Achievements and Advances of Plant Sciences Research in China in 2025

doi:10.3724/CBB-2026-0074

Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2026, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (2): 187-212.DOI: 10.3724/CBB-2026-0074

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Achievements and Advances of Plant Sciences Research in China in 2025

Hongya Gu¹, Fan Chen², Jianru Zuo³, Langtao Xiao⁴, Zhaojun Ding⁵, Liwen Jiang⁶, Rongcheng Lin⁷, Zhiduan Chen⁸, Xiaoquan Qi⁸, Shuhua Yang⁹, Yongfei Bai⁸, Kang Chong^8*, Lei Wang^8*

¹School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; ²Yazhouwan National Laboratory, Sanya 572024, China; ³Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; ⁴College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; ⁵Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China; ⁶The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatian, China; ⁷Xianghu Lab, Hangzhou 311231, China; ⁸Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; ⁹College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China

Online:2026-03-10 Published:2026-04-06
Contact: Kang Chong; Lei Wang

Abstract

Abstract: In 2025, Chinese plant scientists achieved an explosive growth (a twofold increase) in the number of papers published in the three international comprehensive academic journals (Nature, Science, and Cell) compared to 2024. The number of papers published in mainstream plant science journals also continued to steadily increase relative to 2024. Significant research progress was made in fields such as plant hormones and secondary metabolism, plant biochemical analysis and bioinformatics, photosynthesis and light signaling, stress tolerance mechanisms, and plant systematics and evolution. Among them, “Epigenetic variation drives plant stress adaptation” and “AI-driven protein engineering enables breakthrough in precise chromosome manipulation” were selected as two of the “Top Ten Advances in Life Sciences in China” in 2025. Here we summarize the achievements of plant science research in China in 2025, and briefly introduces 160 representative important research advances, aiming to help readers understand the overall development trend of plant science in China and its position in international plant science, and to evaluate future research direction to meet major national strategic needs.

Key words: China, plant sciences, research advance, 2025

Hongya Gu, Fan Chen, Jianru Zuo, Langtao Xiao, Zhaojun Ding, Liwen Jiang, Rongcheng Lin, Zhiduan Chen, Xiaoquan Qi, Shuhua Yang, Yongfei Bai, Kang Chong, Lei Wang. Achievements and Advances of Plant Sciences Research in China in 2025[J]. Chinese Bulletin of Botany, 2026, 61(2): 187-212.

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URL: https://www.chinbullbotany.com/EN/10.3724/CBB-2026-0074

https://www.chinbullbotany.com/EN/Y2026/V61/I2/187

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Achievements and Advances of Plant Sciences Research in China in 2025

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