findings in 2008.